Played by NCG: Kingsbarns
It’s beamed into our homes every year at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship and there aren’t many courses that can boast a more picturesque setting.
It can, of course, only be Kingsbarns.
The breathtaking Fife layout is the subject of the latest episode of our video series where we talk about courses #PlayedbyNCG in depth.
This week, NCG publisher Tom Irwin asks Steve about his experiences among the fairways, greens and crashing waves.
It proved a fantastic day as Steve attended the UK climax of the MercedesTrophy Final and got the chance to pit his wits against a course that always performs highly in ranking lists.
But which hole did he like the best? Was it the par 5 12th, known as Orrdeal for its 600-yard test, or the spectacular par 3 15th – with its green that juts out into the sea?
We also take a look at how you can cut the costs on a premium experience and Steve is grilled on where Kingsbarns stands on his all-time list. Will it top the pile?
Steve Carroll
A journalist for 25 years, Steve has been immersed in club golf for almost as long. A former club captain, he has passed the Level 3 Rules of Golf exam with distinction having attended the R&A's prestigious Tournament Administrators and Referees Seminar.
Steve has officiated at a host of high-profile tournaments, including Open Regional Qualifying, PGA Fourball Championship, English Men's Senior Amateur, and the North of England Amateur Championship. In 2023, he made his international debut as part of the team that refereed England vs Switzerland U16 girls.
A part of NCG's Top 100s panel, Steve has a particular love of links golf and is frantically trying to restore his single-figure handicap. He currently floats at around 11.
Steve plays at Close House, in Newcastle, and York GC, where he is a member of the club's matches and competitions committee and referees the annual 36-hole scratch York Rose Bowl.
Having studied history at Newcastle University, he became a journalist having passed his NTCJ exams at Darlington College of Technology.
What's in Steve's bag: TaylorMade Stealth 2 driver, 3-wood, and hybrids; TaylorMade Stealth 2 irons; TaylorMade Hi-Toe, Ping ChipR, Sik Putter.
