16 Golf Courses Near St Andrews

Anstruther golf course is a challenging nine-hole golf course. The demanding fifth hole, also known as the ‘Rockies,’ is touted as being one of the toughest par 3s in the UK. The course is 11 miles south of St Andrews and stretches along the shoreline between Anstruther and Pittenweem. Expect spectacular views over Anstruther Harbour and out to the Isle of May, Bass Rock, and southwest to Edinburgh. Visit Anstruther golf club website.

Balcomie Links is home to the seventh-oldest golf club in the world. This beautiful old links golf course has been enthralling golfers since the late 1800s. Expect shots over rocky bays, testing par 3s, cliffside greens as well as sea views from every hole. Balcomie Links is one of Scotland’s golfing gems and a must play. Visit Crail Going Society website.

Crail Craighead is a modern links golf course that opened in 1999 and was designed by Gil Hanse. Notable features include wide, sweeping fairways, large, expansive greens, sizable bunkers, and no two consecutive holes face the same direction. The course has spectacular coastal views and embraces the clifftop environment and ancient medieval walls. This course is a true test of Scottish links golf for players of all levels. Visit Crail Going Society website.

Dumbarnie Links is a multi-award winning golf course that opened in 2020. Designed by former Ryder Cup player Clive Clark and covering over 345 acres, Dumbarnie Links is a “monster” of a golf course. It has several (pro) tees to extend the course to over 7600 yards.  The course boasts large undulating greens, generous fairways, and a great mix of bunker styles. For golfers who like elevated tee positions, holes 6, 8, and 9 all call for shots from raised platforms facing straight downhill towards the Firth of Forth. Visit Dumbarnie Link website.

Elie golf course is a historic links on the Fife coast and is one of the oldest golf clubs in Scotland. The course features a unique layout with no par 5s, two par 3s, short but interesting par 4s, a few blind shots, and four consecutive seaside holes. Golfers are quickly thrown into the golf course’s challenges with the opening hole, which requires a tricky blind shot over a hill some 50 yards off the tee. Visit Elie golf course website.

The Baird Course at Elie Sports Club is a 9-hole links golf course ideal for beginners and junior golfers. The soft, undulating course is a joy to play, with stunning views overlooking the Firth of Forth. At 2080 yards this course is not the longest but it allows for a good range of golf shots to be played. Visit Elie Sports Club website.

Kingsbarns Golf Links is a Worldwide Top 100 ranked course. The stunning course sits along 1.8 miles of picturesque North Sea coastline, where each hole embraces the sea. This golf course offers traditional Scottish links golf and although the course is less than 20 years old, designer Kyle Phillips sculpted the land giving it the characteristics of a 100 year old course. Kingsbarns has become a favorite among golfers seeking a world-class golfing experience. Visit Kingsbarns Golf Links website. 

Lundin golf course is a Tom Morris/James Braid designed links whose split-level nature gives it a distinct feel. With open burns, internal out of bounds and strategic bunkering, Lundin presents a challenging and fun test for the thinking golfers of all abilities. There are many golfing highlights on the shoreline opening stretch, there are strategic par 4’s throughout and the course offers views over the Firth when it climbs up for its brief parkland phase. Visit Lundin Golf Club website. 

Lundin Ladies Golf Club is one of the oldest remaining ladies’ golf clubs in the world. The course is a tight 9-hole parkland, with 3000 year old Standing Stanes towering 14 feet above the 2nd fairway. A burn offers some challenge at the 6th, 7th, and 9th holes and the rough at the 3rd / 4th holes makes the golfer think. The course is suitable for players of all ages and abilities. Gentlemen and junior boys are very welcome to play. Visit Lundin Ladies Golf Club website.

Scotscraig Golf Club was founded in 1817, making it the 13th oldest club in the world. The club has hosted the Final Qualifying for The Open Championship many times on the links-heathland hybrid course. Scotscraig golf course is one of Scotland’s hidden gems. The fairways are generally bounded by gorse and trees and the most memorable hole is the challenging par-4 fourth. Visit Scotscraig Golf Club website.

Charleton Golf Club offers a testing 18-hole parkland course, boasting breathtaking views over the renowned Firth of Forth. The course was designed by John Salvesenn and opened in 1994 by former US President George Bush Snr. The course is enjoying significant improvements, and a new eco clubhouse is in development. Visit Charleton Golf Club website. 

Cupar Golf Club was founded in 1855, and it is said to be the oldest 9-hole golf club in the world. The golf course sprawls across rolling, hilly parkland with small greens that are cut into the hillside. The layout requires a variety of shot-making skills, forming a course that appeals to all abilities. Visit Cupar Golf Club website. 

Drumoig golf course is a challenging 18-hole championship-style parkland with water in play on three holes. The course is located just outside St Andrews and is set on 250 acres of spectacular Fife countryside. From the back tees, the course provides an excellent challenge for more advanced golfers, and from the front tees the amateur golfer can not only enjoy their game but marvel at the stunning views. Visit Drumoig Golf Course website. 

Elmwood golf course sprawls across the beautiful Fife countryside, the course offers scenic views of the Travit Hill and the Lomond Hills. The layout has a nice variety of holes including lengthy par 5s, tricky par 3s, and par 4s that offer birdie opportunities. Elmwood Golf Club also offers an expansive driving range with both indoor and outdoor bays. Visit Elmwood Golf Club website. 

Kingarrock Hickory Golf opened in the 1920s and is the only hickory golf course in the UK. Using a set of hickory shafted clubs you will be able to test your game on a course that transports you back almost 100 years to an era when golf was a game of skill, strategy, and technique rather than one driven by innovation and technology. Visit Kingarrock Hickory Golf website.

St Michaels golf course is an undulating parkland course laid out by Tom Morris in 1903. It’s sand-based so is always playable. The star hole is the par-3 15th, one of Fife’s most demanding shorties. This golf course is located a short drive west of St Andrews and offers a great year-round golf experience. Visit St Michaels Golf Club website.