Much Anticipated New Course Near St Andrews

The excitement and anticipation is palpable for the the expected Spring 2020 opening of Dumbarnie Golf Links, an upscale, daily-fee, genuine links course currently under construction near St Andrews, Scotland. Construction began in May 2018.

Things To Know

Location – Dumbarnie is set 9 miles from the center of St Andrews on the north shore of the Firth of Forth in a secluded corner of the East Neuk of Fife directly across the water from Muirfield. The site is part of The Balcarres Estate which is owned by Lord Balniel.

Course Designer – Clive Clark, a former Ryder Cup player who has designed 35 golf courses in the U.S. and Europe. Among his U.S. designs is Belgrade Lakes in Maine, Lake Winnipesaukee in New Hampshire and the Celebrity Course at Miramonte Indian Wells Resort & Spa in Palm Springs, California. He also designed the award-winning The Manor House course in Wiltshire, England. “Dumbarnie Golf Links is like a dream come true for a golf course architect like myself,” says Clark. “It’s not every day you get to work with a mile and a half of pristine, ocean-front land that will form one of the best golf courses in the world. It is an exciting project to say the least.”

Course Characteristics – Dumbarnie has a mile and half of sea frontage with views of the Firth of Forth. Fourteen of the holes will have views of the Bay and the Firth of Forth. There are three potentially driveable Par-4s and the course ranges in yardage from 5,300 to 6,900 with a special set of professional tees that can stretch the course to 7,600 yards. It will be similar to Kingsbarns and Castle Stuart where land is selectively enhanced somewhat by innovative earth moving techniques.  Since the entire site is sand-based, Dumbarnie Golf Links will be categorized as the 247^th authentic links golf course in the world. All 18 greens have already been seeded with a fescue/bentgrass combination, and 17 fairways have already been seeded. Tee boxes and walking trails will feature a rye/fescue grass combination.

Management – Dumbarnie will be managed by OB Sports, a Scottsdale, AZ-based management company that manages 60 courses and country clubs in the U.S.. “This is a passion project that is very personal to me, as words alone can’t begin to describe my joy in seeing Dumbarnie Golf Links come to life,” says Orrin Vincent, Founder of OB Sports. “It’s a bucket list destination that we envision to become the latest in the line of first-class links golf courses, including the nearby Old Course at St. Andrews and Kingsbarns.”

Clubhouse – It will be situated 100-feet above sea level with panoramic views of the golf course and the Bay.