Crail Balcomie Links
A small, joyful links on a rocky peninsula in the East Neuk of Fife, laid out by Old Tom Morris in 1895 for the seventh oldest golf club in the world. Balcomie is not long and never pretends to be. It is pure seaside fun, played hard against the Firth of Forth with the sea in view on almost every hole, and a half hour from St Andrews.
Photo: Crail Golfing Society via Google, contributor Graham Bell.
The verdict
Crail Balcomie is the antidote to the long, severe championship links, and golfers who make the short trip from St Andrews come away grinning. The course belongs to Crail Golfing Society, founded in 1786 and reckoned the seventh oldest golf club on earth, and the Balcomie layout was set out by Old Tom Morris in 1895 on a tumbling clifftop peninsula at Fife Ness. At around 5,861 yards and par 69 it is a featherweight on the card, yet the wind, the slopes and the sea turn a modest yardage into a genuine test of touch and nerve.
It suits the travelling golfer who wants charm and a smile rather than a beating, an ideal second or third course on a St Andrews trip and a wonderful day for mixed abilities. Pair it with Kingsbarns, the Castle Course and Dumbarnie a few miles along the coast, and Balcomie becomes the warm, characterful heart of an East Neuk week that no big name links can quite replace.
Crail Balcomie Links at a glance
- Club founded
- 1786
- Designer
- Old Tom Morris, 1895
- Type
- Links
- Par
- 69
- Yardage
- 5,861 yds
- Green fee
- Around £120
Designer, par and yardage verified June 2026 from the club and course databases; Balcomie was laid out by Old Tom Morris in 1895 and plays around 5,861 yards, par 69. The green fee is indicative, around 120 pounds for a single round and about 150 pounds for an all day ticket in the 2026 high season, with lower shoulder rates. Always confirm directly before booking.
The holes worth the trip
Balcomie announces itself at once. You play away from the clubhouse along the high ground, then the course tips down toward the shore and rarely leaves it, so the sea is a constant companion and the wind a constant question. The greens are small and quick, the lies are firm and the run of the ball matters as much here as on any of the famous links, which is the whole point of Old Tom Morris golf.
The fifth, Hell's Hole, is the one everyone remembers, a short par 4 where the approach is played across an inlet of the sea to a green set hard against the rocks, with the tide and the wind both in your face. It is a perfect example of a hole that defends itself with terrain and nerve rather than length. The closing holes climb back toward the clubhouse with the whole Firth of Forth spread out behind you.
Add the sister Craighead Links, a longer modern course by Gil Hanse next door, and Crail gives you two very different rounds in one quiet corner of Fife. For most visitors it is Balcomie, with its sea spray and its history, that lingers longest.
How to get on
| What to know | Detail |
|---|---|
| Access | A members club that warmly welcomes visitors through the season; single tee times for up to four players can be booked online |
| Green fee | Around 120 pounds for a single round and about 150 pounds for an all day ticket in the 2026 high season, with lower shoulder rates (indicative) |
| Booking | Book ahead in summer; day tickets and groups over twelve are arranged directly with the club |
| On the day | A walking course; a friendly clubhouse with sweeping sea views and the bonus of the Craighead Links next door |
| Getting there | Crail, East Neuk of Fife, about half an hour southeast of St Andrews and roughly an hour from Edinburgh |
| Best months | May to September for the firmest turf and the longest light, with the Firth wind ever present |
Access and indicative green fees verified June 2026 from Crail Golfing Society; they change by season and year, so always confirm directly before booking with the club or your trip planner. Check tee time availability.
Where to stay nearby
Most visitors base themselves in St Andrews, half an hour up the coast, where there is everything from the Old Course Hotel to characterful guest houses, and Balcomie slots neatly into a wider Fife itinerary. The little fishing villages of the East Neuk, Crail, Anstruther and Elie among them, are full of charm and good seafood, and make a quieter, more local alternative right beside the course.
For a fuller Fife week, the St Andrews courses, Kingsbarns, the Castle Course and Dumbarnie Links are all within a short drive, so Balcomie sits at the heart of one of the densest and most enjoyable golf coasts anywhere.
Looking for a base? See our recommended hotels and resorts near Crail and St Andrews.
Plan a Fife golf trip
We build East Neuk weeks around St Andrews, with Crail Balcomie, Kingsbarns, the Castle Course and Dumbarnie, secure the tee times before they fill and sort the base and transfers. Tell us roughly when and who is travelling and one concierge costs it to the head, with no obligation.
Crail Balcomie questions
Who designed Crail Balcomie Links?
Crail Golfing Society dates to 1786 and is widely reckoned the seventh oldest golf club in the world. The current Balcomie Links on the clifftop peninsula at Fife Ness was laid out by Old Tom Morris in 1895 and extended over the following years. The club later added a second eighteen, the Craighead Links, designed by Gil Hanse and opened in 1998.
What is the par and length of Balcomie?
The Balcomie Links plays as a par 69 of around 5,861 yards, which makes it short by modern standards. Its defence is not length but the constant Firth of Forth wind, the small fast greens and the firm clifftop lies, so a calm card can become a stern test the moment the breeze gets up.
How much does it cost to play Crail Balcomie?
The indicative 2026 visitor green fee is around 120 pounds for a single round on Balcomie, with an all day ticket of about 150 pounds and lower rates in the shoulder months. Fees change by season and year, so always confirm current rates directly with the club before booking.
Can visitors play Crail Balcomie?
Yes. Crail Golfing Society warmly welcomes visitors through the season, with single tee times for up to four players bookable online and day tickets and larger groups arranged directly with the club. It is about half an hour from St Andrews, so it pairs easily with a wider Fife trip.
Is Crail Balcomie worth playing near St Andrews?
Very much so. Balcomie is one of the most enjoyable short links in Scotland, full of character, sea views and history, and it makes an ideal companion round to the longer, sterner courses at St Andrews and Kingsbarns. Many visitors rate it a highlight of their Fife week.
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Designer, par and yardage verified June 2026; indicative green fees verified June 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.