Dumbarnie Links lies within the 5,000-acre Balcarres Estate, a property that’s been in the hands of Lord Balniel’s family for more than four hundred years. It’s a Clive Clark design which first opened its doors to the public as a pay-and-play facility in the spring of 2020.
Dumbarnie Links lies within the 5,000-acre Balcarres Estate, a property that’s been in the hands of Lord Balniel’s family for more than four hundred years. It’s a Clive Clark design which first opened its doors to the public as a pay-and-play facility in the spring of 2020.
Dumbarnie Links lies within the 5,000-acre Balcarres Estate, a property that’s been in the hands of Lord Balniel’s family for more than four hundred years. With holes set out a short distance from the shores of Largo Bay, between the links layouts at Lundin Golf Club and the Golf House Club at Elie, Dumbarnie Links is a Clive Clark design which first opened its doors to the public as a pay-and-play facility in the spring of 2020.
Course construction by American contractor Landscapes Unlimited was supervised by project manager Paul Kimber (formerly the lead architect for David McLay Kidd on the nearby Castle course at St Andrews) and it was he who brought a tight, 6-month build to completion prior to a lengthy grow-in period in advance of the official opening. Scottsdale-based company OB Golf Sports Management now oversee operations at the course.
The links occupies a 350-acre portion of the estate, with an out and back routing to bring holes tantalisingly near to the beach on both the front nine (at #4 and #9) and the back nine (at #10, #13 and #14). Like Kingsbarns, everything here was fashioned by man, including the separating low dunes and the softening contours that enable a smooth transition between the coastal holes and those laid out on higher ground further inland.
There’s plenty of movement in the greens, with ample run-off areas to allow recovery shots to be played. There’s also a great mix of bunker styles as some are eco-bunker pots, some are irregularly shaped hazards, while others are basically large sand scrape areas fringed by native vegetation. And, for golfers who like elevated tee positions, holes 6, 8 and 9 all call for shots from raised platforms facing straight downhill towards the Firth of Forth.
The par four 1st hole sets out the stall rather well for what lies ahead, featuring a wide fairway bounded by sandhills on either flank leading downhill to a huge green protected by ragged-edged bunkers. It all looks rather innocuous until you take a closer look and notice the burn to the left which then cuts across the hole a short distance in front of the green – so it ends up not quite as benign as it might appear from the tee.
Other highlight holes include the doglegging 5th and 15th (where split fairways offer options on the best route to take to both greens). All four of the par three holes (the downhill 8th in particular is a little beauty) and short par fours at the 3rd 11th and 17th, with the last of these holes a “signature hole” contender, playing uphill to a heavily sand-protected three-tiered green that lies beyond a 300-year-old stone wall.
In advance of the course opening, Lord Anthony Balniel said: “There was an air of uncertainty when my family was first approached about building a golf course on our land. Fast forward several years and we simply could not be more pleased. What Clive Clark and his team have done is nothing short of outstanding. I have been struck not only by the beauty of what has been created… but also by the focus on the wildlife, plants and birds.”
In March 2021 – less than a year after first opening its tees for play – it was announced that Dumbarnie would host the Women’s Scottish Open. “We are honoured to have been selected to host the 2021 Women’s Scottish Open and look forward to welcoming the players to our genuine links course,” said Dumbarnie Links Founder and architect Clive Clark.
The latest ranking of the Top 100 Golf Courses in the World serves as the ultimate global golf bucket list. Most members of our World Top 100 Panel are seasoned golfers, each playing 20-30 of these courses annually while travelling extensively over decades to form their opinions on others. We recognise that opinions vary—even among our panel members. Rankings are subjective, and there are undoubtedly 50 or more courses in the UK and USA alone that could easily fit onto this list. Links Golf Pilgrimages The rankings
California, United States
New Jersey, United States
Northern Ireland, United Kingdom
New York, United States
New York, United States
No golf destination carries quite the same weight as the Kingdom of Fife. This peninsula jutting into the North Sea between the Firth of Forth and the Firth of Tay is where the game was born, where its rules are written, and where golfers have been making pilgrimages for six centuries. It is Scotland's most densely packed region for quality golf. The Old Course at St Andrews sits at the very summit of the world rankings, but Fife's strength goes far beyond one famous address. Kingsbarns ranks among the finest modern links on the planet; Dumbarnie has shot to prominence since opening in 2020; the Castle Course, New Course, and Jubilee provide championship-level variety without leaving the St Andrews links complex. Venture further south into the East Neuk and you find Elie, Crail, Lundin Links, and Leven – courses that serious golfers return to again and again. Venturing inland to Ladybank and Scotscraig rewards those willing to look beyond the coast. A week in Fife barely scratches the surface. A fortnight leaves you wanting more. This guide covers everything needed to plan a trip that does justice to Scotland's most extraordinary golf region. Fife Golf: Why It Should Top Your Travel List 🌟 Unmatched Golf Density Fife leads Scotland's regional breakdown with the most courses in the Top 100, ahead of East Lothian and Ayrshire. Within a 40km (25-mile) radius of St Andrews, golfers can access more world-class links than on any comparable stretch of coastline anywhere. The concentration is genuinely remarkable… drive 20 minutes east from St Andrews, and you are playing Kingsbarns; 30 minutes west and you are at the East Neuk classics; an hour north and Scotscraig awaits. The quality also spans every price point and every course style. The range means golfers on any budget can build a serious itinerary. A Golf Trip Unlike Any Other Home of Golf heritage – it is the home of golf and where the R&A still governs the global game from Championship pedigree – the Old Course alone has hosted 29 Opens; Kingsbarns co-hosts the Dunhill Links each autumn Modern excellence – Dumbarnie (2020) and the Castle Course (2008) prove Fife's ability to produce world-class new designs Diversity of terrain – links, heathland, parkland, and clifftop golf all within an hour's drive Infrastructure – St Andrews supports international golfers with world-class hotels, caddies, equipment rental, and year-round play Fife's Finest Golf Courses ⛳ The Top Eight – Essential Fife Golf 1. The Old Course at St Andrews The Old Course at St Andrews – The most famous golf course in the world sits at the very heart of the town, its fairways woven into the fabric of St Andrews itself. The course divides opinion among architects and purists – the blind shots, shared fairways, and vast double greens are either baffling or revelatory depending on the round – but no golfer leaves unmoved. A guaranteed tee time requires booking many months in advance through an authorised operator. The daily ballot offers a more affordable route but demands flexibility; the ballot draws 48 hours ahead, and results are announced after 5 pm. Caddies are strongly recommended to complete the experience. 2. Kingsbarns Golf Links Kingsbarns Golf Links – Opened in 2000, Kyle Phillips's design transformed flat farmland 11km (7 miles) southeast of St Andrews into one of the most celebrated links in existence. The North Sea is visible from every part of the course, and six holes play directly along the shoreline. The par-5 12th, sweeping around the bay, and the par-3 15th, demanding a carry over a rocky inlet, are among the most photographed holes in Scottish golf. Kingsbarns co-hosts the Dunhill Links Championship with the Old Course and Carnoustie each autumn. The club's caddie operation is excellent, and the post-round hospitality matches the best in Scotland. 3. Dumbarnie Links Dumbarnie Links – Clive Clark's 2020 creation on the 5,000-acre Balcarres Estate has made one of the most dramatic entrances in recent Scottish golf history. Set on the Fife coast overlooking the Firth of Forth, with 14 of 18 holes offering sea views, Dumbarnie stretches to 7,600 yards from the tips and can be set up with up to three drivable par-4s depending on conditions. The 10th, defending itself with a large water feature, is the hardest hole on the course; the 17th, a short par-4 climbing over a stone wall and wetland, captures the Scottish links spirit perfectly. Dumbarnie hosted the Women's Scottish Open in 2021 and has quickly established itself as one of Scotland's finest pay-and-play venues. 4. St Andrews Castle Course St Andrews Links (Castle Course) – The newest addition to the St Andrews Links Trust portfolio was designed by David McLay Kidd and opened in 2008. Laid out on a clifftop above the town with over 1.6km (a mile) of waterfront. The Castle Course divides opinion within the St Andrews family as it lacks the 'natural' links character of its famous siblings, but the clifftop setting delivers drama that few courses anywhere can match. The closing three holes of each nine are strung along the coastline, and the wind at this exposed elevation makes the Castle Course play more difficult than its yardage suggests. Closed from November to February. 5. St Andrews New Course St Andrews Links (New Course) – Created in 1895 by Old Tom Morris and Benjamin Hall Blythe to relieve pressure on the Old Course, the New Course is considered by many locals to be the finest test in St Andrews. Tighter and more defined than its famous neighbour, the New rewards precision over creativity and has hosted national championships for over a century. It is outstanding value for a course of this quality and heritage. 6. Golf House Club, Elie Golf House Club, Elie – James Braid was born and raised at Elie, and while it was Old Tom Morris who laid out the current 18 holes in 1895, Braid made his revisions in 1921, and the course has remained largely untouched since. Elie is famously quirky. For example, the starter uses a submarine periscope salvaged from HMS Excalibur to check that the opening hole is clear before sending groups on their way. Five-time Open champion Peter Thomson called it the most enjoyable course he knew, and the layout of 16 par-4s and two par-3s, with fiery greens and constant Firth of Forth views, makes the claim easy to understand. Visitor access is limited in the summer due to member priority, so early booking is essential. 7. St Andrews Jubilee Course St Andrews Links (Jubilee Course) – Often described as the most challenging of the St Andrews courses, the Jubilee was built in 1897 and sits between the New Course and the sea. The Jubilee is considered excellent preparation for anyone hoping to play the Old Course. 8. Crail Balcomie Links Crail (Balcomie Links) – Golf has been played at Crail since 1786, making it one of the oldest clubs in the world. Old Tom Morris designed the current Balcomie Links layout in the late 1890s, with the course positioned right on the craggy East Neuk coastline. With stone walls, railway sleeper bunker faces, and natural hollows as hazards, Crail has an authenticity that newer courses spend fortunes trying to recreate. Crail is 15km (9 miles) from St Andrews and serves as an ideal companion round to Kingsbarns, just minutes away. Worth Every Minute: Fife's B-Side Courses 🎯 The Supporting Cast That Steals the Show One of Fife's great secrets is how well its mid-tier courses compare to headline acts elsewhere in Scotland. The following seven are ranked 9–14 in Fife's Top 100 regional listing, and each one earns its place in any serious Fife itinerary. 9. Crail Craighead Links Crail (Craighead Links) – Gil Hanse's 1998 design at Crail occupies higher ground than its older sibling, Balcomie, and offers more dramatic elevation changes and sweeping views in multiple directions. Craighead's tall fescue rough is among the most demanding in Fife, and the green complexes require careful thought. Playing both Crail courses in a single day is entirely achievable and gives a fascinating contrast in approach and character. 10. Lundin Golf Club Lundin Links – Lundin's unusual origins. The club shared a course with Leven Golf Club until 1909, when James Braid was brought in to create a separate layout, giving the course a character unlike any other in Fife. The front nine is classic links; the back nine crosses an old railway line into a different style entirely. Lundin hosted Open Final Qualifying when the Championship was at St Andrews for many years, which says everything about the quality of the test. Six holes play adjacent to the beach, and the 18th, at 450 yards, is one of the toughest finishers in the Kingdom. 11. Leven Links Leven Links – Sharing the same stretch of coastline as Lundin, Leven is the more traditional of the two and offers one of the most honest links tests in Fife at a price that feels increasingly rare for a course of this calibre. The par-3s can be particularly devilish, and the two closing holes are as strong as any in the East Neuk. The golf club dates to 1820, making Leven one of the older clubs in Scotland. 12. Ladybank Golf Club Ladybank Golf Club – Ladybank is Fife's only heathland course is a pine-lined inland gem that offers a completely different experience from the coastal links dominating the rest of the Kingdom's roster. Old Tom Morris designed the original layout, and the course has hosted Open qualifying and top amateur events, including the Scottish PGA Championship. The contrast with a day on the links is deeply refreshing, and the course's compact, strategic nature rewards intelligent play over raw power. 13. Scotscraig Golf Club Scotscraig Golf Club – Founded in 1817, Scotscraig is among the 20 oldest golf clubs in the world and sits in the north of Fife near Tayport. The hybrid course, partly heathland, partly links, sits close to the sea without actually playing along it. James Braid redesigned the layout in 1923, and his accuracy-focused design rewards careful course management over aggression. Scotscraig hosts Open qualifying when the Championship is at St Andrews and held the Scottish PGA Championship in 2023. 14. St Andrews Eden Course St Andrews Links (Eden Course) – The Eden sits within the St Andrews Links complex, tucked between the estuary of the River Eden and the more celebrated courses. Redesigned by Harry Colt in 1913, it is a genuine links test at an accessible price point and makes an excellent warm-up round for groups visiting St Andrews for the first time. Where to Stay: The Fairmont St Andrews 🏨 The Golf Resort of Choice for Fife For golfers seeking a single base that combines world-class accommodation with on-site golf, the Fairmont St Andrews stands apart from every other option in the Kingdom. The five-star resort occupies a dramatic clifftop position 3km (2 miles) from the Old Course, with views across St Andrews Bay that set the mood from the moment of arrival. The Fairmont's 209 rooms and suites range from golf-view standard rooms to sprawling spa suites, and the hotel's Esperante restaurant has earned consistent recognition for its Scottish menu. The leisure facilities, including an indoor pool and spa, provide welcome recovery between rounds on days when Fife's weather has taken its toll. For golfers not staying at the Fairmont, St Andrews town centre offers a substantial choice. The Rusacks Marine Hotel occupies one of the most coveted positions in Scottish golf, overlooking the 18th hole of the Old Course from just beyond the boundary. Its recent renovation has brought it back to the standard the location demands. The Old Course Hotel, directly adjacent to the 17th Road Hole of the Old Course, remains the most famous golf hotel address in Scotland and serves as the unofficial meeting point for serious golfers visiting St Andrews. In the East Neuk, the small fishing towns of Anstruther, Pittenweem, and Crail offer characterful B&B and self-catering accommodation that puts golfers within minutes of Elie, the two Crail courses, Lundin, and Leven. For golfers making Elie or Lundin Links the centrepiece of a visit rather than St Andrews, basing in the East Neuk avoids the traffic and crowds of the town while keeping the top courses within easy reach. Getting There and Getting Around 🚗✈️ Reaching Fife Edinburgh Airport is the primary international gateway, with direct flights from London (1 hour), most major European cities, and transatlantic services from New York, Boston, and Toronto. The drive from Edinburgh to St Andrews takes approximately 75 minutes via the Forth Road Bridge and the M90. Dundee Airport serves regional UK routes and sits 35km (22 miles) from St Andrews. Trains from Edinburgh to Leuchars station (the stop for St Andrews) take approximately 1 hour; the connecting bus into town adds 15 minutes. For golfers planning multiple East Neuk courses, a rental car is essentially mandatory. All the key courses are within 45 minutes of St Andrews by car. Getting Around Fife A hire car is the practical choice for any golfer playing more than two or three courses. The road network in Fife is straightforward and largely free of congestion outside St Andrews town centre. Distances are compact: Kingsbarns is 11km (7 miles) southeast; Elie is 24km (15 miles) south; Lundin Links is 30km (19 miles) southwest; Ladybank is 32km (20 miles) west; Scotscraig is 26km (16 miles) north. Most golfers based in St Andrews can reach any course in Fife within 45 minutes. Clubs, Equipment, and Caddies Caddies are strongly recommended on the Old Course. The local knowledge on the Old Course is genuinely invaluable and transforms an enjoyable round into a memorable one. Weather and When to Visit Golf in Fife is a year-round proposition, though the experience varies significantly by season. May to September offers the longest days, the best weather reliability, and peak green fees. Late April and early October provide excellent conditions at shoulder-season pricing, with fewer crowds and the same course quality. Winter play (November to March) is possible on most courses, with green fees dropping substantially. The Dunhill Links Championship in early October is a significant draw for Fife at that time of year, with the Old Course, Kingsbarns, and Carnoustie all hosting the pro-am. The Open Championship at St Andrews – next scheduled for 2030 following the 150th edition in 2022 – creates enormous demand for the entire year in question and the year before. Booking Golf in Fife 📅 Securing Tee Times at the Top Courses The Old Course requires the most planning. Guaranteed commercial tee times through authorised operators sell out many months in advance – for peak season, 12 months ahead is not excessive. The daily ballot is drawn 48 hours before play and offers a more affordable route but demands flexibility and a willingness to adjust the day's schedule. Entering the annual private ballot in late August for the following year is the most popular approach. Kingsbarns releases tee times well in advance, and the booking process is straightforward through the club's website. Dumbarnie's visitor tee times are bookable directly via email or phone and the club is responsive to inquiries – booking 2–3 months ahead for peak summer is prudent. The East Neuk courses of Elie, Crail, Lundin, and Leven generally have more availability and bookable time slots within a 4–6 week window in summer. Elie is the notable exception: member priority severely limits visitor access at weekends in high season, and weekday play is strongly advisable for non-members. Ladybank and Scotscraig are the most accessible of Fife's top courses and can often be booked within days during the summer. The St Andrews Links Trust courses (New, Jubilee, Eden, Castle) are bookable through the Links Trust website or via authorised operators. Package deals combining two Links courses on consecutive days are offered and provide meaningful savings over individual bookings. Beyond the Fairways 🏰 When the Clubs Are Put Away St Andrews is a complete destination beyond golf. The University of St Andrews, founded in 1413 and the oldest in Scotland, gives the town an intellectual energy that distinguishes it from most golf destinations. The ruins of St Andrews Cathedral – once the largest in Scotland before the Reformation – and the adjacent St Andrews Castle are worth a morning's exploration. The British Golf Museum, adjacent to the R&A Clubhouse, is the finest golf heritage museum in the world and an essential context for any serious golfer visiting the Kingdom. The East Neuk villages – Anstruther, Pittenweem, St Monans, and Crail – reward exploration on any day away from golf. The Pittenweem Arts Festival each August transforms the village into a gallery town; the working fishing harbour at Anstruther is active year-round; Crail's harbour, with its distinctive red pantile rooftops, is among the most photographed spots in Fife. Scotland's Secret Bunker near Anstruther, a Cold War nuclear command centre preserved underground, provides a genuinely surprising afternoon for the curious. Walking the Fife Coastal Path, which stretches 117km (73 miles) from the Forth Road Bridge to the Tay Bridge, is increasingly popular with non-golfing partners. The section from Largo to St Andrews is particularly rewarding and passes several of the region's best courses. The village of Falkland, home to Falkland Palace, a Renaissance royal hunting lodge that served as a retreat for Mary Queen of Scots, is worth the 30-minute drive inland for a complete change of pace. Insider Local Knowledge 💡 What the Guidebooks Miss The Old Course is closed every Sunday – a fact that surprises first-time visitors Ballot tee times on the Old Course are actually cheaper than commercial guaranteed times Elie's periscope starter system is worth arriving early for The Craigtoun Course (formerly Duke's) is now a St Andrews Links Trust property and offers a heathland experience completely unlike the links courses Lundin Links and Leven Links share the same stretch of coastline and are most rewarding played together; the contrast between Braid's hybrid Lundin design and Leven's traditional links format is instructive and thoroughly enjoyable Ladybank is easily overlooked but consistently surprises visitors who expect a 'lesser' inland course Pack waterproofs regardless of the forecast; Fife weather changes rapidly, and even the best forecasting is unreliable on the coast Golf in The Kingdom of Fife Awaits 🏴 Fife rewards planning but forgives those who arrive without much of it. The sheer density of outstanding golf means that a trip here produces memories that last a lifetime. The Kingdom of Golf earned its name long before marketing departments existed, and the courses that fill this guide prove it still deserves the title. Book the Old Course as early as possible, be flexible with everything else, and trust that Fife will deliver. It always does.
Alex Frolish has been a pilot for approaching 20 years and now travels to all corners of the globe in his role as a commercial airline pilot. His passion for flight is only equalled by his passion for golf and golf travel. Having picked up a golf club over 35 years ago when aged just 3 years old, Alex has played over 550 courses across every continent on planet earth furnished with a fairway. Over the next few months you’ll be able to follow Alex’s golfing travels as he brings you anecdotes of his life both in the air and on the course. 2022 - A Year Better Than Most Life as a commercial pilot can seem chaotic when viewed from afar. In 2022 I flew a little over 280,000 nautical miles, crossed 800 time zones and drank approximately 100 litres of tea. Jet lag is an ever present companion and weekends at home are a novelty rather than a formality. But amongst the madness there are many benefits, the greatest of which is an ability to plan a never ending golf travel itinerary. In 2022, I played a little over 90 rounds of golf on 72 new courses. Those courses were located in 11 different countries across 5 continents. Some of those were bucket list occupying world top 100 courses, others were £20 municipal tracks that had peeked my interest in some way. But what stitched all of these rounds together was the sense of adventure and anticipation for a new experience enjoyed. California Golf Club of San Francisco, photo credit: Patrick Koenig There were too many highs and lows in 2022 to possibly highlight them all. The experiences at Cal Club in San Francisco and St George’s in Toronto were utterly memorable. The twilight round amongst the towering redwood lined Mackenzie crafted holes at Northwood GC in Northern California and the dawn tee time at Sentosa in Singapore as the morning mist stirred across the Straits of Mallaca, vie for the most atmospheric. And my visit to my 500th new course at Dumbarnie Links was possibly my most significant golf travelling milestone. However, for all of the wonderful experiences and plans fulfilled, there were those that didn’t quite go to plan. I had dreamed of a visit to North Berwick’s West Links for many years, and to arrive at the starters hut to be greeted with the news that the greens had been heavily punched the day before, was a particularly crushing blow. An unexpectedly frosty morning in South Wales resulted in a round at Pennard being played to all 18 temporary greens (which would subsequently be opened moments after we left the final hole). And due to my tuktuk breaking down en route to the course and the subsequent 40 minute sweaty walk and difficulty in renegotiating my tee time, Cosmopolitan Golf Club in Chennai, India was added to my list of clubs that would require a second attempted visit. Pennard Golf Club, photo credit: Larry Lambrecht The end of the year was particularly unsuccessful in respect of plans fulfilled. In December I arrived in Buenos Aires on the morning of the football World Cup final. The ensuing three day party put paid to my plans to visit Jockey Club and San Andrés Golf Club for long anticipated first time visits, but immersing myself in the plentiful celebrations softened the blow somewhat. Heavy snow and low cloud in the UK meant that the run up to Christmas was one punctuated by cancelled tee times and wistful looks through the clubhouse window. And a final trip of the year to Santiago in Chile was disrupted by public holidays that I had failed to take account of. No plans are bulletproof and in the ever evolving world of golf travel planning, there will always be days and itineraries that don't quite work out. However I like to look forward to what lies ahead and the coming weeks are filled with plenty of planned air miles and potential rounds in the diary. I have visits to California, Oregon, India and Dubai and at home, a first time visit to Royal St George’s to come before I will write my next update. Until next time, I wish you many straight drives, well negotiated four footers and happy rounds.
Top 100 Courses of Britain & Ireland 2022 In the last few weeks we’ve published ranking charts for Northern Ireland, Wales, England, Ireland and Scotland so it’s now time to extract the best 100 of those 380 courses and present them in a collated fashion within our Britain & Ireland Top 100 listings. In this revision, 32 layouts move up, 50 drop down, 13 stay in the same place and 5 are new entries or re-entries. Royal County Down One of the non-movers is the Championship course at Royal County Down in Newcastle which has been our No.1 for the British Isles since 2006. The layout began as a 9-hole track back in 1889 and its development has seen design input from iconic architects such as Old Tom Morris, Harry Vardon and Harry Colt. In the past few years, Martin Ebert has made judicious alterations to both the Championship and Annesley courses at the club. Review comments from last year include: “from start to finish the course doesn’t let up… not a single bad hole out there… without a doubt the best golf experience in the world… there are some classic links holes and the backdrop of the mountains of Mourne is spectacular… a few of the par threes are post cards from heaven… conditions are immaculate, greens are superb.” North Berwick (West) Climbing three places from number 13, the West course at North Berwick enters the elite Top 10 strata for the first time, having slowly risen every two years in the rankings from #41 in 2004. A golf course has operated here since the club was founded in 1832 (though the game was being played on the links as far back as 1672) and the current layout is attributed to Ben Sayers Jnr. and C.K. Hutchison who made use of additional land in the early 1930s. Review remarks this year include: “My main takeaway from playing golf here was just how much fun it was… it isn’t just a brutal slog lined by punitive rough and heavy bunkering… it is a varied challenge of strategy and skill that keeps you thoroughly engaged… somewhere I suppose you would never tire of playing… for me it’s what golf is all about.” St Patrick’s The highest placed of five newcomers to the chart is the St Patrick’s course at Rosapenna in Donegal which enters at number 14. Located a few kilometres along the coast from the resort’s Sandyhills and Old Tom Morris layouts, St Patrick’s is Tom Doak’s first foray into golf design in the Emerald Isle, where he was aided and abetted by a small team of associates who’ve done a remarkable job of transforming what was formerly a failed 36-hole project into a world-class 18-hole links. Our well-travelled correspondent Fergal O’Leary visited the new course last year just before it officially opened, calling it “a dream come true for Tom Doak, for the Rosapenna resort and for the golfers of Ireland… golfers will be left speechless by the sheer scale of the course, the width of the fairways, shaping of greens and a setting that will take your breath away.” Dumbarnie The second new entry in the standings is the latest addition to the golf scene in Fife at Dumbarnie Links on Largo Bay, arriving at number 40. Already a multiple award winner soon after it opened in 2020, the course quickly established its championship-hosting credentials by staging the Women’s Scottish Open last year. Designed by Clive Clark, the course has garnered nothing but positive comments since its unveiling. “How wonderful this piece of land is to experience,” wrote a reviewer just last month. “It photographs well but it is when you take it in with your own eyes that you truly appreciate the peaceful and majestic aura it exudes.” Another poster said: “like all courses that begin with a blank canvas, the variety offered up is very good… it’s a nicely balanced collection of strong holes that offers up the instant sugar rush that travelling golfers crave.” Further down the rankings, four English courses make significant improvements on their position. Rye The Old course at Rye in East Sussex advances ten spots to number 45. Host venue for the President’s Putter which has been played every January since 1920 by members of the Oxford & Cambridge Golfing Society, the course was originally laid out by Harry Colt, with subsequent modifications made between the wars made by Tom Simpson and Guy Campbell. Comments in reviews last year included: “Rye summed up why I love the Top 100 quest – history, drama, great views and lovely people… if the course was more open to visitors I suspect it would be way higher in the rankings… they are still using the same understated ‘temporary club house’ from the 1920s and it does very much feel like you are stepping back in time.” Hankley Common The ranking fortunes of the course at Hankley Common outside Farnham have fluctuated severely over the years. In the second revision of this chart in 2008, it rose to #51 from #76 before falling back to #70 two years later. Since then, it’s gone out as far as #82 in 2010 then come back in to a best placed #50 in 2016 – the course’s rise of 12 places now to #58 is just the latest in a chart roller coaster ride that might well continue for some time to come. Founded in 1897, the club started out with a 9-hole layout which James Braid doubled in size in 1922. Fourteen years later, Harry Colt remodelled the course into the one that’s still in play today. Both the English Men’s Amateur (2019) and the Men’s Home Internationals (2021) were held at Hankley Common in recent years so the club’s ability to host major championships is in no doubt. Prince’s The Shore & Dunes nines at Prince’sin Sandwich also makes good progress after entering the chart for the first time at #99 in 2020. It now soars fourteen places to number 85. Guy Campbell and John Morrison re-built the layout after World War II and Martin Ebert recently completed an upgrade to re-bunker holes, install new tees, create natural sand scrapes and introduce a new sea-facing par three on the Shore loop. Comments over the last 12-month period include: “a wonderfully mature course that provides a true test of all facets of golf… Prince’s is looking outstanding, with impressive bunkering and immaculate conditioning… new tees add length and change angles to increase the options and challenge… the wide run off areas leave you with the option to recover with a putt, chip or pitch… much more fun and thought-provoking than one dimensional rough.” Dropping out to make way for the five new courses are Castletown on the Isle of Man, Moray (Old) in Lossiemouth, Royal Ashdown Forest (Old) in East Sussex, Wentworth (East) in Surrey and Woburn (Marquess) in Buckinghamshire. To view the complete detailed list of our new Top 100 Golf Courses of Britain & Ireland chart click the link. View list here
