by David Whyte, go-golf.tv
Kingsbarns was a new concept in golf for
Kingdom of Fife when it opened in 2000.
It’s wide, swooping fairways and
exemplary standards of service quickly caught
the attention of touring golfers and locals alike
and the new kid on a very old block was soon
the talk of the town.
The shine has come off this fine facility ever
so slightly these past two seasons with trouble
on the greens but we’re sure its
managers are doing all they can to keep up the
high standard they set out in its first few
years.
The course presents a tremendous layout
with views of the North Sea from almost every
point on the course. The 1st is a good opener,
not too taxing and usually playing downwind.
The approach shot can be its hardest, an
‘illusion play’ with the feeling
that you could knock the ball through the
green and into the sea. In reality what you are
usually left with is a moderately sloping green
that can be quite demanding to hole out
on.
Crossing the road, this is a delightful section
of the course but far from trouble-free. The
3rd is a short Par 5 doglegging gradually left to
right, its fairway sloping similarly. Kingsbarns is
noted for its large, deep revetted bunkers and
it is here, front right of the 3rd green their
presence becomes glaringly evident. This is a
baby ‘Hell Bunker’, much smaller
than its Old Course equivalent but in strategic
positioning and unyielding punishment, far more
malicious, a cruel trap that could do some
early damage; steer left the length of this hole
and play it as a Par 5 even though many good
players could reach the greenside area in two
quite easily.
When you do make it to the sanctuary of
Kingsbarns’ greens, you will find them
generally long but not overly wide so good club
selection is critical if you wish to get near the
pin. With subtle rather than tricked up
borrows, it’s the sloping surfaces on a
number of greens that poses the greatest
challenge. With wind constantly in evidence
along this exposed coast, the speed of the
greens can be also be quite fiery.
Crossing back across the road, the 6th and 7th
holes are quite memorable, the 6th with its
banked fairway that could gather the ball and
funnel it all the way onto the green –
but it’s a shot that needs precision
– or luck. The 7th is a more
strategically demanding hole with little room for
anything bar good golfing ability. Calling for a
well-struck drive to a limited stretch of fairway
on the right this gives some access into the
long, raised green. But everything seems to
conspire against you here, the seaward slopes,
the predominant headwind and the repellant
green.
To be honest, each hole on this course is
memorable, a tribute to the eye and
enthusiasm of its principal designer, Californian
Mark Persinen. I knew this land when it was
cow pasture and a rough campsite so they
have done a magnificent job. Kingsbarns, to
my eye doesn’t yet have the intrinsic,
antique quality of older Scottish links, but year
on year it gets closer.
The short, downhill 8th might seem a tad too
tricky depending on the pin position but even
middling holes such as the 9th and 10th stand
out as good stretches for anyone’s
game. The 12th is a feature hole, a Par 5
measuring 595 yards. The longest hitters might
be tempted to take on the carry over the
beach but the consequence of landing on the
beach boulders is surely too devastating. The
15th tee is a tough Par 3, a long-short hole
where you have to play to the green; there is
no option bar trees and again, beach boulders.
This is a gorgeous looking hole though.
I’ve always found the last three holes
almost impossible to Par. 17 is a demanding
“muscle” hole at this late stage
of the game; off the tee there’s plenty
room to the left but the resulting long
approach to a narrow, well-bunkered green
makes it near impossible to hit and hold. The
18th is a conundrum I have yet to unravel.
Suffice to say you must nail a solid drive
usually into the wind and up the left side
avoiding the long, wispy rough, setting up for a
cavernous carry across a gulf. Fall one foot
short and you’re dispatched down into
the burn. To the wind-swept, walking-weary
golfer not used to such a day of exposure to
unadulterated links conditions, this is almost
too demanding.
Kingsbarn’s diminutive clubhouse has its
charms but again, we’ve been mildly
disappointed of late compared to its Halcyon
early days. Staff change! Bring back Elsbeth!
Otherwise their Kingsbarns Beef Burger is about
best bet on the menu. 
