Scotscraig

The St Andrews Society of Golfers, forerunner to the Royal & Ancient Club, played the leading role in the foundation of Scotscraig Golf Club in 1817. Following a meeting called by William Dalgleish, certain members of the St Andrews Society, seeking more golf than presently afforded them, decided to form a new club called Scotscraig.

Though golf had been played for a long time over this six-hole course prior to the formation of Scotscraig, the club went into temporary abeyance in 1835, having been for some reason plowed up. Resurrected again in 1887, golf was played over an adjacent nine-hole site for a period of time, and it wasn’t until additional ground was obtained that the course was extended to 18 holes in 1905. Scotscraig was further improved with the help of James Braid in 1923 and has developed over the years into the fine links that it is today.

Located ten miles north of St Andrews, Scotscraig Golf Club is another course that plays frequent host to final qualifying for the Open Championship when the event is played at the Old Course. There is little doubt that its fine links turf and smooth, fast greens make it a truly worthy venue. Although very close to the sea and despite being correctly classified as a links course, Scotscraig is somewhat parkland in nature, with far more trees in evidence than on most links. With copious numbers of whin bushes and the rolling nature of the fairways, Scotscraig is often demanding but always interesting.

The links offers many intriguing holes but two of the most memorable holes include the par 4, 4th and the par 5, 14th. The 4th, though of average length at 366 yards, provides a formidable finish over heather-covered terrain to a plateau green that is very difficult to hit and hold. A more lengthy challenge is offered by the 523-yard 14th, where precise positioning is required in order to reach the well-guarded green in regulation.