Kingsbarns Golf Links

The drive up the Fife coast towards Anstruther suddenly opens out, and there it is - eighteen holes of links golf laid out across proper Scottish links land, all golden grasses and sea views. Kingsbarns is relatively young as championship courses go, only opened in 2000, but it's immediately caught the attention of serious golfers and tour operators alike.

It's a par-72 course with teeth. The back nine especially demands respect - you're playing alongside the coast, and the wind comes off the Firth with real bite. Even if you're a decent golfer, you'll find your score card humbled here. Non-golfers needn't bother, though the clubhouse sits nicely if you're meeting someone who's desperate for a round.

Memberships exist, but day visitors are welcome if you book ahead - it's not a walk-up situation. Green fees run to proper money, but that's the going rate for links golf of this calibre. Allow a full four and a half hours minimum, longer if the wind's up and the rough is fighting back.

Timing matters. Summer weekends get rammed. Come midweek in spring or autumn when the light's still decent and the crowds thin out. Winter's playable but fairly grim.

For a golf-focused holiday, this pairs well with Sauchope Links Holiday Lodge just down the road near Crail - about twenty minutes' drive. Stay there, play here, explore the East Neuk villages in between. It's a proper golfer's long weekend without feeling forced.