Lundin GC- hole 18 approach
The Lundin Golf Club was founded in 1868 and in the early years shared the links with nearby Leven Links GC.
The natural links land followed the beach from Leven to the mile dyke, and was then extended to reach Lundin.
Members of Leven would tee off at their end of the beach, and Lundin members from their end.
Eventually memberships grew and the the links became overcrowded.
Both clubs then took action to add to the links on their side of the mile dyke, so that each club had it’s own 18 holes of golf.
For Lundin GC the new course was designedin 1908 by James Braid with nine holes of the existing course (on the Lundin side of the Mile dyke) together with another nine on land formerly the site of the Lundin Ladies GC (which was in turn relocated)
Very little has changed since!
Course
Lundin GC- hole 4 approach, drone
The first four holes head straight out to the mile dyke.
They are classic beachfront links holes with rolling dunes abutting the beach on the left.
You will be immediately aware of any sea breezes!
Tees and greens are tucked into the primal dune.
It is a very impressive start to the course.
The first tee sets the mood with the elevated and exposed tee affording views down the beach and the fairway.
The fourth hole is the last of the holes along the beach, but it may be the best hole on the course.
It is a longish par 4 with a green tight to the beach and the mile dyke, and a deep burn protecting the approach..
Turning from the beach the par 3 fifth hole follows the dyke wall to a green protected by seven pot bunkers and a burn.
Holes six and seven are lovely short par 4 links holes where local knowledge is mandatory.
On the seventh the unwary will inevitably find that a nice tee shot over the dunes will find the burn in front of the green
The tenth hole was memorable in that it appeared to have very little fairway!
Both the tee shot and approach needed to carry rough broken land.
It is a hole you need to play over a few times, but it does have an outstanding green complex.
The course then transitions into higher ground that used to be home to the Ladies club.
With trees rather than gorse framing the holes they would be better categorised as parkland rather than links holes.
Nevertheless the sharply uphill par 3 twelfth hole and the long wandering par 5 thirteenth hole deserve respect and are good holes.
The course then leaves the higher ground with an elevated tee shot on the fourteenth to a nicely bunkered green adjacent to the dyke.
You are back in links land!
The last four holes are strong inland links holes running back to the clubhouse.
Of note is the par 4 sixteenth hole (Trows) which is the hole C.B. McDonald used as his inspiration for the template hole known as Leven.
(This hole was one of the original holes on Leven Links before the courses were split at the mile dyke)
I liked the big finish on hole 18 with the green overlooked by the stylish old clubhouse and tucked between the proshop and the access road.
Notable holes include:
- hole 1 (High), a great starting hole, with tee on the dune looking down at the beach on the left and the fairway on the right
Lundin GC- hole 1
- hole 4 (Mile Dyke), a strong par 4 along the dune overlooking the beach to a green protected by a burn around the front
- hole 5 (Silverburn), a delightful short par 3 to a green in a dell surrounded by seven bunkers
Lundin GC hole 5 drone
- hole 7 (Burn), a short par 4 with a blind tee shot and a burn running across in front of the green
- hole 10 (Thorn Tree), a mid length par with a particularly undulating fairway wedged between heavy rough which needs to be carried off the tee and for the approach
- hole 14 (Perfection), a long downhill par 3 surrounded by bunkers
Lundin GC- hole 10
Lundin GC- hole 14
- hole 16 (Trows), a short dogleg par 4 that became the original template for the 'Leven' hole
Lundin GC- hole 16
- hole 17 (Station), a short par over some rough ground to a partially hidden green
Lundin GC- hole 17
- hole 18 (home), a long strong par 4 to a long green in front of the clubhouse (see pic top of page)
Any travelling golfer visiting St Andrews and The Kingdom of Fife should make time to experience Lundin Golf Club
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