Opportunity to score low at St Andrews!
The Balgove course is one of the relatively recent addidions to St Andrews. It is in the complex which shares the Golf Academy, Eden and Strathtyrum courses. Doing a course at the Golf Academy normally includes access to the Balgove 9 hole course, and is used as part of the courses.
1st tee
The course is an ideal beginners course, comprising only one real par 4, with 2 other holes (1st and 2nd) being 220 and 219 yards long but marked as par 4s on the card for some reason. Therefore the SS is really 28 in my opinion, not 30.
Although a vary short layout, the greens are very nicely architected, to give a real feel for a links greens, with some good greenside bunkers as well. The putting surfaces are however very flat, which when coupled to the excellent surfaces, means that birdie opportunities should exist for all levels of golfer.
Balgove double green
The 6th hole, runs alongside the “bigger” courses and is bounded by severe gorse, so lost balls are still possible here.
Overall, this is a really fun little course, which should not take much longer than an hour to play, and as such is a great warm up to it’s more substantial neighbours – don’t get
9th Green
seduced though that you’ll score as well on the neighbouring courses as you will on this!
Key Facts
Course Type: Links
Green Fees: 20 Oct -13 Apr – £8; 14 Apr – 19 Oct – £15; Children £3
Par 30 (3 par 4s, 6 par 3s)
Distance: 1520 yards
Moly’s Gross score: 34
Balgove scorecard
