off the A917 (Crail Road),
St Andrews, Fife
Office
+44 (0)1334 466 718Pro shop
+44 (0)1334 466 666Fax
+44 (0)1334 479 555Website
Visit websiteGolf pro
Steve North (Director of Instruction - St Andrews Links Golf Academy)Academy
St Andrews Links Golf AcademyThe Course:
18 holes. Seaside links-style. Undulating terrain - a few slopes to climb
Surroundings:
Coastal cliffs and rural countryside.
Designer:
David McLay-Kidd
18-hole courses of St Andrews Links: Old Course (par-72; 6,721 yds from the back tees; even longer from Championship tees used for pro events); New course (par-71; 6,625 yds); Jubilee course (par-72; 6,742 yds); Eden course (par-70; 6,250 yds); Strathtyrum course (par-69; 5,620 yds) and Castle course (par-72; 6,759 yds; located on the other side of the city). St Andrews Links is also home to the 9-hole Balgove course (par-30; 1,520 yds).
56.325145
-2.758576
2 miles E of St Andrews
From the centre of St Andrews take the A917 direction Crail. After 2 miles turn left into the Castle Course.
St Andrews (Castle)
St Andrews Links (Castle Course): To create the "seventh course at the home of golf," David McLay-Kidd accepted a challenge not unlike that faced by Sam Torrance at neighbouring Fairmont St Andrews (located one small field away to the east). Gently rolling and featureless arable farmland required reconfiguration and transformation into a compelling links golf course.
Starting with a blank canvass, McLay-Kidd was assured of one thing, the clifftop location ensured most holes would look out over St Andrews Bay, commanding spectacular views of the cathedral-side of the city. On that score the course thoroughly lives up to expectations.
All the holes offer majestic views, while four of them (7, 8, 9 and 18) run directly along the cliffs' edge. From the elevated green of the "inland" par-4 12th you are also offered one of the finest 360-degree panoramas on the entire course. The spectacular par-3 17th adds to the scenic multitude, requiring a do-or-die tee-shot across a plunging cliff face.
Following design principle's that would resonate with Old Tom Morris himself, the layout includes many rustic traits, not least plenty of rough-edged grass-topped bunkering. Dune-like pyramids and fescued ridges seem to pop up everywhere, even in the middle of the rolling, good-width fairways. Around the huge and exuberantly sloping greens, are equally expansive aprons and run-off areas, where the grass is just one or two microns longer than on the greens themselves.
You'll certainly need a red-hot putter to score well here. 70, 80 and 90 yard putts from the green surrounds may not be too uncommon. The short par-4 9th and par-5 18th return you to the same 70-yard double-green, where both nine-hole loops spectacularly finish above the cliffs. The more you play the Castle course the more you'll love it. Its reputation is surely destined to develop from very good to great.
Visitors welcome on weekdays and weekends.
Must book in advance.
Contact club for full details, discounts, 3-day and 7-day unlimited golf tickets, etc. [Last updated: 2025].
Non-metal spike facility. Players generally walk this course. Caddies available. This is a walking course; golf carts only available for medical reasons and for over-65s.
Excellent
The Castle Course is the seventh to join the fabulous collection of public-access courses managed by the St Andrews Links Trust. It joins the Old, the New and the Jubilee as the collection's flagship courses.
The Castle Course takes it name from Kinkell Castle, which stood on the headland known as Kinkell Ness in the middle ages (close to where the double-green of the 9th and 18th holes is now sited). The "Knight's helmet" club logo is adapted from the coat of arms of the Moneypennys of Pitmilly, who were granted this land in 1211, and owned it for centuries thereafter.
Castle course:
Scotland's 31st best course (Golf World, 2024).
Britain & Ireland's 106th best course (Golf World, 2025).
St Andrews, Fife KY16 8PN (off the A917, east of St Andrews)
+44 (0)1334 837 000
Visit websiteLocated close to the historic city of St Andrews, the Fairmont St Andrews overlooks the beautiful coastal landscape of Scotland's east coast. The resort is home to two renowned championship golf courses (the Kittocks and Torrance) as well as being one of Scotland’s largest and most luxurious hotel and conference facilities.
Fairmont St Andrews (Torrance & Kittocks courses)
The Castle Course; St Andrews Links (Old, New, Jubilee, Eden and Strathtyrum courses); St Andrews (Duke's); Kingsbarns
Crail (Balcomie and Craighead Links); Ladybank; Scotscraig; Lundin Links; Leven; Elie.
40 The Scores, St Andrews, Fife KY16 9AS
+44 (0)1334 472 611
Visit websiteFollowing a significant refurbishment and extension from 22 to 40 rooms, the Hotel du Vin St Andrews (formerly St Andrews Golf Hotel) now boasts a new and contemporary interior design inside this spacious Victorian townhouse. The views over St Andrews Bay and beaches are as spectacular as ever. In its quiet terrace location near the Promenade, this stylish, boutique hotel offers underground parking, external courtyard, whisky sampling room and wine cellar, as well as the famous student bar Ma Bells.
No
St Andrews Links (Old, New, Jubilee, Eden and Strathtyrum courses); St Andrews (Dukes course); The Castle Course; Fairmont St Andrews (Devlin and Torrance courses).
Kingsbarns; Crail (Balcomie and Craighead links); Ladybank; Scotscraig; Lundin; Leven; Elie.
Chevron Championship: Carlton Woods near Houston in Texas provides the stage for the first women’s major championship of 2025, where Nelly Korda defends her title. (April 24-27).
Soudal Open: successor to the Belgian Open, the Soudal Open takes place on the quiet, wooded North course of Rinkven Golfclub. Belgian stars Thomas Pieters and Nicolas Colsaerts will be vying for top honours. (May 22-25).
Rory McIlroy: with his 2025 win in The Masters, Rory joined the pantheon of golfing greats who have achieved a career Grand Slam of men’s majors ... Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods are the only others in this select band.
Bernhard Langer: he may have played in his last Masters Tournament, but the 67-year-old German will be trying to extend his own record, and win a 13th senior major title at the 36th Regions Tradition. (May 15-18).
Marco Simone Golf & Country Club: With a clubhouse that might befit a Roman Emperor, and a golf course to match, you can be sure of a memorable outing at Rome's most talked about golf facility.
Jim Fazio's original layout was much changed to create a modern Ryder Cup course ... now one of the Eternal City's (and Italy's) most revered.
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
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