Leven Links

Leven Links is one of several incredible links courses in the Fife region of Scotland, sitting on the coastline and looking out over the North Sea.

The current iteration of the course has been in play since shortly before the First World War, but golf has been played at Leven since the mid-19th Century.

A host of Final Qualifying for the Open Championship on multiple occasions throughout its history, Leven continues to challenge golfers of all abilities to this day.

Visit the Leven Links website here. 

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Golf has been played over the links at Leven for almost two centuries, and it was originally a 9-hole design for its first few decades.

The course was extended in the late 1860s, and the first ever competition over the new 18-hole layout was won by Young Tom Morris. However, that changed in 1909, as the club divided with its now neighbour Lundin.

Throughout its history, Leven has played host to Final Qualifying for the Open Championship on multiple occasions. The Scottish Girls Open Strokeplay, Scottish Amateur Championship, Scottish Amateur Strokeplay and the British Girls’ Amateur have all been played at Leven as well.

Leven Links is one of several glorious courses in Fife, and it offers the ultimate test of links golf in all its glory. There are blind tee shots, outcrops of spiky gorse and undulating greens. A tricky test of course management awaits and a strong day with the driver from the tee is a must. The big stick can certainly make or break your day with some scoreable par 5s and manageable par 4s – if you can hit the fairways. But if the driver isn't quite working on the day the rough and blind second shots can throw up some interesting angles into greens. From the tips, it is more than 6,500 yards. However, you have to remember that thanks to its location, the sea breeze will make it feel like it is even longer at times!

A quartet of par 4s get you on your way at Leven. The opener is a tough test at more than 425 yards from the tips. A pair of pot bunkers sit on the left side of the fairway, with the green guarded by three more traps, while sitting on a small ridge. The 2nd plays as a dog-leg right due to the angle of the tee compared to the fairway. Three fairway bunkers must be avoided, while two more protect the putting surface. The 3rd is the easiest of the opening par 4s at just 350 yards and playing arrow straight. It runs alongside the Leven Beach Holiday Park on its right, which sits between the 3rd and the water. Then, you come to the 4th, which is the hardest hole on the front nine. At 450 yards, and running along the beach. Anything to the right of this fairway, and you might be reaching into your bag for a second ball. A par on the 4th is a great score.

The first of the par 3s at Leven comes at the property boundary, so make sure you turn and play away from the beach. A modest dry-stone wall separates the two courses with tee boxes either side of it at one point but on different courses. If a golfer were not paying attention, they could certainly play to the wrong par 3 flag. The 5th at Leven is also the shortest hole on the course at just 160 yards. Four bunkers sit in front of the green to add to the difficulty. The 6th is then the longest hole – at almost 570 yards. OOB is down the right for the first 400 yards, so the miss off the tee is out to the left. However, there is a cluster of bunkers on the left side. For all bar the very longest of hitters, it will play as a three-shotter, especially with five bunkers and plenty of trouble by the green.

7 and 9 make it a trio of par 3s in the last five holes of the front nine. The former is 180 yards and has a circle of bunkers around the green, while the tee shot on the 9th is played over gorse and bracken, downhill towards the putting surface. Again, there is a quintet of bunkers surrounding the green. In between those lies the 8th, a tricky par 4. It is only 350 yards, but with gorse and trouble down the right side, and an uneven fairway, it is not easy. Two cross bunkers signal an end to the fairway, with four more around the green.

The back nine begins with a scoring chance. 10 is only 338 yards, and it has a wide fairway to attack. The green is large, with the trouble being behind and to the right, the latter in the form of gorse. 11 is another chance if you get a good drive away. 370 yards from the tips, and again, a generous fairway lies in wait. A total of six bunkers are dotted down the hole, but only two of those are in the way of the putting surface. You then reach back-to-back par 5s at 12 and 13. The former is the Stroke Index 1 at Leven, despite only being 500 yards in length. Four bunkers are in play off the tee, with five more down by the green. Play it cleverly and you can make birdie here. A particular highlight of the course is the tee shot at the par-5 13th. The tee box is raised above the adjacent 12th green to allow for spectacular views of the Links and back towards the town. At 480 yards, it is another par 5 that throws up a scoring chance.

The closing stretch has a quartet of par 4s along with the par 3 15th. 14 provides possibly the last real scoring chance. A generous fairway is in view off the tee, with just a single trap in play off the tee. One more is down by the green, with the surface being shallow and wide. The 15th is the last of the par 3s at Leven, and it has a pear-shaped green, the narrow section at the back. It is 190 yards to the middle, but can play more than 200 yards with a back flag. 16 is a dog-leg left, but again, there is a wide enough fairway to find. The green is guarded by four large bunkers, with the boundary fence behind the surface.

The last two par 4s at Leven are both tricky holes. The 17th is 415 yards, and there is a sole bunker in play off the tee. A hidden trap on the left side of the green is a danger to avoid with your approach. The closing hole is the longest par 4 of the day, at more than 455 yards from the tips. The green gets narrower the further you hit your drive, but with the length of the hole, driver is really the only option. The green sits in the corner of the property, with a wide burn running across in front of the surface, akin to the opening hole on the Old Course at St Andrews. For some, this might have to be played as a three-shotter, as there is no space behind the green for anything that runs long...

Where is Leven Links located?

Leven Links is situated on the southeastern coastline of Fife, with the course playing alongside Leven Beach and the coast of the North Sea. The town of Leven is just to the southwest of the venue, while Edinburgh – the Scottish capital city – is less than 40 miles away to the south. The A915, which runs from Kirkcaldy to St Andrews, runs past the town of Leven, providing good road routes.

Leven Station is the last stop on the Leven-Edinburgh train line. Services run on an hourly basis, stopping at Kirkcaldy and Haymarket on route to the centre of Scotland’s capital. For international visitors to Fife, Edinburgh Airport is only 35 miles from Leven, with flights to a wide range of destinations worldwide.

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

Leven Links is one of several stunning venues on the NCG Top 100s: Scotland list on the southern coastline of Fife. A small well separates the far end of Leven Links with next-door neighbour of Lundin Links. Just a few miles up the coastline are Dumbarnie Links and the Golf House Club, Elie as well. Ladybank, Kingsbarns, Crail (Balcomie) and the multiple glorious offerings at St Andrews are all within 25 miles.

What golf facilities does Leven Links offer?

Due to the constraints of the land, there is no driving range at Leven. However, there is a practice putting and chipping green for members and guests to work on their short games, along with a pair of hitting nets.

What are the green fees at Leven Links?

The price of a green fee at Leven Links 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 Leven Links, visit their website here.