ladybank

The Kingdom of Fife is renowned for its great links courses, however, Fife has as many courses away from the sea as it has running alongside it, with the best of them the wonderful heath land course of Ladybank. This beautiful layout set among Pine, and carpeted with deep Heather, stands comparison with any of the great inland courses of Britain.

Ladybank is a rare combination of a superb challenge allied to spectacular surroundings given to only a handful of very special places. For many years now it has been host to the final qualifying rounds for the Open Championship whenever it is hosted at St Andrews, so it is somewhat surprising to find that this fine layout has only been a full 18 holes since the early 1960's.

Founded in 1879 with only six holes to play on, a modest number by today's standards but not uncommon at the time, Old Tom Morris charged a fee of one pound for his services in laying out the course, probably the best value for money in the history of golf course construction. Three additional holes were added in 1910, and it was the early 1960's before a further 9 holes were added. A couple of changes were made in the mid 1970's when two par 4's were converted into a par 3 and a par 5, but otherwise the layout remains unchanged.

Several years ago the the club staged an exhibition match between Jack Nicklaus and Seve Ballesteros sponsored by the Old Course Hotel. Jack and Seve soon discovered as everyone who plays there inevitably discovers, that a steady hand with the driver is a must. The fairway is the only place to be, for only a few yards off it no prisoners are taken. There is the famous story of a very competent golfer who missed one particular fairway at Landybank and, bag over his shoulder, ploughed into the whins in search of his ball. When after several minutes, he had not reappeared his playing partners urged him to give up the search for the missing ball, he was heard to respond that he had long since stopped looking for his ball, and was now searching for his Clubs!

Ladybank is a course all discerning players should visit, it enjoys an enviable reputation as a welcoming club, wonderful course, coupled with excellent off-course facilities.