Crail Golfing Society
St Andrews, Scotland
Crail Golfing Society overview
Founded in 1786, Crail Golfing Society is not only one of Scotland’s oldest golf clubs but one of the oldest golfing societies in the world. Located on the east coast of the Fife peninsula, 12 miles from St Andrews this club offers two links courses – Balcomie Links and Craighead Links.
With the club’s position on a narrow promontory, both courses offer excellent views across the Firth of Forth waterway, with many holes offering sweeping sea views. The clubhouse is a highlight, perched high above the 18th of the Balcomie Links offering two bars and three eateries as well as magnificent views out to the ocean.
Golf Courses
Crail Golfing Society is home to 36 holes of links golf. The Balcomie Links was originally an Old Tom Morris-design and dates back over 100 years. In contrast, the Craighead Links opened in 1998 after Gil Hanse was tasked with creating a modern links course on the clifftop adjacent to the original course. Two great courses to enjoy during a day at Crail.
Did You Know
The first 9-holes were laid at the Crail Golfing Society we know today by Old Tom Morris in 1894, opening in 1895. However, before this, the club played at Sauchope, a coastal links area a few miles south of today’s club location.
Golf courses at Crail Golfing Society
Craighead Links
Craighead Links at Crail Golfing Society was built in 1998, in part to alleviate the traffic on its sister course the Balcomie. It is a longer layout and presents a different challenge being situated on a 114-acre plot of clifftop on the opposite side of the clubhouse. The course was designed by well-known architect Gil Hanse, his first project outside the USA and includes some serious contours on the greens and extensive bunkering.
Balcomie Links
The Balcomie Links at Crail dates to the mid-19th century before it was later improved and lengthened by Old Tom Morris at the turn of the century. The older of the two links courses, it presents a good test to golfers which is often underestimated by the modest yardage of 5922 from the back tees and par-69. Due to its position adjacent to the North Sea, the prevailing winds can often render yardages totally meaningless. Certainly, one to play when visiting the east coast of Scotland.
