Kinghorn

Kinghorn Golf Club is a cracking little links test, situated near the coastline of Fife on the eastern side of Scotland.

Dating back to 1887, when it was originally a 9-hole layout, Kinghorn was extended to 18 holes shortly after the turn of the century. Old Tom Morris – four times a winner of the Open Championship – was the man to design the original layout.

Today, it is one of the shorter venues you will find on the NCG Top 100s lists. From the tips, Kinghorn remains short of 5,200 yards, with not a single par 5 in sight...

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Kinghorn Golf Club’s history dates to 1887, when four-time Open Champion Old Tom Morris designed the original 9-hole layout. 

However, the history of the sport dates back much further than that at Kinghorn, with golf being played over this land all the way back in the early part of the 17th Century. 

The original 9-hole course was extended to 18 holes in 1905, and not much has changed since then. The club opened its new clubhouse in 2009, with former Open Champion Paul Lawrie being the man to do so.

Although you do not play right on the Fife coastline, Kinghorn is still a links course, with pot bunkers, gorse and plenty of hazards to watch out for. Even from the tips, Kinghorn cannot be classed as a long course. From the back tees, the layout only stretches to 5,150 yards. It plays as a par 66 from the whites, or a par 65 from the yellows, with the sextet of par 3s being split into three back-to-back sets of short holes throughout a round, including at the very end...

The layout begins with a gentle par 4 of just 340 yards, with the miss for your opening tee shot being to the left. Anything right runs the risk of flying OOB. There is just a solitary bunker to the front right of the putting surface to worry about on your approach to the 1st green. A pair of lengthy par 3s follow, both of which are more than 200 yards from the tips. The 2nd is the longer of the two at almost 220, and anything long of the green will be in danger, with gorse back left and OOB back right. Shots can run up on to this green, so play short if anything. At 205 yards, 3 is not much shorter, and it plays over a burn to the green. The burn is tight to the front edge of the putting surface, so approaches need to be carried all the way. Two bunkers behind the green come into play for anything slightly long.

The 4th takes you back to the clubhouse, and it is a drivable par 4 at 314 yards if the turf is firm and fast. The tee shot is played over the same burn that runs in front of the 3rd green, but that should not come into play here. It is a generous fairway, with misses on both sides if you can’t find the fairway. 5 runs in the opposite direction, but plays around the same distance from the back tees Another wide landing zone is in play, but it pinches in the further down you hit your drive. The 6th is the split hole at Kinghorn. Off the whites, it is a short, dog-leg left par 4 of just 255 yards. Off the yellows and reds, it is a par 3 of 170 yards. As a par 4, avoid the thick gorse that sits on the left of the fairway, and it becomes a proper birdie chance. 7 takes you into the northwest corner of the property, and the miss is right, with OOB to the left of this hole. The green is right in the corner, so be short rather than long here.

The 8th is the Stroke Index 1 at Kinghorn, and it is not difficult to see why. It is the longest hole on the property at 460 yards, and it plays with OOB running down the left edge throughout thanks to the boundary of the course. You can miss out to the right, but that then provides a more difficult angle to the green, which may well be with a hybrid or fairway wood in hand. A par on 8 is a very good score. A trio of drivable par 4s follow... The 9th plays across the 6th fairway, and requires a carry of around 175 yards on the tee shot from the back tees. After that, it is a relatively simple hole at just 280 yards. 10 is just 275 yards, playing as a slight dog-leg left. There is a generous fairway for those that do not want to take on the green with their tee shot, though. 11 is the shortest of the three at just 245 yards from the tips, and there is no trouble in front of the green, so fire away!

12 has one of the widest fairways on the property, and with it being close to 425 yards, it is one where driver will be needed to get as far down the hole as possible. The 13th is another long par 4, at 433 yards, and plays as a dog-leg right away from the 16th green. Anything missed out to the right is absolutely fine, as it will just find the 12th fairway. The green is small, but there is space around it if the approach is mishit. From there, the finishing stretch at Kinghorn has four par 3s in the final five holes.

14 and 15 are back-to-back par 3s, with the former being a nudge over the 200-yard mark. Four bunkers protect each corner of the putting surface, but like previous holes, shots can be run up on to the green. The 15th plays across the 14th, and is 50 yards shorter than its predecessor. Bunkers sit on either side of the green, with two pot bunkers to the left of the surface. The only par 4 in the run for home comes at 16. It is another drivable par 4 at 275 yards, but bunkers and a road down the right side are all in play.

The final two holes at Kinghorn are also both par 3s. 17 is 155 yards from the tips, and played over gorse to a long green. Two pot bunkers sit on the left side of the surface, with more gorse down the right side as well. The last hole is also the shortest on the course at just 133 yards. There is a wide entrance into this green, and plenty of space around the putting surface. However, the three pot bunkers that sit on the right side of the green are in play.

Where is Kinghorn Golf Club located?

Kinghorn Golf Club is situated in the south of Fife, located close to the eastern coastline of the country. It sits just outside the town of Kinghorn, which is a few miles down the road from both Burntisland and Kirkcaldy. The city of Edinburgh is only 25 miles away by road, located on the other side of the Firth of Forth. The club sits just off the A921, which runs from Kirkcaldy to its junction at the M90 near Rosyth.

Kinghorn has its own train station, which is less than half a mile from the golf club. Trains via Kinghorn towards Edinburgh, Perth and Leven among several other destinations, all on a regular basis. For international visitors to the region, Kinghorn Golf Club is less than 25 miles from Edinburgh Airport – the busiest international airport north of the border.

Are there any other NCG Top 100s: Scotland venues nearby?

Kinghorn is somewhat on its own when it comes to venues on the NCG Top 100s: Scotland list, with Leven Links, Lundin Links and Ladybank being the closest to Kinghorn – all of which are around 15 miles from the venue. Dumbarnie Links and the Golf House Club, Elie are also within 25 miles along the coast to the northeast.

What golf facilities does Kinghorn Golf Club offer?

Although there is no driving range at Kinghorn, the club is home to hitting nets to allow golfers to warm up. There is also a putting green and a short game area as well.

What are the green fees at Kinghorn Golf Club?

The price of a green fee at Kinghorn Golf Club changes throughout the year, depending on the season. It is also different depending on whether it is a weekday or weekend.

For more information on current green fees at Kinghorn, visit their booking form here.