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Fife - The Heartland of Scottish Golf
Golfing in Fife
Fife: four letters, one syllable, a myriad of possibilities. The region that bills itself as the Kingdom of Fife woos visitors with its stunning sea views, flavoursome cuisine and charming coastal towns. There’s another more pressing reason why thousands flock here every year however – golf.
That other four-letter, single-syllable word is the driving force that fuels Fife’s booming tourism industry. The phrase ‘golfer’s paradise’ might just be the most devalued phrase in the English language, which is a shame, because Fife truly is a golfer’s paradise – even if the terminology doesn’t do the region justice.
With over 45 of the most challenging, scenic, varied, undulating and fiendishly tricky courses in the country to get to grips with, there’s enough here to keep even the pros on their toes. Being voted European Golf Destination of the Year 2012 merely confirmed what many golfers already knew: Fife, the birthplace of golf, is still the greatest place in the world from which to tee off.
Scotland boasts a wealth of great golf courses, from sandy links to rolling fairways and immaculately manicured greens, but Fife’s courses are blessed with an additional attribute – they’re steeped in golfing history. Defining as intangible a concept as ‘history’ is harder than it sounds when describing a round of golf. Nevertheless, as you tee off on the King’s Course at Gleneagles, you’ll find it hard to ignore the shadow of the greats who have graced the ancient course over the years.
For those fortunate enough to alight on the world-famous links at Gleneagles, there is not one, but three courses to contend with. The PGA Centenary Course, King’s Course and Queen’s Course are packed with enough twists and turns, features and flourishes to put all your skills to the test. With the PGA Centenary Course proving tough enough to have even the world’s greats scratching their heads, as was the case during the Ryder Cup 2012, it will certainly be no stroll in the park.
In spite of its idyllic coastal setting, not every course at St Andrews comprises sandy links and the sound of the waves lapping against the rocks – Duke’s Golf Course offers something a little different. Situated next to the Old Course at St Andrews, Duke’s is a new course that opened in 1996. This is a deceptively tricky golf course that will command all of your attention – ignore the spectacular views over the sleepy town of St Andrews and focus on your game. You’ll need accuracy, skill and power to conquer all 7,200 yards of this challenging course.
Among the 40-odd courses vying for your affections within Fife, Kingsbarns Golf Course warrants a special mention. Ranked among the world’s top 100 courses, these venerable links have been entertaining golfers for over 200 years. With spectacular views over the North Sea and 18 varied holes to master, you’ll need to be at your very best to emerge from Kingsbarns with a respectable score.
Further inland, Ladybank offers some respite from the coastal winds that can buffet many of the links courses for which Fife is renowned. This verdant course of exceptional beauty comprises parkland lined with heather, pine trees and silver birch. For those who are just as interested in keeping an eye on what lies in the rough as on the greens, Ladybank boasts some impressive flora and fauna, its grass and woodland housing red squirrels and several species of rare birds. The course achieves the perfect blend of nature and architecture, its fairways and greens seamlessly merging with the parkland.
For golfers who are keen to squeeze the most out of their time in Fife, the First in Fife Golfpass is highly recommended. A three-round ticket is priced at £63, while a five-round ticket comes in at £99, with 13 top courses to choose from.
While avid golfers will have no trouble finding ways to occupy their days in Fife, when darkness falls, it’s time to reluctantly leave the links and greens behind and retreat indoors. Thankfully, Fife boasts some excellent hotels and guesthouses, from the sumptuous opulence of Gleneagles to the cosy cabins and chalets nestling along the Fife Coastal Path. Enjoy a hearty dinner of Scottish cuisine, cooked using locally-sourced ingredients, unwind with a dram and relive the day’s highlights on the course.
Those jetting into Scotland to find out if the home of golf is all it’s cracked up to be should alight at Edinburgh Airport. Situated just outside the beguiling capital itself, and a mere 30-minute drive from central Fife, the airport is primely positioned for exploring the very best that Scotland has to offer: the best food, the best drink, the best scenery and, of course, the best golf. When it comes to golf, there’s nowhere on earth quite like the Kingdom of Fife. You’d better believe it.
By the way, one of the things you will need with you will be a set of golf clubs of course. Taylormade have just launched a new range of products. This very popular high quality golfing manufacturer is worth taking a look at. Check out their taylormade rocketbladez irons
Fife: four letters, one syllable, a myriad of possibilities. The region that bills itself as the Kingdom of Fife woos visitors with its stunning sea views, flavoursome cuisine and charming coastal towns. There’s another more pressing reason why thousands flock here every year however – golf.
That other four-letter, single-syllable word is the driving force that fuels Fife’s booming tourism industry. The phrase ‘golfer’s paradise’ might just be the most devalued phrase in the English language, which is a shame, because Fife truly is a golfer’s paradise – even if the terminology doesn’t do the region justice.
With over 45 of the most challenging, scenic, varied, undulating and fiendishly tricky courses in the country to get to grips with, there’s enough here to keep even the pros on their toes. Being voted European Golf Destination of the Year 2012 merely confirmed what many golfers already knew: Fife, the birthplace of golf, is still the greatest place in the world from which to tee off.
Scotland boasts a wealth of great golf courses, from sandy links to rolling fairways and immaculately manicured greens, but Fife’s courses are blessed with an additional attribute – they’re steeped in golfing history. Defining as intangible a concept as ‘history’ is harder than it sounds when describing a round of golf. Nevertheless, as you tee off on the King’s Course at Gleneagles, you’ll find it hard to ignore the shadow of the greats who have graced the ancient course over the years.
For those fortunate enough to alight on the world-famous links at Gleneagles, there is not one, but three courses to contend with. The PGA Centenary Course, King’s Course and Queen’s Course are packed with enough twists and turns, features and flourishes to put all your skills to the test. With the PGA Centenary Course proving tough enough to have even the world’s greats scratching their heads, as was the case during the Ryder Cup 2012, it will certainly be no stroll in the park.
In spite of its idyllic coastal setting, not every course at St Andrews comprises sandy links and the sound of the waves lapping against the rocks – Duke’s Golf Course offers something a little different. Situated next to the Old Course at St Andrews, Duke’s is a new course that opened in 1996. This is a deceptively tricky golf course that will command all of your attention – ignore the spectacular views over the sleepy town of St Andrews and focus on your game. You’ll need accuracy, skill and power to conquer all 7,200 yards of this challenging course.
Among the 40-odd courses vying for your affections within Fife, Kingsbarns Golf Course warrants a special mention. Ranked among the world’s top 100 courses, these venerable links have been entertaining golfers for over 200 years. With spectacular views over the North Sea and 18 varied holes to master, you’ll need to be at your very best to emerge from Kingsbarns with a respectable score.
Further inland, Ladybank offers some respite from the coastal winds that can buffet many of the links courses for which Fife is renowned. This verdant course of exceptional beauty comprises parkland lined with heather, pine trees and silver birch. For those who are just as interested in keeping an eye on what lies in the rough as on the greens, Ladybank boasts some impressive flora and fauna, its grass and woodland housing red squirrels and several species of rare birds. The course achieves the perfect blend of nature and architecture, its fairways and greens seamlessly merging with the parkland.
For golfers who are keen to squeeze the most out of their time in Fife, the First in Fife Golfpass is highly recommended. A three-round ticket is priced at £63, while a five-round ticket comes in at £99, with 13 top courses to choose from.
While avid golfers will have no trouble finding ways to occupy their days in Fife, when darkness falls, it’s time to reluctantly leave the links and greens behind and retreat indoors. Thankfully, Fife boasts some excellent hotels and guesthouses, from the sumptuous opulence of Gleneagles to the cosy cabins and chalets nestling along the Fife Coastal Path. Enjoy a hearty dinner of Scottish cuisine, cooked using locally-sourced ingredients, unwind with a dram and relive the day’s highlights on the course.
Those jetting into Scotland to find out if the home of golf is all it’s cracked up to be should alight at Edinburgh Airport. Situated just outside the beguiling capital itself, and a mere 30-minute drive from central Fife, the airport is primely positioned for exploring the very best that Scotland has to offer: the best food, the best drink, the best scenery and, of course, the best golf. When it comes to golf, there’s nowhere on earth quite like the Kingdom of Fife. You’d better believe it.
By the way, one of the things you will need with you will be a set of golf clubs of course. Taylormade have just launched a new range of products. This very popular high quality golfing manufacturer is worth taking a look at. Check out their taylormade rocketbladez irons
Taylormade Rocketbladez Irons Steel
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