Sorry George. Missed your earlier post.
I give HMB-Links (or whatever they call it now) 1* and Kingsbarns 2**. But, I've only played each one once, and I reserve the right to change my mind!
One of the many great advantages that KB had over HMB-L was that it was sited on land that used to be true linksland (before it was converted to farmland). The developers/architects (using the great knowledge of Robert Price) just had to "discover" the humps and bumps, re-create them and wait for nature to take it's course. HMB (and all of the California coast--including the land on which CPClies ) is not linksland, making any attempt to make a course "linksy" far more difficult, IMHO. HMB succeeded pretty well, I think.
Slightly off topic here, but did you know that the stone bridge that takes you to the 18th green at Kingsbarns was discovered and not made? While removing all the topsoil, the developers found the bridge, 6-feet under, in all it's 18th(?) century glory, intact, crossing what had been an underground burn which now is at the surface and guards the green!
Working late shift at the T-shirt factory tonight, George?