Dumbarnie Links

Just 25 minutes south of St. Andrews, Dumbarnie Links debuted in the summer of 2020 to near universal praise. Not since Castle Stuart opened in 2009 has a new golf course in Scotland received so much hype and adoration.

Roughly 18-months after its debut, however, relatively few American golfers have had the opportunity to see Dumbarnie Links first-hand.

As they say, timing is everything.

Dumbarnie Links was originally scheduled to open in the spring of 2020, just in time for the busiest golf travel season on record. Instead, it did so in the middle of a global pandemic, with no overseas golfers on the tee sheet for the foreseeable future.

The return of overseas travel brought with it a long overdue introduction of Dumbarnie Links to American golf travelers. The reception, thus far, has been overwhelmingly positive.

From the moment you step onto the 1st tee, it’s clear that something special lies ahead. The opening hole runs downhill to a green just beyond a meandering burn, with the sea off to the right in the distance.

Dumbarnie Links started as a flat piece of coastal farmland. As you look across the links from some of the higher elevations, it’s almost impossible to believe. But as the round draws to a close, some of the adjacent farmland comes into view and the contrast tells the remarkable story.

Water is a common theme throughout the entire round, but it’s mostly a treat for the eyes. The Firth of Forth is in view on nearly every hole. On a clear day, the spires of Edinburgh are visible in the distance. All of which contributes to Dumbarnie’s greatest asset: the spellbinding setting.

As for the course itself, the seasoned golf traveler will quickly draw comparisons to Kingsbarns and Castle Stuart. That’s because the three share much in common…

The fairways at Dumbarnie Links are wide and generous. The greens are equally large and inviting. All of which comes together to give the average golfer an enjoyable day, where they probably leave with both a smile and their original ball. Meanwhile, the better player is tested with an interesting variety of shots requiring every club in the bag…

Especially if the wind is up.