Kittocks Course, Fairmont St Andrews

This and the adjacent Torrance course are both modern layouts.  The Kittocks course lies closer to the cliff tops and is considered the linksier of the two.  However, you do notice how fertile the land is with fairly intensive farming in Fife and this course is designed as a links but with the conditioning of a parkland course.

The holes are laid out in tribute to links course design with many features of classic holes visible in the layout.  Shared greens an false bunkers are just two memes. In summer it may run like a links course but with a bit of moisture in the air it is quite sticky. 

The closing stretch of seaside holes offer spectacular views when they emerge but our round was slightly spoilt by a sea fret which obliterated the 18th and made the 17th more of a challenge.  I was rather expecting a blue daubed Mel Gibson to come charging out of the ravine and cut down the English raincoats.  But I could have seen him off with my 5 iron which was doing everything that I asked of it that day. 

As a true links experience it was slightly disappointing ,if I am honest, but it was great fun.  Unlike some new courses it does not rely on length alone with some interesting shorter par 4s which engaged the brain and pleased the eye.  I hope the particular pleasure of a shorter par 4 is not sacrificed to escape the nightmare of Bryson De Chambeau.  The rough was very rough but you deserved it if you hit it that far off line.  The greens were excellent and very well bunkered.

Some long walks between green and tee and a few inclines helped the heart rate.  I imagine it is usually teeming with overseas visitors in buggies so whilst it was peaceful for us the course and the clubhouse were almost naked.  Not good for business.