After the Old Course, Kingsbarns a Worthy Choice

Once you’ve sunk the last putt at the Old Course, what do you do for an encore?

The answer for many golf vacationers is situated about 7 miles from St. Andrews at Kingsbarns, a spectacular, modern day layout designed by American Kyle Phillips set along nearly two miles of North Sea coastline.

Kingsbarns was ranked No. 1 “Scotland’s Best Golf Experience” in 2014 by the Scottish Golf Tourism Awards.

While it debuted 16 years ago, Kingsbarns looks as if its been around for a couple of centuries. Phillips did a masterful job of earth moving, making the course seem natural and uncontrived. Other Phillips designs include The Grove near London, England, Dundonald Links near Troon, Scotland and PGA of Sweden National Golf Resort in Sweden.

Dubbed by more than one writer as “Scotland’s Answer to Pebble Beach”, Kingsbarns is set on land that gently slopes down towards the coastline and almost every hole has an awesome view of the ocean. The 7,181-yard course is a symphony of wide fairways, fast and true contoured greens, the smell of sea air and the mesmerizing sound of waves crashing on the rocks.

Kingsbarns has a tiered effect with the holes farthest away from the sea elevated enough to give golfers beautiful panoramas across the course (and great photo ops) and a feeling of being near the sea.

Enhancing the overall experience is the immaculate conditioning of the fairways, bunkers and greens, friendly and helpful staff and excellent caddie program.

The pros like it, too. Kingsbarns is a host course along with the Old Course at St. Andrews and Carnoustie Golf Links for the annual European Tour’s Alfred Dunhill Links Championship. In 2017, the Ricoh Women’s British Open will be staged at Kingsbarns.