October 24, 2026
Coming upDay 5 of Scotland 2026
Photos, swings, and the score land here after the round.
Kingsbarns, Fife, Scotland
Kingsbarns Golf Links
Kingsbarns Golf Links is a Kyle Phillips design that opened in 2000 on the Fife coast a few miles from St Andrews. The North Sea is in view from nearly every hole, and it co-hosts the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship every year. The Perry Bros play it on October 24, 2026, day 5 of our Scotland trip.
Course facts
- Location
- Kingsbarns, Fife, Scotland
- Access
- Public (pay and play with a booked tee time; no handicap certificate needed)
- Architect
- Kyle Phillips, with developer Mark Parsinen
- Opened
- July 2000
- Par
- 72
- Yardage
- 7,226 from the Black tees
- Big events
- Alfred Dunhill Links Championship co-host (every year since 2001); 2017 Women's British Open (In-Kyung Kim)
- Website
- kingsbarns.com
Our round at Kingsbarns
About Kingsbarns
Golf was recorded at Kingsbarns as early as 1793, but the old links was ploughed up for farmland in 1850, and a later 9-hole course closed in 1939 when the ground was mined for defence in World War II. Kyle Phillips and Mark Parsinen built the current course on what was largely a flat field, shaping the dunes and hollows, and it opened in July 2000.
It has been part of the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship rotation with the Old Course and Carnoustie since 2001, and hosted the 2017 Women's British Open.
What stands out
- About 2 km of sea frontage; six holes play right along the shore.
- The par-3 15th carries over a rocky inlet to a green by the water.
- The dunes were built, not found: the site was mostly flat before construction.
Scotland 2026: the rest of the trip
Day 1Oct 2026Day 2Oct 2026Day 3Oct 2026Day 4Oct 2026Day 6Oct 2026Day 7Oct 2026Day 8Oct 2026
Archerfield Links, Fidra Course
Dirleton, Scotland · October 20, 2026
North Berwick Golf Club, West Links
North Berwick, Scotland · October 21, 2026
Muirfield
Gullane, Scotland · October 22, 2026
Luffness New Golf Club
Aberlady, Scotland · October 23, 2026
Panmure Golf Club
Barry, Scotland · October 25, 2026
Carnoustie Championship Course
Carnoustie, Scotland · October 26, 2026
The Old Course at St Andrews
St Andrews, Scotland · October 27, 2026
Quick answers
Can the public play Kingsbarns?
Yes. Kingsbarns is a pay-and-play links; any golfer with a booked tee time can play, and no handicap certificate is required.
Who designed Kingsbarns?
Kyle Phillips, with developer Mark Parsinen. It opened in July 2000.
How far is Kingsbarns from St Andrews?
It sits on the Fife coast a few miles southeast of St Andrews.
Sources: Kingsbarns: history · Kingsbarns: FAQ · Top 100 Golf Courses: Kingsbarns