LUNDIN GOLF CLUB - 15 POINTS
Elie, Crail, Lundin, Leven - the southern Fife coast has a host of classic links golf courses which would make for quite an exceptional golf trip. Lundin Golf Club would be absolutely worth inclusion in any trip to the area.
The course itself has a fascinating history. Old Tom Morris laid out a links course along the Firth of Forth with two clubs playing over the course. Lundin built a clubhouse at the east end of the property and Leven at the west. Fast forward 40 years and both clubs were thriving. It’s not hard to imagine why having half the players starting at one end of the course and half at the other end started to cause problems. Therefore, with the wisdom of Solomon, the decision was made to build a wall down the middle, giving each club 9 of the original holes. The wall still acts as a border today.
The 5th green at Lundin Golf Club, with the wall and the Leven course behind.
James Braid was called in to look at incorporating the Lundin Ladies Club to the north of the railway line. Further tweaks took place over the next few years and the course we know today at Lundin was born. Holes 1-5 are from the original layout before the course heads inland to 6-14. The final 4 holes are again from the original routing.
It has been said that if the original routing was still in existence today it would be one of the very finest links in the whole of Scotland - I can understand that, such is the quality of those holes. There is still a competition every year where members of Lundin and Leven play over that original layout. It’s almost worth joining just to play this event!
The ground on these holes is classic links in its nature. It runs fast, with humps and hollows threatening to take the ball awry at any moment. The bunkering is superb - I couldn’t believe the number of drives I hit to what I thought was a perfect spot which then ran and ran into cavernous doom!
The opening stretch of holes is truly world class. The 1st to the 4th are all par 4s, playing along the coast, often into the prevailing wind. Lundin has a really nice variety in the length of holes and this is evident early on. Even though they are all par 4s, from the yellow tees they come in at 403 yards, 339, 312, and 415 respectively. Burns come into play on two of the holes, from your drive on the 2nd and with your approach on the long 4th, so you really have to think your way round.
The quality is maintained as the course moves inland with the par 3 5th - a lovely short hole with a green protected by 7 devilish bunkers, a burn and plenty of gorse. Pick your way through that lot!!
The 5th is a really pretty par 4, one of the original holes on the course
It really is a great start to the course. The next nine holes gradually work their way up the hill towards the main road before heading back for the finish. There is no doubt that you notice a very different character in this part of the course. The 8th and 9th are where it becomes really obvious that this isn’t pure links ground any more - springy turf and patches of clover make the change clear. As you get right to the top of the hill trees come into play too - the 13th has a distinctively parkland feel to it.
While, in themselves, none of these holes really takes the breath away, you are rewarded for the climb with some fantastic views over the golf course and out to the Firth of Forth. The 14th is the last of the ‘new’ holes - a long, downhill, par 3 with a really stunning vista.
The views from the top of the hill are well worth the climb - this is the long par 3 14th 'Perfection’
Conventional wisdom has it that this run of holes ‘lets the course down’. It’s fair to say that the early links holes are just so good and that quality isn’t maintained. I do wonder though whether there is something that could be done with the turf to make the playing characteristics more similar to the natural links holes. You see what is done at some of the new Scottish faux-links courses - technology has meant pretty much anything is possible these days.
We return to the original holes for the finish. The 16th is a short par 4 which was the template for the 17th ‘Leven’ at CB Macdonald’s National Golf Links of America. If the wind is at your back it’s possible to get onto this green, but with bunkers all around a lay-up from the tee may be the better play.
The 18th is a lovely closing hole. As with so many Scottish courses, it’s a long par 4 straight up with the clubhouse behind. There is out of bounds on the left which may encourage your tee shot to the right. The challenge with that is you are then coming in at an angle to the long, thin green, with out of bounds just behind. A straight tee shot will be most rewarded, but a tug left may put you on the road.
Lundin has a reputation in Fife for being well conditioned and I could certainly vouch for that after my two visits. There were several grasses across the course but the greens had good coverage and ran very true.
I enjoyed Lundin. It’s so hard to play these Fife courses without comparing them to each other. Lundin is probably one of the sterner courses on the coastline. It doesn’t quite have the holiday feeling of Crail, or the quirks of Elie but’s a really quality links course that will require a good strategic brain combined with imaginative flair to score well.
BOOKING THE COURSE
Lundin is one of the few Top 100 courses in Scotland which doesn’t have an online booking facility. A phone call to the pro will sort out a tee time though and everyone I met was very friendly. However, it would be helpful if they put the booking facility online.
Tee times are available Mondays to Fridays from 9am, with limited Sunday play allowed too. Green fees vary significantly by season - from £50 in the winter to £150 on a summer’s morning, there are also afternoon and UK golfer discounts.
Prices correct as of August 2023.
TOUR TIPS
Lundin Golf Club is in the small town of Lundin Links. It is pretty much on the boundary between industrial Fife to the west and the ‘picture postcard’ Fife to the east. Most will therefore be drawn to stay in the likes of Elie, Anstruther or Crail along the coast to the east. You will find guest houses and Airbnbs galore along the coast as well as some more established hotels in each of those towns.
You are completely spoiled for choice when it comes to places to play golf. If you are looking for 36 holes on one day then it would make sense to add next door Leven Links to your itinerary. Elie is the pick of the crop for me of the traditional links courses but Crail is worth stopping at too. If you are looking for a modern take on a links experience then both Kingsbarns or Dumbarnie are likely to delight - but either will cost as much as three or four rounds on their ancient predecessors.
CONTACT DETAILS
Lundin Golf Club
Golf Road
Lundin Links
Fife
KY8 6BA,
Web - www.lundingolfclub.co.uk
Email : secretary@lundingolfclub.co.uk
Phone - +44 1333 320202
