Leven Links
Golf has been played on the linksland at Leven since 1846, and the present out and back eighteen, settled when the Mile Dyke split Leven from neighbouring Lundin in 1909, is one of the most honest, unfussy links tests in Fife. A par 71 of around 6,506 yards that finishes over the demonic Scoonie Burn, it has served as an Open Championship final qualifier six times.
Photo: Leven Links Golf Course via Google.
The verdict
Leven Links is the kind of course Fife locals quietly treasure while the coach parties roll on to St Andrews a half hour up the road. It runs dead straight out for nine and dead straight back for nine, a true out and back links in the oldest tradition, sharing its origins and its turf with neighbouring Lundin until the two clubs divided the ground at the Mile Dyke in 1909. Leven is reckoned among the very first courses anywhere to be laid out with eighteen separate tees and eighteen separate greens.
What you get is pure, firm, running links golf with none of the theatre and all of the substance. The fairways tumble over natural humps and hollows, the greens are quick and subtly contoured, and the wind off the Firth of Forth decides the day. It has earned its standing the hard way, as a six time final qualifying venue for the Open Championship, most recently in 2005, and it remains one of the best value rounds on the Fife coast for a golfer who cares more about the ground game than the gift shop.
Leven Links Golf Course at a glance
- Opened
- 1846
- Designer
- Old Tom Morris, others
- Type
- Traditional links
- Par
- 71
- Length
- Around 6,506 yds
- Access
- Public, visitors
Designer history, opening era, par and length verified June 2026 from Leven Links and leading course databases; golf was first played here in 1846 and the present layout settled in 1909, a par 71 of around 6,506 yards. Green fees vary by season. Fees are indicative and we do not quote our own pricing, so always confirm directly before booking.
The holes worth the trip
Leven plays out along the shore of Largo Bay and back, so the wind that helps you out tends to punish you home, and the round is built to be read rather than overpowered. The turf is genuine links, fast and firm in summer, with humps, swales and pot bunkers that gather anything loose. It is a course that rewards the bump and run, the controlled flight, and the player who keeps the ball beneath the breeze.
The defining hole is the closing 18th, a stern par 4 of around 456 yards where the Scoonie Burn winds across the front and the right of the green. It is one of the most penal finishing hazards in Scottish golf, a true card wrecker that has settled countless qualifying matches, and it asks for a brave, committed approach to a green you cannot afford to leave short. Leven received this hole as its share of the drama when the original links was divided in 1909.
Elsewhere the strength is in the consistency. There is no weak stretch and no gimmick, just a steady procession of well bunkered par 4s, a couple of testing short holes and a routing that keeps the sea and the breeze in play throughout. Pair it with Lundin next door for a full day on ground that was once a single course, and you have one of the most rewarding and overlooked links experiences in Fife.
How to get on
| What to know | Detail |
|---|---|
| Access | Public links, open to visitors seven days with tee times; quieter and far easier to book than the St Andrews courses up the coast |
| Green fee | Indicative around 125 pounds per round in the 2026 main season, roughly April to October, with cheaper shoulder and winter rates; confirm directly |
| Booking | Book through the Leven Links pro shop or a Fife golf specialist; combine with Lundin next door for a two course day |
| On the day | Walkable, traditional links; caddies and trolleys available, a friendly clubhouse on site. Smart golf dress |
| Getting there | Leven, Fife, on the Firth of Forth, around 40 minutes from St Andrews and under an hour from Edinburgh by road |
| Best months | May to September for the firmest turf and longest daylight; the links plays year round, weather permitting |
Access and fee guidance verified June 2026; green fees move with season and demand, so always confirm directly before booking. Check tee time availability.
Where to stay nearby
The natural base is the town of Leven itself and the wider East Neuk of Fife, a string of fishing villages and small hotels that put you within easy reach of a dozen links. Leven and Lundin sit side by side, so you can play both on foot in a single day, and St Andrews, with its hotels and its seven public courses, is only a short drive north.
Many traveling golfers use Fife or St Andrews as a hub and treat Leven as the value round that anchors a links rich week, paired with Crail, Elie, Lundin and the newer Dumbarnie Links along the same coast. It is the kind of course that makes a Fife trip feel complete rather than crowded.
Looking for a base? See our recommended hotels and resorts around Leven, the East Neuk and St Andrews.
Build a Fife links golf trip
We anchor a Fife week around Leven and Lundin, fold in St Andrews, Crail, Elie and Dumbarnie, sort the tee times in the right order and cost it to the head. Tell us roughly when and who is travelling and one concierge handles the rest, with no obligation.
Leven Links Golf Course questions
Who designed Leven Links and how old is it?
Golf has been played on the links at Leven since 1846, first as a nine hole course, extended to eighteen by 1868. The present out and back layout was settled in 1909, when the shared links was divided from neighbouring Lundin at the Mile Dyke, with Old Tom Morris among the hands that shaped the ground over the years. Leven is reckoned among the first courses anywhere to feature eighteen separate tees and eighteen separate greens.
What is the par and length of Leven Links?
Leven Links plays as a par 71 of around 6,506 yards. It is a traditional out and back links with firm, running turf, and its closing 18th, played over the Scoonie Burn, is one of the most penal finishing holes in Scottish golf. Leven has served as a final qualifying venue for the Open Championship six times, most recently in 2005.
How much does it cost to play Leven Links?
Green fees are indicative around 125 pounds per round in the 2026 main season, roughly April to October, with cheaper rates in the shoulder months and winter. Leven is one of the best value links rounds on the Fife coast and far easier to book than the nearby St Andrews courses. Fees move with season and demand, so always confirm directly before booking.
Can visitors play Leven Links?
Yes. Leven Links is a public links open to visitors seven days a week with advance tee times, and it shares its ground with Lundin Golf Club next door, so the two can be played on foot in a single day. The links plays year round, weather permitting, and is at its firmest and best from May to September. Always confirm tee times and rates directly before booking.
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Designer, opening year, par and length verified June 2026; access and fee guidance verified June 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.