Old Course
Our List of Ten
The Links at Kingsbarns
Everyone loves lists and Monarchs House is no exception. Lists bring order, weighting, and conversation. And just because it is our list, it doesn’t have to be yours as well.
Today, we decided to put together our list of 10 things you should know about playing links golf for the first time. It is by no means definitive but something for you to consider if you are playing true links golf in the UK and Ireland.
Maybe Next Year
Monarchs House is in Your Future
The dollar will firm up.
The economy will strengthen.
Your family situation will stabilize.
Your boss will tell you to take a vacation.
You won’t have to pay tuition for your child.
International air travel will become appealing.
Your friends will amazingly experience all of the above at the exact same time as you.
Then…
Crail Balcomie
There is a 100% certainty that you will love playing golf at Crail’s Balcomie Links if:
- You love golf
- You love golf history
- You know the name Shivas Irons and/or
- You consider yourself a creative shot maker
If you are in Scotland to tick the box by playing the big reputation courses, you have likely heard of Crail Balcomie in passing, if at all. It is even possible that you may not appreciate Balcomie for what it is: a unique, quirky, 5861 yards, par 69, joyous self-examination of your golfing skills. Certainly, you will learn more about yourself and your game after a loop here. You will put into practice all you know about hitting a golf ball from varying lies and weather conditions as the course lies at the mouth of the North Sea and the Firth of Forth. You will attempt to balance your concentration on your game with the overwhelming magnificence of the sea views on every hole. You will puzzle yourself, “who puts four par threes on the back nine” until you play them. You will ponder is this Burningbush (Shivas Irons reference) ? When your round is over, you will wonder how you can fit in another eighteen before your golf trip comes to an end.
Balcomie may lack the notoriety of its slightly more mature cousin up the road, the Old Course, but the memories created on the little links by the sea will last a lifetime. Crail is a 20 minute taxi ride from Monarchs House and should be included on all golf itineraries.
To learn more, visit the Crail Golfing Society website here
For a course review click here
For the scorecard click here
For more on Shivas Irons click here
Monarchs House Guests
The commonality of a Monarchs House guest? A smiling face, of course!
Every time you refresh the images will be different.
Golf Week’s New List
The 12th at Kingsbarns
Golf Week Magazine just released their list of the greatest modern and classic golf courses in Great Britain and Ireland. Leading the way on the modern list is Kingsbarns. And the number two course on the classic list is the Old Course in St Andrews (trails Royal County Down of Northern Ireland). Nine courses from both lists are no further than 30 minutes away from the front door at Monarchs House.
If you are planning your 2010 trip to Scotland, there is no better base camp than St Andrews. And no better place to call home than Monarchs House – your home at the home of golf.
