Dumbarnie Links

“Very beautiful golf course with well-maintained grass and pretty challenging individual holes. Caddies are also very friendly.”

“I keep coming back to Dumbarnie, and I’ve played most of the courses people fly to Scotland for. The ones that humble you, that punish a clean shot caught by a gust, that send you back to the clubhouse beaten. Dumbarnie does something different, and that’s why I keep rebooking. It starts on the 1st tee. You stand at the high point of the course, looking down the valley with the whole links spread out below you. It commands respect. But Dumbarnie doesn’t want your caution, it wants your attack, and that first tee shot sets the tone for everything that follows. The golf stands with any of them. The conditioning might be the best in the country. I’ve turned up across different seasons and found the same thing every time: fairways running true, greens rolling honest, the whole course held to a standard the famous names don’t always match. But Dumbarnie was built to be enjoyed. Take the 3rd. You stand on an elevated tee with a decision to make, and if you trust it and chase a driver draw down the line, the green sits right there waiting for you. Reward for boldness, not punishment for ambition. The 17th plays the same way, with a stone wall in the picture and real strategy on the card, but I’ve found that committing to the bold line keeps paying off here. That’s the whole character of the place. The par 3s prove it too: every one well protected, none of them unfair, all of them within reach of a golfer who steps up and commits. The 8th is my favourite of them. The service is the part I’d put above everywhere else I’ve played. From the first hello to the halfway house to the clubhouse afterwards, every member of staff operates at a level you rarely see. Nothing is too much trouble. You feel looked after without ever feeling managed. I’ll be back, the same way I’ve been back before. Thank you to the whole team, and keep up exactly what you’re doing.”

“Some 25 minutes down the coast from St Andrews is another "must play" links course: Dumbarnie Golf Links. The service level and conditioning are tip tier and the golf course is so much fun to play. The complimentary dram of Dumbarnie Whisky on the first tee is a great way to start the round! The golf course is forgiving off the tee but with plenty of bite as you approach the greens, and the design is all about fun with reachable par 5's and some risk-reward par 4's. Since it opened some five years ago, it has matured greatly and should be required to be included on any legitimate Fife golf itinerary. Play it! You'll love it!”