Page 16 - 2017 Golf Guide

Day Four : The Castle Course and the Kittocks
Opened in 2008, the Castle Course is the seventh and newest track at St. Andrews Links, and what it may lack in heritage it makes up for in location. Set atop
a dramatic cliff overlooking the bay, with the town’s spires and steeples as its backdrop, the course hugs the shoreline for over a mile.
The par-3 Hole 17 is a standout, with a 184-yard carry over a magnificent sea chasm. Like a lot of golf shots on the course, you need to hit the green in the correct spot on the left side to feed down to the pin location on the right.
As expected, the Castle has a slightly more modern feel, with bunkers that aren’t quite as hellish as the other courses here. The challenge is on the greens,
where tricky undulations cause a lot of good shots to not stay there.
Our tour operator made sure we had box lunches waiting for us after the round, and then we were whisked back down the coast to our afternoon tee time at the Kittocks Course, one of two spectacular tracks affiliated with the Fairmont St. Andrews. A perfect alternative to the St. Andrews Links, it’s only a one- minute shuttle ride. Book tee times through the hotel.
Open since 2002, the Kittocks would likely be
a Top 50 in the United States, but it feels a bit out of place here. It might be a better course for the start of your trip rather than the end. Check out the GolfBoards—personal carts akin to surfboards.
GG16 Golf Guide 2017 | www.todaymediainc.com