| So what makes a great golf course? | | | | downhill, away from you. Take a big stick, aim to |
| The world is full of good, average and even poor | | | | the right and carry the bunkers, however, and |
| layouts over which to test ourselves, but few | | | | you will land on a narrow strip of fairway that |
| manage the accolade of ‘great’ which, in | | | | feeds down to the putting surface, with a chance |
| our view, means the sort of course you would | | | | of eagle and likely birdie. But go a bit strong and |
| try and play before you die, no matter the cost. | | | | you’ll be on a bank of heavy grass; underhit |
| It’s a relevant question for two reasons. | | | | and you’ll be in sand – a classic risk |
| First, because there are no written or objective | | | | reward strategic hole. |
| criteria to define greatness. And second, because | | | | |
| Kingsbarns, just outside St Andrews, has won so | | | | Later in the round comes a quartet of holes |
| much in terms of accolades and recognition since | | | | 12-15, that stands comparison with anything in the |
| it opened in 2000 that it has already earned the | | | | world, and that includes Augusta National’s |
| description ‘great’. | | | | famed Amen Corner. It includes a stunning par |
| But while the criteria for such a label do not | | | | five dogleg right-to-left that hugs the shoreline and |
| appear in a rule book anywhere, perhaps here at | | | | is reminiscent of the 19th at Pebble Beach; a |
| Mulligan we should consider our own terms. | | | | short but challenging par three that nestles against |
| | | | | a dramatic rocky outcrop, a short par four that |
| First, a course must be memorable – no | | | | seems a pushover but flatters to deceive, and |
| blandness in this list. If you have played a layout | | | | another par three, the green of which seems to |
| just once, and have difficulty recalling the | | | | be almost in the ocean. |
| difference between the 1st and 18th, or cannot | | | | |
| instantly bring to mind the best holes, it’s not | | | | The first time he set eyes on the place, Sir |
| good enough. | | | | Michael Bonallack, former secretary of the R&A |
| | | | | and British Amateur champion five times, said: |
| Second, it should offer a proper golfing challenge, | | | | ‘Kingsbarns might well be one of the last true |
| but that does not mean simply that it is tough | | | | seaside links sites capable of development in |
| – the Blue Monster at Doral is fiendishly | | | | Scotland. Mere words cannot convey just how |
| difficult, but it’s not great. Pine Valley is both. | | | | extraordinary the place is. It must be seen to be |
| | | | | believed. And once seen it will never be |
| Third, it should be subtle, and require careful | | | | forgotten.’ He is not a man given to |
| thought or a few visits to properly appreciate the | | | | hyperbole. |
| test it represents, and probably the best example | | | | |
| of a subtle test is the Old Course at St Andrews. | | | | Kingsbarns has its share of bunkers but not too |
| | | | | many, it deliberately has no gorse, because it is |
| | | | almost impossible to extract a golf ball from it, |
| Fourth comes aesthetic splendour, although as | | | | and no forced, heroic carries. Mark Parsinen |
| with all things, beauty is in the eye of the | | | | studied several of Scotland’s greatest |
| beholder. To some, the rugged, wild landscape of | | | | courses before settling down with Kyle Phillips to |
| Royal Dornoch or Carne is unattractive but to | | | | design his own layout and concluded that, above |
| golfers, they represent the Mona Lisa. | | | | all, golfers should walk off the 18th with a smile |
| | | | | on their face, not looking as if they had just gone |
| Finally is the almost indefinable element of mood, | | | | 10 rounds with Lennox Lewis. |
| or atmosphere or ambience or whatever other | | | | |
| label you may want to apply. Some places spend | | | | To further this philosophy he took the Augusta |
| millions of pounds and employ the best golfing | | | | National approach which, in its simplest terms, |
| brains in the world yet somehow disappoint, while | | | | means that getting from tee to green is relatively |
| others have that ‘wow’ factor almost | | | | easy, but if you want to score, you have to be in |
| permeating the soil, or so it seems. | | | | the right part of the green. The putting surfaces |
| Such a place is Kingsbarns. Although golf has | | | | are very large and are filled with subtle (and |
| been played over this stretch of Fife coastline | | | | sometimes very obvious) undulations, which mean |
| since 1793, virtually nothing of the original course | | | | that a straight putt is a rarity and the first part of |
| remained until co-owner Mark Parsinen and | | | | your game that has to be in good working order |
| architect Kyle Phillips, moved 300,000 cubic | | | | is your putting stroke. The greens are also in |
| metres of earth to create today’s course. In | | | | superb condition all year round – largely thanks |
| the process they uncovered a burn that no-one | | | | to the course’s policy of closing at the end of |
| knew about (and which plays a significant part in | | | | November every year and re-opening at the end |
| the golfer’s approach to the 18th) but more | | | | of March. |
| remarkably, the Kingsbarns they created looks as | | | | |
| if it has been there since time began. | | | | Kingsbarns does not have the rough, craggy, |
| Every single hole has a view of the sea, on more | | | | Neanderthal look of a Doonbeg or Royal County |
| than half of them it is conspicuously in your | | | | Down, with massive dunes and hillocks to |
| eyeline as you play, and several run parallel to the | | | | negotiate, rather it is a gentler, softer landscape |
| shoreline but probably the most impressive thing | | | | where it becomes easy to feel at one with your |
| is that Kingsbarns is, like Augusta National, equally | | | | surroundings and where, as PG Wodehouse once |
| enjoyable for high handicappers as for Tour pros. | | | | wrote of another course: ‘The whole of |
| At 6,652 yards (par 72) from the visitors green | | | | nature seems to cry “Fore!”’ It is built |
| tees it is not overlong and, like many other good | | | | by golfers for golfers, and nowhere is this more |
| tracks, it starts relatively gently before asking its | | | | apparent than the understated clubhouse, which is |
| more searching questions. | | | | everything a 19th hole should be – |
| | | | | comfortable, companionable and welcoming. Oh, |
| It is also, we are delighted to say, a fan of the | | | | and none of your fancy nouveau cuisine, here you |
| good, short par four, which is in danger of | | | | get the sort of grub that you need after a round |
| becoming a neglected part of the golf | | | | of golf – solid burgers and chips the size of |
| architect’s armoury. This is exemplified at the | | | | your thumb. |
| 6th, which is only 287 yards but which, like all | | | | |
| good shorter holes, offers you a choice and a | | | | Kingsbarns is expensive – 2008 green fees |
| decision. Knock a long iron or hybrid straight at | | | | are £130 in April and May, and £170 between |
| the two bunkers and you’ll finish short of | | | | June and November – but worth it, and if you |
| them with a relatively straightforward wedge to | | | | get the chance, you should mug your granny to |
| the green, which you cannot see, and which runs | | | | get there. |