A Journal for the Thrifty Gowfer
St Andrews
St Andrews, Fife
Plate I — Links course — coastal exposure, firm running turf
Opened 2008. David McLay Kidd design with ocean views on every hole.
The Castle Course is the newest of the St Andrews Links courses, opened in 2008 on clifftop land east of the town that is geographically separate from the other five. It was designed by David McLay Kidd, who had previously built Bandon Dunes in Oregon — a course that similarly placed links-style golf on dramatic coastal terrain. At St Andrews, Kidd had a clifftop site above the North Sea and used it in full. Every hole has a sea view. Some are played directly along the cliff edge.
The design is more obviously dramatic than the other Links courses. Where the Old Course and the New work with flatter, more traditional links ground, the Castle Course uses elevation change as a primary feature — tees set high above fairways, greens perched on headlands, the town of St Andrews visible across the bay from several points on the round. It has divided opinion in the way that most modern links designs do: those who want their links flat and historically grounded find it theatrical; those who come to it without comparison tend to find it exceptional.
The 9th hole — a par 4 where the drive is played from a high tee above the cliff, the fairway dropping sharply to a landing zone with nothing but sea to the right — is the course's defining moment. The tee shot is exhilarating or terrifying depending on experience and wind direction; there is no middle ground. The 17th, a long par 4 played along the cliffedge in the opposite direction, requires a second shot that holds the shape even as the wind off the North Sea tries to redirect it toward the rough. These are holes that use their setting rather than merely admiring it.
Green fees are £120, making it the most expensive of the non-Old Course options in the Links Trust portfolio. No ballot is required. Caddies are available and worth considering — the routing is not always obvious from the tee, and the clifftop wind management benefits from local knowledge. It pairs well with the Jubilee or the New for visitors spending multiple days in St Andrews, and offers something different enough in character that the courses complement rather than repeat each other.
One Hole Worth Talking About
The course's most-photographed hole and the architectural showpiece. Tee perched on a cliff with panoramic views across St Andrews Bay; green tucked into the headland the other side of a fall to the rocks. Wind off the bay changes the club two or three irons. McLay Kidd's signature move at this site.
The Full Scorecard
Fields marked “Contact club” aren’t public-facing in a way we’ve been able to verify. Call the club directly for these — we’ll update the entry when we have it from source.
Conditions This Week
Scored 0–10 for golf — wind, rain, conditions · Full 7-region forecast →
Location
St Andrews, Fife · KY16 8PLOpen in OpenStreetMap →
While They Golf
St Andrews isn't only for the golfers. Walks, drives, distilleries, castles, a long lunch — five picks within thirty minutes of the first tee.
The St Andrews companion guide →★ Pair This Round ★
Three things within an hour of the first tee. Each open to visitors; each chosen for what suits a golfer's pace, not a tour bus's.
Cathedral · 8 min west (back toward town)
St Andrews · Cathedral founded 1158; Castle 13th c.
From the Castle Course you can actually see the Cathedral ruins below. Drive back to town for the climb up St Rule's Tower and a walk through the bottle dungeon at the Castle.
Distillery · 10 min south-east
Kingsbarns village · Founded 2014
Closer to the Castle Course than to the Old. Lowland malt in a converted East Neuk farmstead.
Beach · 5 min south-east
Boarhills · Quiet sand-and-rock coastline
The coastline beneath the Castle Course continues east as a series of small bays separated by rocky outcrops. Quieter than St Andrews's beaches and a good half-day walk from the course toward Kingsbarns.
Plan This Round
Where to Stay
Hotels, lodges and self-catering near the first tee. Map-style search via Stay22 covering Booking.com, Expedia, Airbnb and Vrbo.
How to Get There
Edinburgh (EDI) is 90 minutes away by car. Train + onward taxi works for the carless visitor.
Insure Your Round
Most home contents policies don't cover golf clubs in transit. The picker matches you to the right kind of cover in two minutes.
Played here? Consider
Picked for links rounds on the Scottish coast.
Outerwear
Wind off the firth changes club selection two irons. A breathable, fully-waterproof shell that's light enough not to swing in is the single biggest upgrade for Scottish links golf.
Layer
Scottish-made merino — the locals' choice for shoulder-season rounds. Warm enough for a 7am tee time in October, light enough for the back nine when the sun comes out.
Tech
Handles blind tee shots and exposed-coastal yardage cleanly. Battery lasts a 36-hole day; the wind-direction overlay justifies the price on its own.
Stays Nearby
Hotels, B&Bs and self-catering within easy reach of St Andrews. Tap any property to check rates.
Rates and availability via Stay22. We may earn a small commission if you book — at no extra cost to you. How affiliate links work.
Frequently Asked
Nearby courses
Fife & Angus golf hub
Browse all Fife & Angus courses →
The Home of Golf, plus the Angus links circuit visitors forget. St Andrews gets the headlines; the rest of the coast deserves the trip on its own merits.
While they golf — St Andrews
For the non-golfer in St Andrews →
Climb St Rule's Tower for the finest view in Fife, walk the bottle dungeon at St Andrews Castle, and drive seven miles south to Kingsbarns Distillery.
Getting there by train
On TripSCOTTen minutes by bus from the Castle Course. Edinburgh Waverley in 50 min; Dundee in 10 min.
Read more about Fife
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