Upper Largo,
Leven, Fife KY8 6BF
Office
+44 (0)800 085 1280Pro shop
+44 (0)1334 845 945Website
Visit websiteGolf pro
David Scott (General Mgr; PGA Master Professional).The Course:
18 holes. Seaside links. Gently undulating terrain - a few slopes to climb.
Surroundings:
Coastal duneland.
Designer:
Clive Clark
56.209411
-2.897910
2 mi SE of Upper Largo / 12 mi SW of St Andrews.
Dumbarnie Links
Dumbarnie Links: The expansive 345-acre site at Dumbarnie is now home to Fife's newest golf offering. Clive Clark's excellent out-and-back design contains many great looking holes, and a layout that's forgiving and challenging in equal measure … a fair test, eminently enjoyable and fun to play. This relative newcomer is set to join the likes of the Old Course and Kingsbarns on the bucket list of every visiting golfer to the "Kingdom".
Boasting a mile and a half of sea frontage, the course offers panoramic views over the Firth of Forth from just about every hole. The layout's dual elevations, connected by a flowing escarpment, provided the opportunity to create a number of elevated tees, from which you play directly towards the expansive Firth.
All the vital ingredients of a top-quality links course are present, from the square cut teeing grounds and crisp rolling fairways, to the slick run-offs around the large but often subtly sloping greens. There's lots of variety, ever-changing views, and no two holes the same.
Looking out onto the good-width fairways, you'll also be aware of plenty of stylish bunkering, a heady mix of rustic and revetted. Water ditches occasionally put in an appearance, not least at the par-4 1st, par-5 2nd, and par-3 8th, while a small pond also threatens at the long par-4 10th (SI 1). The design incorporates three potentially driveable par-4s and several holes that will engender "risk-reward" course management.
Pick of the holes: Dumbarnie’s seaward-facing par-3s would steal the show on many courses. They’re kept good company by the short par-4 at 11, the memorable "over-the-wall" par-4 at 17, and testing par-5s at 2 and 13 … one watery, one quite tight. All book-ended by excellent par-4s to start and finish the round.
Visitors welcome on weekdays and weekends.
Must book in advance. Proof of handicap required.
Contact club for full details, discounts, packages, local and Scotland resident rates, etc. [Last updated: 2021].
Caddies available. Use of a golf cart (buggy) considered if medical certificate presented at time of booking; buggies must be driven by a caddie.
Excellent
Dumbarnie Links is located on the 5,000-acre Balcarres Estate, owned by Lord Balniel. On the estate, Balcarres House is a mansion house built in 1595, with its buildings and formal gardens preserved as being of special historic interest. The development of a golf course on such pristine duneland was unquestionably rare, representing a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for its American investors and course designer Clive Clark.
Scotland's 23rd best course (Golf World, 2025).
Britain & Ireland's 68th best course (Golf World, 2025).
Leven Road, Lundin Links, Fife KY8 6AJ.
+44 (0)1333 320 368
Visit websiteThis country house hotel offers warm hospitality and friendly accommodation in a picturesque seaside village, overlooking Largo Bay. The Old Manor Hotel is an ideal location for a short break with safe sandy beaches, great golf all around, coastal walks and excellent fishing.
No
Lundin; Leven; Dumbarnie Links.
Elie; Ladybank; St Andrews (Dukes course); St Andrews Links (x7 courses); Fairmont St Andrews; Kingsbarns
Sony Open in Hawaii: played at Waialae Country Club near Honolulu, the Sony Open takes over the spotlight from The Sentry as the PGA Tour’s calendar-year opening event (Jan 15-18). The Sentry (not being played in 2026) was formerly known as the Tournament of Champions, with a field typically restricted to golfers who won a PGA Tour event in the previous calendar year.
Dubai Desert Classic: the DP World Tour’s first Rolex Series event of 2026, is contested for the 37th time (Jan 22-25). First won by Englishman Mark James in 1989, it now boasts a four-time winner, Rory McIlroy. Played on the Emirates Golf Club’s Majlis course, this once desert-surrounded course is the long-time flagship for Golf in Dubai.
Our visit last month included two rounds at Golf de Chantilly, one of France’s most prestigious clubs.
It offers two superb layouts: Le Vineuil, a five-star championship course with a rich history, and Longères, an excellent four-star course that provides a strong and enjoyable test.
The wider Paris region offers plenty more. Courses such as Fontainebleau, Golf de Saint-Germain, and several other top-rated layouts make this area one of Europe’s most rewarding golf destinations, offering a mix of woodland, heathland, and parkland designs.
The Dutch: "It's no' just a game", as they say in Scotland, and that's certainly true at The Dutch. With 5-star services throughout, a lavishly comfortable Loch Lomond-inspired clubhouse, and a superbly designed and presented golf course, one could not ask for more from this top-end private club.
Join us at The Dutch from August 21–24 for the Festival of Golf, featuring the HotelPlanner Tour. Experience four days of top-tier sport, live music, incredible food, and unexpected surprises. Explore the grounds, connect with others, embrace new challenges, and dive into an unforgettable celebration. Click here to buy tickets.
Here at Prince’s Golf Club you'll find 27 excellent holes of links golf. Just over the fence and sharing similar terrain is Royal St George’s; but Prince’s is far from overshadowed by its venerable neighbour. The three nine-hole loops at Prince's, laid out over gently undulating terrain, are sure to bring a smile of satisfaction to all lovers of links golf.
Stay&Play at Prince's: excellent onsite Lodge accommodation available
You can subscribe to the Where2Golf channel on YT if you like to see more video content. You'll find a "Subscribe" button on any of our YouTube videos. Or if you want a quick and direct access subscribe here. Once done, any new published videos will show up in your Subscriptions feed.