A guide to green fee value for money

Category: Before 1850 (Page 2 of 2)

63. Leven Links. 24th Aug 2017.

Check the wind forecast and prepare accordingly on this historic links!

Summary:  Cost £50.  Par 71.  Score 97. Value (out of 5) – 3.5.

Leven Links golf course lies on a beautiful piece of links land running almost exactly in the south-westerly prevailing wind direction between the towns of Leven and Lundin Links on the north bank of the Firth of Forth.  Many a round here will be strongly influenced by the prevailing conditions; I was level bogies over the 9 holes played with the wind and 18 over for the nine holes played into the wind, which was only about 10 mph!

The Scoonie burn in front of the huge 18th green at Leven Links – a magnificent final hole.

 

The course has a key place in golfing history, tied strongly with its “Siamese Twin” neighbour, Lundin golf course, and well documented in the History of Scottish Golf web site.   A 9 hole golf course was laid out in 1846 by Old Tom Morris in the ground between Leven and the course’s current eastern boundary marked by the Mile Dyke. The most significant part of the history though is that in 1868 this original course was extended by laying another 9 holes to the east of the Mile Dyke towards the town of Lundin Links;  as the resulting layout had no double greens, this was arguably the first “modern” 18 hole links golf course in the world.

The 4th green at Leven Links, with the boundary of Mile Dyke and Lundin Links in the background

This historic 18 hole course lasted until 1909 when the volume of players forced a division at the Mile Dyke with Lundin G.C, thereby creating twin 18 hole courses; Lundin and Leven Links.   Of the current Leven Links course, the opening 5 holes and also the incredibly challenging 13th and 18th holes are part of that original 18 holes.

Like a number of the links courses on the east coast of Scotland, Leven Links is managed separately from the 2 golf clubs using it, Leven Golfing Society and Leven Thistle Golf Club.  Both clubs welcome visting golfers.

The golf course is laid out around the natural dunes and grasses of the links land and this makes for a very interesting first few holes especially for those new to this format of the game.  I suspect many people will find that their approach shots end up through the green at the short par 4 2nd and 3rd holes.  Many of the greens call for pitch and run shots running onto the green.

The wonderful links approach at the par 4 2nd at Leven Links

After a relatively straight forward start the short par 3 5th green can be very difficult to find played through the prevailing left to right wind.  Then comes the small matter of the 6th, a par 5 of 555 yards off the yellow tees – as the pro said to me before my game “it’s normally a drive, two 3 woods and then an iron to the green!”.  I was actually in a greenside bunker in 5, but finished with a 30 foot putt – I cannot remember feeling happier with a 7!  The 6th also has another characteristic of Leven Links – very large greens.

The difficult par 3 15th normally played into the prevailing wind.

The stretch from the 13th to 18th, where all bar the 17th are into the wind, offers some great challenges, however the best is kept till last.  The 18th is a par 4 of over 450 yards, with the dominating Scoonie burn laying in wait for the approach shots, which for almost all average players will be their 3rd shot.  I met up with a local member who said it was statistically the second hardest par 4 in Scotland.  This was quite believable, however the course stroke indexes are not and are the most strange I have encountered, best exemplified by the short par 5 12th, at 504 yards, played normally with the wind being SI 1, but the 18th, the “second hardest par 4 in Scotland”, being SI 9…..go figure?

The town of Leven behind the par 3 9th green.

Due to location and historical interest Leven Links is a very heavily played course and I think this was the main reason the course being a little bit worn in condition when I played, in particularly several fairways were chewed a bit and the bunkers needed a bit of care.  Due to this, it was very difficult to assess a value rating at the stated green fee of £50 for a weekday round;  historically the course demands a 4+, but the condition and price merited only 3.5. It is really worth playing though as its a really great layout.

The 4th tee at Leven with the Firth of Forth coast line to the right.

Leven Links has hosted many national and international competitions as well as hosting local final qualifying many time when St Andrews hosts The Open.

I thought I played pretty well for a gross 97 and 30 stableford points (off current 17 hcp).

Key Facts

Course Type: Links

Par 70 (2 par 5s, 12 par 4s, 4 par 3s)

Distance (yellow): 6309

Moly’s Gross score97.

Moly’s Leven Links scorecard – 97 for 30 points

17. Scotscraig. 23rd May 2015

Great links worth the visit if you’re also playing St Andrews 

Summary:  Midweek £65 (round); £85 (day); weekend (morning) £80.   Par 71.  Value (out of 5) – 3.5

Detail: 

Scotscraig 18th green and clubhouse

Scotscraig 18th green and clubhouse

Scotscraig was founded in 1817 by some members of the St. Andrews Society of Golfers (later to be the R&A) and therefore became the 13th Golf Club in the world.   Pedigree apart, it’s a great test of golf and has been  a final qualifying venue many times when The Open has been at St Andrews.  It has therefore played host to many of the world’s best golfers.

 

It is a fine links course, but with a layout more typical of a parkland course, therefore wind direction impacts differently on each hole, unlike many of the “out and back” links courses on the east of Scotland. 

Par 3 6th at Scotscraig

Par 3 6th at Scotscraig

Scotscraig also has a fair number of trees as well.  This, coupled with a lot of broom, the indigenous Scottish links shrub, makes for a really nice vista on many of the holes.

The greens had recently been rotavated and treated by the newly appointed green keeper, and so were not typical of the good condition that I’d experienced here several times before – however, the rest of the course was in excellent condition.

Approach to the 7th at Scotscraig

Approach to the 7th at Scotscraig

Playing with an old family friend, David Husband, a member of Scotscraig for many years, I was reminded of the importance of local knowledge to playing links courses, especially when the ground around the greens becomes so hard, and the need to play the chip and run, sometimes from up to 100 yards out.  Even if you’re not used to this form of the game, its nice to try this shot out.

There are some great holes at Scotscraig, with the par 4 fourth hole, stroke index 1, being the first major test, played to a steep sided plateau green, over a second shot carry from the fairway – settle for a bogey and move on.  You also need to be aware from several of the tees of the adjacent greens and tees which criss-cross at times.

The par 3 15th with Moly's best shot of the day!

The par 3 15th with Moly’s best shot of the day!

There are also 2 really nice mid iron par 3s, the 6th and 15th, the latter to a 2 tier green would be a good “nearest the pin” for a society.

I had a mixed round, with 55 out and 45 home, the latter with an 8, but enough to win my match – but to be fair neither David nor I played to our handicap, on a day when the wind got up sufficiently to make scoring difficult.

A nice club house with good visitor facilities make this course well worth a visit.

Key Facts

Course Type: Links

Green Fees:  

Midweek £65 round  £85 day
Weekend £80 (morning)

Par 71 (3 par 5, 11 par 4s, 4 par 3s)

Distance(yellow)  6310  yards

Moly’s Gross score100

Moly's Scotscraig scorecard - 100

Moly’s Scotscraig scorecard – 100

9. Monifieth Medal; 5th July 2014

Classic and historic links experience

Summary:  Cost £59 (midweek).  Par 71.  Score 87.  Value (out of 5) – 4.  

Grange, Broughty and Monifieth golf clubs, adjacent to the 18th green on Monifieth Medal

Grange, Broughty and Monifieth golf clubs, adjacent to the 18th green on Monifieth Medal

Detail. Monifieth Links is where I play as a member of Monifieth GC, alongside the members of Grange, Broughty and Panmure Ladies Golf Clubs!  Confused? – then welcome to a historic Scottish Golf Links!   The links are organised separately from the golf clubs, so you need to book tee times direct with the links, and contact the clubs if you want to check on food/drink/changing.

Golf at Monifieth was first referenced in local church records in 1639, with an 18 hole layout dating from 1880.  Click here for a great resource on golfing history at Monifieth.  Like all links courses, Monifieth can be either a tiger or a kitten, so it’s best if you can check the weather first – if wind and rain are forecast, stock up on golf balls.

Aberdeen to London train passing the 2nd as seen from the 17th

Aberdeen to London train passing the 2nd as seen from the 17th

Monifieth is the first course east of Dundee on the north bank of the Tay estuary, and starts the coastal golfing heaven (or hell!) which has Carnoustie as its masterpiece.  The Angus coast vies with the Fife, North Berwick, Aberdeenshire, Morayshire and Ayrshire coasts as the best collective place for golf in the world, I’ll leave you to make up your mind.

The course has an out and back feel, with the first 6 holes hugging the main Aberdeen-London railway line, before you turn to face the tough 7th, normally into the westerly prevailing wind.

View towards St Andrews Basin from the 12th Green

View towards St Andrews Basin from the 12th Green

It’s an unusual links, in that it has limited sea views, but you can look across to the St Andrews basin, from some holes.

Walk from the tee to the fairway at the 7th, a challenge into the normal prevailing wind

Walk from the tee to the fairway at the 7th, a challenge into the normal prevailing wind

There are several great holes, in particular the 4th, 7th, 13th and 17th holes, all par 4s.  The greens are normally excellent, and are well bunkered.

The course is penal if you veer off the fairway, so its best to concede on length where possible.  Although short by todays standards, the Medal is still used for final qualifying when Carnoustie plays host to the Open Championship.

Monifieth is a really down to earth place to play golf, which is highly recommended.  I played with my son Andy (handicap 17), and I won with one of my best rounds on a day the wind decided to play kitten.

 

Key Facts

Course Type: Links

Green Fees: 

April – October: £59 weekdays, £65 weekends

Nov – Mar: £25 weekdays, £35 weekends

Par 71 (2 par 5s, 13 par 4s, 3 par 3s)

Distance(yellow): 6420 yards

Moly’s Gross score: 87

Moly's Monifieth Medal Scorecard - Gross 81

Moly’s Monifieth Medal Scorecard – Gross 81

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