The Re-Tee Review | Crail, Fife, Scotland
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Some golf courses make an impression before you even hit your first tee shot, and Balcomie Links at Crail Golfing Society was certainly one of them. Standing on the first tee, our starter offered us a little advice that perfectly summed up what we were about to experience. We had all of Scotland to our left, but nothing but the sea to our right.
It was a pretty memorable way to begin my first round of traditional Scottish links golf, and as we made our way along the coastline, I quickly understood what he meant.
Balcomie ended up being one of my favorite golf experiences from our Scotland trip. The course was in outstanding condition, the walk was fantastic, and the collection of holes was far more interesting than the par-68 scorecard might suggest. Add in some wonderful Scottish hospitality, a little Kingsbarns whisky at the turn, and a few too many bogeys, and it was exactly the kind of golf experience I’d hoped to find in Scotland.
The Golf
One of the things I enjoyed most about Balcomie was how much the golf course felt like it belonged to another era. Originally laid out in 1895 by Old Tom Morris, there are stretches where you could almost imagine playing the course back when it was first built. There aren’t houses lining the fairways or developments surrounding the property. It’s just you, the rocky Scottish coastline, and some really interesting golf holes.
The stretch from the fourth through the seventh holes is particularly memorable. The fourth and fifth are two of my favorite holes on the course. Standing on either tee, you’re deciding how much of the coastline you want to take on. You can play safely out to the left and leave yourself a longer approach, or you can challenge the edge of the property and try to cut the corner.
Then you have to factor in the wind, which can completely change how you approach each hole. I loved having those options because the course never really forces you to take unnecessary risks. If you play what it gives you, the golf is relatively manageable. But if you get a little aggressive or misjudge the wind, you can find yourself in trouble pretty quickly.
The middle portion of the course offers a different kind of challenge. There are bunkers scattered throughout the fairways, including some you can’t even see from the tee. And with how firm and fast the conditions were, you had to think about where the ball was going to finish, not just where it was going to land. A tee shot that looked perfectly positioned in the air could roll well beyond where you expected and suddenly find one of those hidden bunkers. It made every shot interesting, and I loved that kind of golf.
The 14th hole and the closing stretch from 15 through 18 were also among my favorites. Much like the earlier coastal holes, they have that wonderful feeling of playing golf on a piece of land that hasn’t changed much in more than a century. The rocky coastline, natural terrain, and constant presence of the wind make the golf incredibly enjoyable.
What I found especially impressive was the variety. Balcomie is a par 68, but I don’t think I would have ever guessed that based on the experience. The collection of holes is so interesting, and the combination of the coastline, wind, bunkering, and firm conditions makes the course feel like a complete test of golf. I walked off the 18th green feeling like I’d played a fantastic links course, without giving much thought to what the par was on the scorecard.
My First Taste of Scottish Links Golf
Balcomie was my first experience playing traditional Scottish links golf, and I definitely had some learning to do. I’d played plenty of golf in the wind before, but figuring out how to manage the wind alongside the firm and fast conditions was a different challenge. I struggled with that throughout the round, and a few poor decisions or poorly executed shots ended up costing me strokes.
I ended up shooting an 81, which certainly wasn’t the round I had hoped for. We were also in the middle of a friendly, weeklong match during our Scotland trip, so there was a little competition involved, but nothing too serious. The entire trip was about enjoying the golf, spending time together, and experiencing some incredible courses.
I would have loved to play better at Balcomie, but my score really didn’t take anything away from how much I enjoyed the round. In fact, I think that’s one of the strongest endorsements I can give a golf course. I didn’t have my best stuff, I made mistakes, and I struggled to figure out how to play some of the shots the course demanded. But when I walked off the 18th green, I absolutely loved the place.
The Experience
One of the things that made Balcomie so enjoyable was the atmosphere surrounding the entire round. Crail Golfing Society is the seventh-oldest golf club in the world, with a history dating back to 1786. You can feel that history from the moment you arrive. It’s a traditional Scottish golf club that clearly takes pride in its heritage, but the experience was also incredibly welcoming.
The pro shop wasn’t particularly large, but it was well stocked, and I absolutely loved the Crail Golfing Society logo. It’s one of my favorite golf club logos I’ve come across, and the merchandise was a great reflection of the club’s history and personality.
Before heading out, we enjoyed a delicious bacon roll in the restaurant. There’s something about starting a round of golf in Scotland with a bacon roll and taking in the atmosphere of a traditional golf club that I really came to appreciate throughout our trip. Balcomie certainly delivered on that experience.
The Crail Emergency Supply Kit
One of my favorite memories from the entire day actually happened before we hit our first tee shots.
When we arrived at the first tee, the starter handed us a small tin labeled the "Crail Golfing Society Emergency Supply Kit." Inside were Crail-branded tees, ball markers, some traditional Scottish tablet, and a pouch of Kingsbarns whisky.
I thought it was a fantastic touch. It was something unique, a little bit of Scottish personality, and a fun way to welcome visiting golfers to the course.
As it turned out, Katie and I found a pretty good use for that whisky after the front nine. Neither of us had been playing particularly well, and we were both looking for a way to get off the bogey train. We decided to enjoy the Kingsbarns whisky at the turn and see if that might help turn things around.
I’m not sure it did much for our scores, but it certainly added to the experience!
Those are the kinds of little things I remember long after a round is over. The starter’s advice, the emergency supply kit, the whisky at the turn, and the friendly atmosphere all made Balcomie feel like much more than just another golf course.
A Walk Along the Scottish Coastline
As much as I enjoyed the golf itself, the walk around Balcomie was one of the best parts of the day.
There are stretches where you’re walking alongside the rocky coastline with nothing but the sea stretching out beside you. The views are spectacular, and the course has this wonderful feeling of being completely removed from everything else.
What I especially appreciated was how naturally the holes fit into the landscape. It doesn’t feel like someone forced a golf course onto the property. The holes follow the terrain, the coastline influences the strategy, and the wind becomes part of the experience.
I love walking golf courses, particularly traditional links courses, and Balcomie was exactly the kind of experience I had hoped to find when we planned our trip to Scotland.
The Re-Tee Verdict: Run It Back
Balcomie Links is an easy Run It Back for me.
I’ve been fortunate to play some fantastic golf courses, and Balcomie is firmly among my favorite experiences. It’s a course that combines everything I enjoy about golf. The layout makes you think, the conditions encourage creativity, and the scenery is spectacular.
What makes me want to return is the opportunity to play the course again with a better understanding of Scottish links golf. Balcomie was my introduction to that style of play, and I definitely made some mistakes trying to figure it out. I’d love another chance to navigate those coastal holes, make better decisions in the wind, and see how differently I might approach the course now.
But even if I went back and shot another 81, I know I’d have a fantastic time. The walk alone is worth experiencing again, and the collection of holes is interesting enough that I can’t imagine getting tired of playing it.
I also wouldn’t mind another bacon roll before the round and a little Kingsbarns whisky at the turn.
Re-Tee Verdict: RUN IT BACK
The Reality Check
At £170 for our round, Balcomie wasn’t inexpensive, but I thought it was worth every penny.
When you’re planning a golf trip to Scotland, particularly around St Andrews, there are obviously some famous courses that tend to dominate the conversation. But I would strongly encourage anyone visiting the area to make time for Balcomie Links.
It’s a traditional Scottish links experience with a tremendous amount of history, spectacular coastal scenery, and a golf course that is both challenging and incredibly enjoyable. The atmosphere at the club is welcoming, the conditions were outstanding during our visit, and the little touches like the emergency supply kit made the experience even more memorable.
I also think it’s a course that golfers of different abilities can enjoy. You don’t have to take on every aggressive line along the coastline to have a good round. There are plenty of opportunities to play conservatively, but the course gives you enough strategic decisions to keep things interesting regardless of your skill level.
For me, Balcomie is a must-play if you’re visiting the St Andrews area. There are plenty of excellent golf courses in that part of Scotland, but this is one I would absolutely make time to play again.
Final Thoughts
When I think back to Balcomie Links, I remember standing on that first tee and hearing the starter tell us that we had all of Scotland to our left and the sea to our right. It was a wonderful introduction to a golf course that ended up being one of my favorite experiences from the entire trip.
I remember the rocky coastline, the firm fairways, the hidden bunkers, and the decisions I had to make on nearly every tee shot. I remember sharing some Kingsbarns whisky with Katie at the turn while we tried to figure out how to stop making bogeys. And I remember walking off the 18th green thinking about how much I’d enjoyed a course that had just given me a pretty good introduction to the challenges of Scottish links golf.
Balcomie isn’t a course I loved because I played particularly well. I loved it because of the golf, the setting, the history, and the entire experience surrounding the round.
If I found myself back in St Andrews tomorrow, I’d absolutely make the trip to Crail and play Balcomie again.
Run It Back.