One round in the Kingdom (with conditions)

[Marty Bonnar]

Not much, Dai. Bounded by water on three sides, the peninsula has been a ‘kingdom’ since about Pictish times. In more recent times, there have been some political attempts to split Fife between Dundee and Edinburgh, but these have always been utterly cryit doun by the locals.
Cheers,
M.

[Rich Goodale]

James


If you are a golfing pedant and just must stay in Fife, I'd vote for Elie or Leven, in that order.  However, if you have acquired a visa to cross the river Tay and have not yet played Carnoustie, it's a no brainer and roughly the same driving distance as to Elie or Leven.  The latter two are interesting and fun places to play, but Carnoustie is arguably the best pure golfing course (and best design) in GBI.  It's not as pretty as Dornoch or County Down (or even Elie), but if you want a challenge, cross Checkpoint Jimmy on the Tay Bridge and experience Angus.

Rich


PS--I would also highly recommend the Eden and Himalyas option mentioned above.


rfg

[Mark Pearce]

[quote author=Sean_A link=topic=65213.msg1554506#msg1554506 date=1509922344

This is wildly inaccurate. There are spots at Elie where balls can be lost... including right on the opening hole... the left is no picnic either. Playing links in high season almost invariably means lost ball rough is in play with far from poor shots . Still, Elie is a good call. Nobody has mentioned Burnside... a wonderful course.


Yes, there are a few places you can lose a ball.  But several?  And even those require you to be playing the wrong shot.  The first is your best case, because it's a blind tee shot but if you play towards the marker post (and not right of it, which appears deceptively generous) you have to be a long way right to lose a ball.  I'm really struggling to think of other areas where there's a high risk of losing a ball (and I'm no straighter than you) and I really can't conceive of losing multiple balls in a round there without driving it extremely erratically.

[Tim Gallant]

[quote author=Sean_A link=topic=65213.msg1554506#msg1554506 date=1509922344

This is wildly inaccurate. There are spots at Elie where balls can be lost... including right on the opening hole... the left is no picnic either. Playing links in high season almost invariably means lost ball rough is in play with far from poor shots . Still, Elie is a good call. Nobody has mentioned Burnside... a wonderful course.


Yes, there are a few places you can lose a ball.  But several?  And even those require you to be playing the wrong shot.  The first is your best case, because it's a blind tee shot but if you play towards the marker post (and not right of it, which appears deceptively generous) you have to be a long way right to lose a ball.  I'm really struggling to think of other areas where there's a high risk of losing a ball (and I'm no straighter than you) and I really can't conceive of losing multiple balls in a round there without driving it extremely erratically.

Having played Elie this summer, I would agree with Mark. Even the back of 13 we found our golf balls. I am a 10 handicap, and can't recall losing a ball. If I did, it was 1 or 2 - not 'many many' balls.

[Rich Goodale]

Agreed, Mark and Tim.


I've played Elie 5-10 times and can't remember losing a golf ball.  Maybe I've just been lucky!


Rich

[Ed Brzezowski]

Crail    then have dinner there overlooking the North Sea.

Isn't it where the kingdom started?

[Sean_A]

[quote author=Sean_A link=topic=65213.msg1554506#msg1554506 date=1509922344

This is wildly inaccurate. There are spots at Elie where balls can be lost... including right on the opening hole... the left is no picnic either. Playing links in high season almost invariably means lost ball rough is in play with far from poor shots . Still, Elie is a good call. Nobody has mentioned Burnside... a wonderful course.


Yes, there are a few places you can lose a ball.  But several?  And even those require you to be playing the wrong shot.  The first is your best case, because it's a blind tee shot but if you play towards the marker post (and not right of it, which appears deceptively generous) you have to be a long way right to lose a ball.  I'm really struggling to think of other areas where there's a high risk of losing a ball (and I'm no straighter than you) and I really can't conceive of losing multiple balls in a round there without driving it extremely erratically.

Not everybody hits the A-1 shot, especially on the opening hole.  Where do you spose most misses are on opening holes?  Yep, riiiight.  Left on 9 was horrific rough, by far the worst on the course that I saw.  The 12th had some harsh rough...one lost ball there to the right of the fairway.  All in all, Elie compares quite well to other big name courses for rough, but one doesn't need to be playing very poorly to lose a ball. 


Ciao

[Mark Pearce]

Sean,


You can miss the right line by 30 yards on 1 and still find the fairway.  The problem is that most people see more fairway right of the marker post from the tee and assume there's more space there.  If you start by aiming 15 yards right of the right line then yes, a bad shot can be a problem.  On 9, there's no trouble at all on the right and 15 yards strip of semi.  The proper rough is brutal but I'd say 40 yards left of the right line.  There's no rough where you can lose a ball right of the 12th, are you sure you've got the right hole?  There is thick rough left but that's easily avoided by playing out to the right and allowing the contours to bring the ball back down.


I have lost balls on 13 but only hitting horrible shots but that is the most likely hole to loose balls on, I think.

[Sean_A]

Sean,


You can miss the right line by 30 yards on 1 and still find the fairway.  The problem is that most people see more fairway right of the marker post from the tee and assume there's more space there.  If you start by aiming 15 yards right of the right line then yes, a bad shot can be a problem.  On 9, there's no trouble at all on the right and 15 yards strip of semi.  The proper rough is brutal but I'd say 40 yards left of the right line.  There's no rough where you can lose a ball right of the 12th, are you sure you've got the right hole?  There is thick rough left but that's easily avoided by playing out to the right and allowing the contours to bring the ball back down.


I have lost balls on 13 but only hitting horrible shots but that is the most likely hole to loose balls on, I think.

I can only relate my experience and I will say the course was not keen and it was lush when we played...perhaps this explains more rough.  It was no where near 40 yards of the target line on 9 to find lost ball rough down the left.  Left is the side to come from and the rough was harsh just off the fairway.  Right of the first fairway was harsh rough. You may disagree, but helping guys look for balls proves otherwise.  Yes, lost ball rough on the right of 12th past the 9th green...I lost a ball there.   This reminding me of the Ganton debate 

I am not complaining (much) because Elie stands up well, but I do take issue with the statement "...playing very, very badly to lose a ball..."  It is simply not the case, in my experience anyway.

Ciao

[Mark Pearce]

Would you accept "playing very, very badly to lose several balls"?

[James Brown]

James


If you are a golfing pedant and just must stay in Fife, I'd vote for Elie or Leven, in that order.  However, if you have acquired a visa to cross the river Tay and have not yet played Carnoustie, it's a no brainer and roughly the same driving distance as to Elie or Leven.  The latter two are interesting and fun places to play, but Carnoustie is arguably the best pure golfing course (and best design) in GBI.  It's not as pretty as Dornoch or County Down (or even Elie), but if you want a challenge, cross Checkpoint Jimmy on the Tay Bridge and experience Angus.

Rich


PS--I would also highly recommend the Eden and Himalyas option mentioned above.


rfg

Just doing two days in St. Andrews on the way up to Dornoch with a buddy doing a Scotland trip for the first time. 


Elie, which I’ve never played seems a lot like Rye to me for some reason.  Haven’t play Carnoustie either. 

[Ken Moum]

I'm sort of astonished that no one has  mentioned Crail.

It was mentioned .... in the OP.

Oops...


Well, I still think it's a good choice.


K

[Rich Goodale]

James


Elie is similar to Rye in terms of membership (bankers, barristers and baronets) and quirkiness.  This time of year the place is empty.  Where Rye is a winter course, Elie is a summer one.  Rye is much more demanding than Elie, IMHO.  Elie can be had if you are on your game and avoid the blind bunkers.


Carnoustie fits in better on a trip involving the Old Course and Dornoch in terms of golfing challenge and quality, but it is a working man's course (and town), run by a Trust (as per TOC) and serviced by a number of modest but friendly Clubs, as per St. Andrews.  Carnoustie cannot be had.


Let us know your choice and enjoy.


Rich


PS-I live in Fife most of the year.  Ping me if you have any other questions.


rfg