Academia, Old Tom Morris and a London Letdown

Noel Mugavin · 2026-06-17T22:31:32+1000

Got to the little hut on the left where a couple of gentlemen greeted me, took my bag and set it up on a pull cart. Gave me a run down of the course, where the driving range was and then invited me to go and explore the clubhouse.

Looking at the starter's hut and the general direction of the first hole

The upstairs male changerooms

View from the changeroom

Wall of the staircase

Into the pro shop to pick up a ball marker and some balls. Only arrived in Scotland with 11 balls, 5 of them were lost during my round the day prior, so though it was prudent to grab some more. Bit taken aback by the cost of 3 balls wasn't til later in the trip I realised I had picked up a sleeve of Kingsbarns logo balls.
Back outside and time to head to the range

Beautiful range, unlimited balls, as it should be for the price you pay to play here. Shoulder price was 400 pounds, which as a bargain as high season price is 486 pounds.
The course had only opened for the season a week prior, so everything was in pristine condition.
Kingsbarns is absolutely beautiful, I took a lot pf photos and doubt any of them do it justice.

Back to have a putt by the practice green by the clubhouse

Noel Mugavin · 2026-06-17T22:49:39+1000

My 2 playing partners, although I didn't know it yet. Chilean couple, both much better golfers than me. Nice people, for the life of me I can't remember their names, both stereotypical South American names though. They had both lived between the US and Chile since 2020 as the lady of the couple attended college on golf scholarship

Tee time, starter met us, gave a spiel about the course and suggested what tees to go off to optimise the enjoyment of the round. Also handed us a bag of goodies, included ball marker and pitch mark tool, heap of tees, scorecard, course guide and a personalised bag tag.
Also took photo of us teeing off - wont subject anyone to viewing that.
Looking down the first fairway.

Beautiful day, little wind, no sign of rain, a little bit of a chill

Looking down toward the par 3 second. GIR, 3 putt.

Par 5 third, hugging the coast

Not me fortunately

Heading back toward the clubhouse on the fourth.
Me this time.

Noel Mugavin · 2026-06-18T08:46:33+1000

Back across a road and to the main bulk of the property and just stunning views from every hole

On in 2, but a really challenging pin position. Happy to 3 putt bogey

Bottom corner, sloping downwards

Par 3 8th, beautiful hole

Noel Mugavin · 2026-06-18T09:07:19+1000

Par5 9th

Blind pitching wedge out of the rough and if you look closely you can see I've pulled one out of my proverbial

Not my ball, but you can see my marker just to the right of the stick shadow

Nice little birdie to go into half time

Heading out on the back 9

Noel Mugavin · 2026-06-18T18:33:38+1000

One of my playing partners parents and sister were holidaying in Scotland and joined us for the walk on the back 9. Quite the entourage we had now.

Managed to avoid the bunker and par the 11th

Then moved on to the most beautiful part of the course - holes 12 to 14

Think I doubled the par 5, my male companion though made me feel better when he had bunker trouble, eventually getting out on his third try, but sending his ball into the North Sea.