Played by NCG: Crail Craighead
Reason for a Crail Craighead Golf Club review
It was the third round of our golfing excursion to Fife following a visit to the Torrance course at the Fairmont resort just a day earlier.
Crail has a special place in my heart having holidayed at the Sauchope Links holiday park from a young age. To grace the course after all these years was a high priority and a must for the trip.
Where is it?
Crail Craighead is one of two courses at the Crail Golfing Society. The other being the ancient Balcomie Links. The club is located just outside of the actual village itself around five miles from St Andrews in Fife.
What to expect
A tough test of modern golf adjacent to the North Sea. When the wind gets up on the coast it is there to stay and can prove quite a daunting task. This was famous architect Gil Hanse’s first course design outside America and opened in 1998.
There are plenty of blind shots and dry stone walls with worrying out of bounds lines to test your nerve. Club selection can be a real issue – chuck in the wind and anything’s possible!
Crail also possesses some difficult pot bunkers as one of us on the trip found out on the 13th (best not to go into details – it’s not pretty!).
My best bit
The slightly downhill par-4 10th was a particular highlight as it offers a dilemma for low and high handicappers alike.
With a number of bunkers protecting the front of the green, the wind behind and the North Sea staring back at me, standing on the tee box with driver in hand was a daunting prospect.
But the option of laying up never crossed my mind as I hit a booming drive that carried over the sand traps and just caught the front right edge of the green.
A monster putt was to come but after almost rattling in an eagle putt I missed the birdie opportunity coming back up the hill. Maybe I’ll opt for the long iron and wedge next time!
A par 4 that is a test of course management and rewards both bravery and stupidity in equal measure gets a big thumbs up from me.
[course id=25253]What to look out for at Crail Craighead
The views at Crail from every hole were a joy to behold and all the more impressive on a sunny but windy day on the links.
The Isle of May met the skyline with a glimmer in the distance and although the golf on the day was slightly erratic the views made it all the more enjoyable.
When I go back…
I would love to play the Balcomie course which is situated adjacent to the Craighead as there is a spectacular par 3 I have heard much about which lost golf balls written all over it!
Tom Irwin
Tom is a lifetime golfer, now over 30 years playing the game. 2023 marks 10 years in golf publishing and he is still holding down a + handicap at Alwoodley in Leeds. He has played over 600 golf courses, and has been a member of at least four including his first love Louth, in Lincolnshire. Tom likes unbranded clothing, natural fibres, and pencil bags. Seacroft in Lincolnshire is where it starts and ends.
