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| Crail "Balcomie" |
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Crail Balcomie Links © 2006, Richard & Mary-Alice Jafolla One of The Best Kept Secrets--And The Best Bargain--in All of Golf
"When the wind is blowing hard, keep
your putts low to the ground." That's the tongue-in-cheek advice of Graeme
Lennie, the friendly and knowledgeable pro
at Crail. And the wind can whip up a dose
of trouble over this testing layout. |
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| Intimidated? You're not the only one. The sea is your constant companion on this wonderful and historic golf course. Those putting here on the 4th green have the 5th hole, the "Hell Hole," to look forward to. Note the 5th green way out on that point at the top right of the photo. Better to concentrate on your putting and not think about the next tee shot. |
Some History -- The Crail Golfing Society is the seventh oldest golfing club in the world. The first by-laws were written by a group of avid golfers sitting in the bar at The Golf Hotel (still in existence)in the little town of Crail drinking "Mother Duff's Punch"--a mixture of brandy and claret. (It's a wonder the by-laws are legible!) The meeting took place on February 23, 1786. Imagine, just ten years after the Declaration of Independence was signed and the United States was trying to organize a country, these blokes were already organizing a golf club! Since their first meeting over two centuries ago, a complete record of the club's activities have been kept! That's pretty amazing record keeping, wouldn't you say? And for the first 86 years, the meetings were held in The Golf Hotel. I'd bet anything that even in those days they were complaining about the putts they missed.
The Course -- The Balcomie course was designed by Old Tom Morris who, along with his son, Young Tom Morris, is an icon in the history of early Scottish golf and therefore in the history of golf in general. It was at Crail, by the way, that the idea of lining holes with "iron cases" had its origin. Before that, holes were just dug into the ground and, by the end of each day, were anything but round. So you have The Crail Golfing Society (or perhaps Mother Duff's Punch) to thank every time a putt of your makes that lovely "plunk" sound as it drops into the hole.
Crail Balcomie Golf Course is one of those courses you would want to play even if it were a mediocre course. After all, if you love golf and the history of golf, you have to play a course that was being played when George Washington was getting fitted for his wooden teeth. But it's not a mediocre course, it's a wonderful course and truly one of the most fun golf courses in Scotland.
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| The sea is with you throughout this great golf course. Here's the 17th green. |
A true links layout, it has the added feature of hills. In fact, the 1st tee is situated next to the clubhouse high above the 1st hole with a view of virtually the entire course you are about to play. If you have even a smidgen of love for the game of golf, the sense of anticipation as you are about to tee off atop this hill is electric. To make matters better, a decent drive will get you far since you are teeing off from high above the green so even if you dribble it off the tee you will at least roll down the hill. The 2nd through the 6th are bordered by the sea and are magnificent--among the most beautiful in all of golf. Number 2 is a 493 yard par 5 with the ocean out of bounds on your right ready to catch any slice. Number 3 is a par 3, 178 yards which will direct any shot that comes in hot and lands long and too far on the right side of the green to the beach. Talk about a sand shot!. Number 4 is a deceptively mild looking 346 yard par 4 and features a severe dogleg right but with the fairway sloping toward the ocean and a bunker on the left waiting to scoop up anyone hitting away from the ocean who has gotten too careless--two nasty choices. Number 5 is well named--"Hell's Hole." (See picture above.) It is a par 4 which, in 800 rounds recorded during one period, took an average of 5.98 strokes to go from tee to hole! At 450 yards, it's a devilish dogleg right that bends in about the middle where your tee shot should land. Trouble is that there is the ocean that intrudes into your line of flight that you have to hit over from the tee if you expect to make any kind of score here. But the tee shot needs to be accurate. Too far right and you can't carry and will be on the beach; too far left and you're in a bunker or deep rough. Or you could hit one down the middle and it if it rolls too far, it may roll into the rough. (With all this water off of each fairway, Alasdair Busby, the Secretary of Crail Golfing Society, told me, "If you want to do well on these holes, just keep your ball in Scotland!") Your reward for negotiating the "Hell's Hole" is #6, a 197 yard par 3 with lots of rough to keep you honest. Watch the wind on this hole. The green is protected by hills on two sides and so the flag may be still while the wind above (that will affect your ball) may be howling.
The front nine are among the most beautiful anywhere, and I do mean anywhere. All the holes are played right by the sea or within one fairway of the sea. In fact every hole on the entire course has an intimate view of the ocean and beach. It's heavenly.
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| The famous 13th - 217 yard par 3 and it's all uphill. (Note the tee in the left background). |
With four par 3s, the back nine are not quite as challenging but that doesn't mean they are push-overs. There are two par 5s in a row followed by two par 3s in a row. Problem is that the first par 3 is 217 yards uphill--really uphill! The green has to be at least 50 feet above the tee. (A short detour -- This hole, the 13th, is the one thought of by many who have read Michael Murphy's Golf In The Kingdom as the hole Murphy is describing when he writes, "I felt the land as we climbed the hill, the sea breeze, the grass beneath my feet." They believe Crail Balcomie course is, in fact, the course played in the book. Graeme Lennie, the pro, told me there is not another hole anything like it in all of Fife. In addition, a while back Clint Eastwood visited the course to look at the hole and at the course. Clint Eastwood, by the way, has purchased the movie rights to Golf In The Kingdom.) After negotiating this test you are rewarded with a 149 yard downhill hole. The last four holes are pars 4, 3, 4, 3.
Crail Balcomie is wonderful. You will be hitting over streams, over stone walls, over beaches, up hill, down hill, negotiating fairways where hills run up to the left or right, hitting into the wind, hitting with the wind. All in all, it's an exhilarating golfing experience and quite an examination of your golfing ability. But because of the popularity of the higher profile courses in the area, this course is not as well known to the tourists and so doesn't get the play of its more popular cousins. That's good for you for a few reasons. First of all, it's not very expensive. And secondly, it easier to get a good tee time, especially during the week.
Make it a point to play this course if you are in the area. In fact, after The Old Course, St. Andrews, I would make it my second or third play. That's how much I think of it.
Golf Nook Scotland rating -- EAGLE.
2005 Green Fees - March 24 thru October 31
Weekday: Round - £40
All day - playing the Balcomie course twice - £65
All day - playing Balcomie and Craighead - £55
Weekend & Bank holidays: Round - £50
All day - Balcomie/Balcomie - £78
-- All day Balcomie/Craighead - £68
Be sure you're clear on these "All day" fees. You don't have to play this one course. You can play both the Crail Balcomie Course and the Crail Craigshead Course (see separate write-up). That's an excellent deal. Two distinctly different courses and both high calibre. (See below for "The Best Deal in Golf."
November 1 thru March 23 - £20
Trolley hire - £3 for 1 round, £5 for Day ticket
Power Caddie - £6 for 1 round, £10 for Day ticket
Caddies - £35
Buggy hire - £25 (Medical certificate required).
If no medical certificate, £25)
Club hire £22
Catering Prices:
Full Package (coffee,hot roll, soup & sandwich, high tea - £13.75)
Afternoon Start (soup & sandwich, high tea) £11.25
Midway break (soup & sandwich) - £4
High tea - £7.95
Coffee & hot roll (on arrival) £2.75
Coffee & biscuits (on arrival) £1.75
Scorecard
| # | - Hole Name - | Yards | Par | SI | Ladies | Par | SI | |
| 1 | Boathouse | 321 | 4 | 17 | 311 | 4 | 7 | |
| 2 | Ower The Knowe | 493 | 5 | 5 | 439 | 5 | 5 | |
| 3 | The Briggs | 178 | 3 | 13 | 154 | 3 | 13 | |
| 4 | Fluke Dub | 346 | 4 | 7 | 278 | 4 | 9 | |
| 5 | Hell's Hole | 450 | 4 | 1 | 433 | 5 | 1 | |
| 6 | Wormiston | 190 | 3 | 9 | 157 | 3 | 17 | |
| 7 | North Carr | 347 | 4 | 11 | 262 | 4 | 11 | |
| 8 | Breeches Buoy | 421 | 4 | 3 | 412 | 4 | 3 | |
| 9 | Dykeside | 304 | 4 | 25 | 246 | 4 | 15 | |
| Out | 3050 | 35 | 2692 | 36 | ||||
| 10 | Castle Yetts | 336 | 4 | 12 | 272 | 4 | 8 | |
| 11 | Lang Whang | 509 | 5 | 8 | 420 | 5 | 4 | |
| 12 | The Burn | 527 | 5 | 4 | 518 | 5 | 2 | |
| 13 | Craighead | 217 | 3 | 6 | 203 | 4 | 14 | |
| 14 | The Cave | 149 | 3 | 16 | 131 | 3 | 16 | |
| 15 | Mill Dam | 266 | 4 | 18 | 252 | 4 | 18 | |
| 16 | Spion Kop | 162 | 3 | 14 | 150 | 3 | 10 | |
| 17 | Road Hole | 460 | 4 | 2 | 402 | 5 | 6 | |
| 18 | The Quarry | 204 | 3 | 10 | 190 | 4 | 12 | |
| In | 2830 | 34 | 2538 | 36 | ||||
| Out | 3050 | 35 | 2692 | 36 | ||||
| Total | 5880 | 69 | 5230 | 72 |
SSS - 69
Miscellaneous Notes: Overlooking the Firth of Forth and the North Sea, the view from Crail's clubhouse is dramatic. It's a good place to have a drink or get some good bar food after your round. The clubhouse is also available to visitors who wish to change or shower. There are 3 buggies (electric carts) available. You can also rent a trolley (pull cart). Empty your golf bag of everything not essential because the hills are steep and dragging a bag up and down them can get a bit tiresome.
There is a practice range available for visitors.
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| The Pro, Graeme Lennie, is a member of The Shivas Irons Society and has also been voted by his peers as the Captain of the PGA Scottish region (quite an honor, as you can imagine). |
Graeme is an valuable source of information about not only his own two courses, but about all of the courses in the area. (In fact, Graeme has played quite a bit of golf on some of the outstanding golf courses in the USA.) If you are going to be around for a while and want to know the "must plays" from someone who has intimate knowledge of all the golf courses in and around Crail and St. Andrews (and, in fact, all of Scotland), talk to Graeme. He'll steer you to the good ones. He'll diagnose your problem quickly and help you to have a better golfing holiday in Scotland. Graeme is knowledgable, personable, and eager to make your golfing holiday in Fife one you will always remember. He's a good guy and you'll like him a lot. And if your game is not quite what it should be, Graeme is also one of the finest instructors in Scotland.
Short digression: If you are a golf traditionalist and love the history and the lore of golf, why not stop in the bar at The Golf Hotel in Crail after your game and drink a toast to those golf pioneers who started this golf club. The owner, Graham Guthrie, will mix you the same "Mother Duff's Punch" that those early golfers drank the night they wrote the by-laws of this ancient course. Raise a glass to those hearty souls. (You can even continue the tradition of complaining about missed putts!)
And a P.S. here from Mary-Alice -- Once you start on the back nine, you will see the remains of the ancient Balcomie Castle. Just to show you how historical this area is, the castle was visited in 1538 by Marie de Guise, the French mother of Mary Queen of Scots.
Location of Crail Balcomie Golf Course: A917 from St. Andrews or Anstruther to Crail. As you enter Crail you will see a sign directing you to the left. Follow signs to clubhouse.
Crail Golfing Society
Balcomie
Crail, Fife
KY10 3XN
Telephone: Pro: Graeme Lennie (0)1333-450960
Secretary: (0)1333-450680
Fax: (0)1333 450 416
Website (newly redesigned and very well done): www.crailgolfingsociety.co.uk
Email: crails@hotmail.com
*For WHAT TO DO ALL DAY, please see Crail Craighead write-up.