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Kingsbarns Golf Links is an 18-hole, par-72 links course on the Fife coast, approximately seven miles southeast of St Andrews. The present course was developed by Mark Parsinen and Art Dunkley, designed by Kyle Phillips and opened in July 2000 after construction began in 1997. Its history is distinct from earlier golf on the same land: golf was recorded at Kingsbarns in 1793, a nine-hole course served the local golfing society until 1850, and Willie Auchterlonie laid out another nine holes in 1922 before that course closed during the Second World War.
The current Black tees measure 7,226 yards with a course rating of 75.6 and slope of 141. Five tee sets run from 5,231 to 7,226 yards, all at par 72. The routing uses the North Sea coastline extensively, with the 12th playing around a bay and the par-3 15th requiring a carry across the rocky shore.
The course is an 18-hole links golf course. It plays to par 72, 7,226 yards, course rating 75.6 and slope rating 141. Designed by Kyle Phillips, the course originally opened in 2000. It is open to the public. On-site facilities include Driving Range, Putting Green, Short Game Practice Area, Bunker Practice, Pro Shop, Restaurant, Bar, Halfway House, and 9 more.
Kingsbarns has several distinct chapters of golfing history rather than one uninterrupted course. The official record first mentions Kingsbarns golfers in 1793, while the Kingsbarns Golfing Society was formally founded in 1815. Its members played a nine-hole links until 1850, when a Cambo Estate tenant farmer ploughed the land and returned it to agriculture.
Golf returned in 1922 when Lady Erskine of Cambo encouraged the society's revival as Kingsbarns Golf Club and former Open champion Willie Auchterlonie laid out a new nine-hole course. That layout closed in 1939 when the site became part of Britain's wartime coastal defences and land mines were installed. A brief post-war resumption ended in 1948.
The modern revival began when Mark Parsinen and Art Dunkley partnered with American architect Kyle Phillips. Construction started in November 1997. Phillips approached the project as a contemporary interpretation of traditional Scottish links architecture rather than an attempt to preserve the abandoned nine-hole routing.
A substantial amount of earth was shaped to create dunes, swales and elevated ground that fit the sloping coastal site. Phillips's own material describes the design as a tribute to the site's links heritage. The routing deliberately keeps the North Sea prominent: several holes lie directly against the shoreline, while sea views are available throughout the course.
Among the most distinctive strategic uses of the coast are the par-5 12th, which turns around a bay, and the par-3 15th across an inlet.
The present course opened in July 2000, timed with The Open being held nearby at St Andrews. Its creation re-established golf permanently on the Kingsbarns land after the long post-war gap. The project was developed by Parsinen and Dunkley with Phillips as course architect, and contemporary reports also record support from local businessman Gordon Begg.
The R&A provided the development with a £1 million interest-free loan in return for access to a block of starting times. Rather than operating as a conventional large private membership club, Kingsbarns was established around visiting golfers, although the historic Kingsbarns Golf Club continues separately with a small locally based membership and holds competitions on the Links.
Tournament use followed quickly. In 2001 Kingsbarns joined the Old Course at St Andrews and Carnoustie as a host course for the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, a role it has retained. The R&A's Jacques Léglise Trophy was held there in 2008, and Kingsbarns was used for local qualifying when The Open returned to St Andrews in 2010.
Its largest standalone championship came in 2017, when the Ricoh Women's British Open was staged at Kingsbarns and In-Kyung Kim won. The course has also accumulated extensive ranking recognition; its own current honours list records Golfweek placing it first among modern courses in Great Britain and Ireland in both 2024 and 2025 and Golf Digest ranking it 24th in the world for 2026-27.
Kingsbarns operates as a seasonal, publicly accessible visitor course. No handicap certificate is required, although golfers are expected to maintain the stated pace of play. The 2026 season closes after 8 November, with reopening scheduled for 27 March 2027.
Five sets of tees provide distances from 5,231 to 7,226 yards. Practice facilities include a driving range with unlimited balls, putting green, bunker area and short-game area, all included in the green fee. The clubhouse contains a restaurant, bar, locker rooms, showers and pro shop, while caddies, rental clubs, trolleys and medically restricted golf buggies are available.
Kingsbarns does not provide accommodation on site.
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| Fee Type | Price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1 May-8 November 2026 – 18 Holes | £486 | Full rack rate. Green fee includes use of full practice and clubhouse facilities. |
| 1 May-8 November 2026 – Replay Round Within 7 Days | £292 | When booking two rounds within seven days, one of the rounds must be an afternoon tee time. |
| 27 March-30 April 2027 – 18 Holes | £430 | Published 2027 rate. |
| 27 March-30 April 2027 – Replay Round Within 7 Days | £260 | When booking two rounds within seven days, one of the rounds must be an afternoon tee time. |
| 1 May-11 July 2027 – 18 Holes | £524 | Published 2027 rate. |
| 1 May-11 July 2027 – Replay Round Within 7 Days | £315 | When booking two rounds within seven days, one of the rounds must be an afternoon tee time. |
| 12-20 July 2027 – 18 Holes | £590 | Published 2027 rate. |
| 21 July-7 November 2027 – 18 Holes | £524 | Published 2027 rate. |
| 21 July-7 November 2027 – Replay Round Within 7 Days | £315 | When booking two rounds within seven days, one of the rounds must be an afternoon tee time. |
Prices are indicative and subject to change. Contact the course to confirm current rates.
| Front 9 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Out |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Par | 4 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 36 |
| Yards | 418 | 200 | 518 | 425 | 426 | 338 | 461 | 168 | 558 | 3512 |
| Index | 13 | 9 | 15 | 3 | 7 | 11 | 1 | 17 | 5 | - |
| Back 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | In | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Par | 4 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 36 | 72 |
| Yards | 394 | 481 | 606 | 150 | 384 | 212 | 569 | 474 | 444 | 3714 | 7226 |
| Index | 14 | 10 | 2 | 12 | 18 | 6 | 16 | 8 | 4 | - | - |
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