Scotscraig: I've WASTED 27 years of my life...!

[Marty Bonnar]

So, since I was 24, I've lived a jolly life in bonnie Fifeshire for 27 years now, gowfin' my ball around many of our fine linkses and other inlandier tracks. I expect you know some of them?
I've driven by Scotscraig many's a time, even once bought some snazzy pants and shirts in the little golf shop. Have I played it, I hear you ask? Until today, I had not. Don't ask me why? I don't know. I've had ample opportunity. Just never found the space/time.

Today I am sad/happy in equal measure. Twenty seven sodding years WASTED; I could freakin cry. Discovering the wonder of Scotscraig; I could do backflips.

It was one of the most fun times I've ever had on a golf course. You guys would love it. You want quirk? You got it. You want history? You got it. You want lovely heathy, linksy turf? You got it. You want one of the friendliest welcomes at a golf course ever? You got it.

I was so enamoured I literally couldn't face taking any photos. That would have meant taking my eye away from the lovely reality. Here's some on the Club's website though:

http://www.scotscraiggolfclub.com/course-guide/photo-gallery/

Possibly too many trees and too far away from the ocean for some of you links purists, but coming to Fife and missing out on Scotscraig will be the biggest mistake you ever make in golf. I'm available anytime for a return!!! Soooo good.

cheers,
F.

[Ally Mcintosh]

A whole side of my extended family (who I barely know) live in Taymouth and have been connected with the golf club since year dot... Always meant to... Still haven't...

[Marty Bonnar]

Tay-PORT, Ally???
 
F.

[Tim Gavrich]

I loved Scotscraig when my dad and I played it back in 2008 toward the end of our week-long Fife golf excursion. I remember all the positives you listed about it. We weren't really expecting much and were blown away by how fun, low-key and pleasant the whole experience of being there was. Can't wait to go back.

[Ally Mcintosh]

Tay-PORT, Ally???
 
F.

That's the one, Marty....

[RJ_Daley]

The dress code for players at this time was a red jacket trimmed with a green velvet collar.

It was also agreed that the golfing uniform should include a buff coloured uniform vest with small buttons similar to that worn on the jacket, and it was further approved that the penalty for players not suitably attired was 2 bottles of port.

A look at the club jacket on the web site indicates a very early sense of golf style.  I wouldn't mind having a modernized all weather materials jacket like the original one shown on the web site.  And the subscription and small ancillary fees look like a bargain. 

How far from your home is this club, Neffers? 

[Marty Bonnar]

26.6 miles, 45 minutes, dearest Unc.
 
Love,
Neffers Mart.

[RJ_Daley]

26.6 miles?  45 minutes?  That is a wee little distance to travel by many standards of life in some of the big metropolitan cities. 

It sounds like a really great place to put on an agenda for someone who would love to enjoy the local flavor of golf life there in Fife, without all the high season protocol  and hype of playing the usual rota of higher profile courses.  Should I get to visit someday, let's put this one down for a bonnie fine day.

[Bill_McBride]

 My friend Bob Edie lives in St Andrews, belongs to the St Andrews Club.   Plays most of his golf at Scotscraig.  I need to give it a go myself.

[Marty Bonnar]

Now there's a threesome I eagerly await. Or should I maybe say a fourball with Bob.
Will you both PLEASE get over here - and soon!

M.

[Marty Bonnar]

I loved Scotscraig when my dad and I played it back in 2008 toward the end of our week-long Fife golf excursion. I remember all the positives you listed about it. We weren't really expecting much and were blown away by how fun, low-key and pleasant the whole experience of being there was. Can't wait to go back.

Tim,
is it really FOUR years since you were here???

Eek!

MB.

[Ulrich Mayring]

I've played it, here are some of my pics:

https://picasaweb.google.com/realulim/Scotscraig

The front 9 are great fun, but on the back 9 out of nowhere a parkland stretch appears and the last 2.5 holes are a bit bland. In my opinion this is a good Braid, but not one of his best.

Ulrich

[Joey Chase]

I very much enjoyed the first nine, like Ulrich, but found the closing stretch to be blah.  If I remember correctly, the first nine is the really old part of the course and the back was an add-on later.  Having said that, the front is pretty awesome and I would play it again in a heartbeat!

[Colin Macqueen]

Marty,
I played there once with Tom Baruffati's dad and had a bizarre experience. There is a par5 there that shares a double green and a fine drive with a following wind allowed me to imagine I could get home in 2. In a fit of optimism I asked Uncle Ivor did he think I would manage. "Nae chance!" was the reply. Well the favourable wind did help and the hapless boy from the Aussie outback was pin high.........six feet from the pin.  Uncle Ivor  laughed like a drain as I had hit to the wrong pin and was a good  70 feet from the correct pin!  A deflated Colin set up for the monstrous putt and sank the little blighter!  Uncle Ivor was suitably impressed as it meant we won the match and the wee bit of money riding on it.

Thus I have a very happy memory of this course and yes it is a great fun track.

Cheers Colin

[James Bennett]

well played Colin - great story!

[Niall C]

Marty

I've only played it once, many years ago in a golf outing. I've longed to go back but somehow the level of greenfee has always put me off. What I remember of the ourse, its got a kind of links/heathlandish type of feel to it (?). The other thing I remeMber was going out last in the outing with the old duffers (my punishment for showing up late) and hitting a good drive on the longest drive hole. One of my playing partners who had hit a low skanky drive to the right rough, then proceeded to hit a second shot that barely got of the ground and went like an exacet into the back of my ball sending it another 40 yards up the fairway and clearly by the previous longest drive.

My new found friends insisted I keep my mouth shout and claim the bottle of whisky prize for longest drive just to see the face on the guy who usually won it. I can safely say its the only time I've won the longest drive.

Niall

[Tony_Muldoon]

Marty

I've only played it once, many years ago in a golf outing. I've longed to go back but somehow the level of greenfee has always put me off. What I remember of the ourse, its got a kind of links/heathlandish type of feel to it (?). The other thing I remeMber was going out last in the outing with the old duffers (my punishment for showing up late) and hitting a good drive on the longest drive hole. One of my playing partners who had hit a low skanky drive to the right rough, then proceeded to hit a second shot that barely got of the ground and went like an exacet into the back of my ball sending it another 40 yards up the fairway and clearly by the previous longest drive.

My new found friends insisted I keep my mouth shout and claim the bottle of whisky prize for longest drive just to see the face on the guy who usually won it. I can safely say its the only time I've won the longest drive.

Niall

That's makes for 2 excellent stories. 

[Marty Bonnar]

Niall,
Nancy played it a while back in a seniors greensome or something and got handed a half-price voucher, so we played it for £28 each. Bargain!!! Damn fine Lorne sausage roll too. TWO big old slices of heart-attack on a braw scottish morning roll. with HP sauce. We don't discuss Scottish Golfers Breakfasts nearly enough here!!! Steak Pie and chips for tea after too. Isn't this a great country! I need to eat more salads...
Tony, I think you'd love Scotscraig. VERY reminiscent of the London Heathlands coupled with a hearty dose of Links terrain. Great combo. Did I mention it's the 13th oldest golf club in the wurrrld?
F.

[Niall C]

Thanks Tony

Marty,

Quite agree, nothing wrong with the Scottish diet. Good to see the boy Murray promoting good old scottish cuisine by celebrating his US open win by having the full Scottish breakfast of a bottle of Irn Bru and a packet of custard creams the morning after. Class.

Niall

[Ken Moum]

Niall,
Nancy played it a while back in a seniors greensome or something and got handed a half-price voucher, so we played it for £28 each. Bargain!!! Damn fine Lorne sausage roll too. TWO big old slices of heart-attack on a braw scottish morning roll. with HP sauce. We don't discuss Scottish Golfers Breakfasts nearly enough here!!! Steak Pie and chips for tea after too. Isn't this a great country! I need to eat more salads...
Tony, I think you'd love Scotscraig. VERY reminiscent of the London Heathlands coupled with a hearty dose of Links terrain. Great combo. Did I mention it's the 13th oldest golf club in the wurrrld?
F.

i was thinking that next summer when we come back to Scotland, my wife and i should go for the Eagle package:

"On arrival 2 bacon rolls with tea or coffee, morning round of golf followed by homemade soup and 2 freshly made filled rolls, Afternoon round of golf followed by High Tea or two course meal."

What's not to like?

[Brian_Ewen]

Damn fine Lorne sausage roll too. TWO big old slices of heart-attack on a braw scottish morning roll. with HP sauce. We don't discuss Scottish Golfers Breakfasts nearly enough here!!!

Mmmmmm ...... Square Sausage  

Steak Pie and chips for tea after too. Isn't this a great country!

Have always said, that a good day oot is, a round at Forfar followed by a Forfar Bridie, Beans & Chips in the Clubhoose  

[Brian_Ewen]

Scotscraig Winter Golf Ticket only £150.00, 1st Nov- 28th Feb. Monday - Friday. Contact office on 01382 552515

[Bill_McBride]

Niall,
Nancy played it a while back in a seniors greensome or something and got handed a half-price voucher, so we played it for £28 each. Bargain!!! Damn fine Lorne sausage roll too. TWO big old slices of heart-attack on a braw scottish morning roll. with HP sauce. We don't discuss Scottish Golfers Breakfasts nearly enough here!!! Steak Pie and chips for tea after too. Isn't this a great country! I need to eat more salads...
Tony, I think you'd love Scotscraig. VERY reminiscent of the London Heathlands coupled with a hearty dose of Links terrain. Great combo. Did I mention it's the 13th oldest golf club in the wurrrld?
F.

i was thinking that next summer when we come back to Scotland, my wife and i should go for the Eagle package:

"On arrival 2 bacon rolls with tea or coffee, morning round of golf followed by homemade soup and 2 freshly made filled rolls, Afternoon round of golf followed by High Tea or two course meal."

What's not to like?

Nae a word about alcohol......

[Marty Bonnar]

Alcohol? Me? Oh, no! Never touch a drop. Me? Nooooooooo

 

neffers.

[Patrick Kiser]

Alcohol? Me? Oh, no! Never touch a drop. Me? Nooooooooo

 

neffers.

How's that bottle of rare bourbon treating you? 

And with respect to Scotscraig, I'll just use one of your lines ... eedjitry!