Fairmont St Andrews - Kittocks Course

The Fairmont St Andrews is located just over 2 miles from the famous St Andrews township and boasts a high quality hotel and two championship standard golf courses right on St Andrews Bay. The first course to be built (which is now called The Torrance) was completed in 2002, and the Bruce Devlin & Denis Griffiths designed second course soon after. This second course was originally called The Devlin, but after changes in 2009 the course name became The Kittocks

Developer Dr Sam Pannoz had been friendly with Gene Sarazen, so both courses were somewhat influenced by ideas and drawings made by Sarazen in 1999

The Kittocks is an enjoyable resort/parkland style course with some links characteristics. What is notable about the course is the quality seaside holes perched with infinity greens on the clifftops, and glimpses of the town of St Andrews in the background.  Perhaps the best example of this is the dramatic par 4 fifteeenth hole with the downhill approach hit toward the sea. This hole remind me of Kauri Cliffs in New Zealand.

The weaker holes are generally those away from the sea - they are decent golf holes from a design perspective but are a little less interesting.

If the Kittocks courses was located somewhere else in the world it might be considered one of the best courses in it's area - but in Fife and the St Andrews region the competition is fierce. If you are in the area, the Fairmont is a nice play to stay and both courses are most enjoyable.