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Where to Stay:Fairmont St. Andrews Golf Resort
The Kittocks Course
A trip to St Andrews in Scotland is not a golf break it is a reverent pilgrimage, with so many golfings finest connoisseurs spending money on a once in a lifetime pilgrimage. There was always going to be raised eyebrows when in 2002 a new course just five miles out from “old grey toon” and the home of golf opened for play.
The golf course is part of the Fairmont St Andrews Golf Resort.
Course Design
Bruce Develin designed the Kittocks course with Gene Sarazen being influential with the consultation of the build.
Both Develin and Sarazen worked very closely with Dennis Grithiths with the design goal of creating a fantastic golf course that was demanding for the professional but playable for the amateur while building within the contours of the craggy natural landscape and playing links with the north sea.
The Kittocks has been incredibly well welcomed and has seen many compliments noting that the Kittocks is one of the coastlines prettiest golf courses. The course plays around a deep ravine called Kittocks Den, which cuts blithely throughout. The Kittocks measures an impressive 7100 yards from the back tees however the par 72 championship course has a variety of tee positions that will allow golfers of all levels to play.
American in Design
Although arguably a little American in design, two huge human-made lakes play an integral part in this great course’s layout. Develin has managed to allow the course to keep with the natural surroundings and honour in tradition to its location. Many pot bunkers positioned perfectly and even two double greens which are ever keeping with the traditional links a few miles away and in eyesight.
Our Signature hole would be the 15th Par 4, an excellent dogleg with one of the most dramatic second shot views on the course with a green perched on the cliff-edge.
The Kittocks is a treasured addition to any St Andrews experience.
The Torrance Course
St Andrews bay has been a fantastic addition to the Kingdom of Fife and allowed even more golfers to experience St Andrews’ magic.
The Torrance course is part of the St Andrews Bay resort of the Fairmont St Andrews.
As the name suggests, the course was designed by Scottish professional golfer Sam Torrance. Torrance was one of the leading players on the European Tour throughout the 1970s-1990s and secured 21 European Tour Wins.
Sam used the wealth of knowledge of Gene Sarazen and Dennis Grithiths to design a true test of links golf on the Fairmont estate.
The Torrance course has hosted the European Seniors Tour six times between 2009 and 2014 and is held in very high regard to the thousands of golfers who make the pilgrimage to St Andrew’s every year in the quest for superb links golf.
Playing the Torrance Golf Course
The first eight holes wrap around the hotel and spa complex and give you a quick lesson in the speed of links greens.
The course is a long course too at just over 7200 yards from the black tees and can be a real test of golf, Rapid greens, well-placed bunkers, prevailing winds from the north sea, and some stunning scenery complete a common theme here.
The back nine holes are arguably more picturesque and more in keeping with what you may expect from a links layout. Our favourite hole is on the back 9 and the par 4 17th. The green gives you a real sense of just where you are in the world, with a drystone wall and alluring deep pot bunkers surrounding the putting surface.
The Fairmont St Andrews has been built with the option of 36 holes in one day in mind, and you will struggle to find 36 better links golf holes in the world so assessable and at a similar price point.
