(above: 175 yard par 3 second hole)
This is how I describe Kingsbarns - "It's a great course...but 18 bugs me." Some people agree, some disagree, but that's a reason why golf is so great.
Designed and developed by Kyle Phillips and Mark Parsinen, Kingsbarns opened to rave reviews in 2000 and has matured quite nicely over the years. It is situated along the north sea, just 20 minutes southeast of St Andrews - a dramatic piece of land for golf. Along with the Old and Carnoustie, it plays host to the Dunhill Links every fall, a marquee event on the European Tour.
The front nine is solid, good routing, good flow. Great variety of holes as well, long and short holes of all kinds. The short par 3 8th, followed up by the behemoth par 5 9th is a great finish to the front nine. #10 and #11 are pretty bland, but along the long walk from 11 to 12 you can't help but get the feeling something special is about to happen. #12 is the start of a great stretch of golf. From the 575 yard par 5 dogleg left along the coastline a la Pebble Beach at #12, to the strategic 450 yard par 4 17th, the holes are great. They are scenic, challenging, and most importantly - fun.
So here's the "but." One of the most crucial elements of any good course is the location of the clubhouse. If the clubhouse is situated in a poor location that can't help but force a poor finish. The clubhouse at Kingsbarns is set well back from the north sea, thus, with the two nines finishing at the clubhouse, it's hard to make the closing holes dramatic. This invariably leaves the golfer a bit deflated after such great golfing scenery. After putting out on 17 (one of the best holes on the course) you turn and walk away from the sea, never a good sign for the finishing hole. It must be noted that you definitely don't need the sea, or scenery of any kind, to have a strong finishing hole. Many links courses don't end with the best hole on the course, but a course of this caliber 1 through 17 deserves a better finish.
The 18th hole is just...well...a bit odd. It doesn't make sense with the rest of the course. The majority of the tee shots around this course you can see everything. Not at #18. Off the tee, you cannot see the green tucked down and to the left, so you just aim at the clock on the clubhouse.
(tee shot)
(approach shot)
If you don't hit a great tee shot, it's likely in layupville. If you do, and are even able to see the green, the green is so severely sloped back to front you need a phenomenal approach to even hold the green. Oh, and if it's strong downwind, like it has been the 4/5 times I've played there, there's no chance. Simply put, #18 just doesn't "fit." The rest of the course is so solid, it is just leaves a terrible taste in your mouth about the experience.
In my opinion, as an architect and developer, the 18th hole is the most important. You cannot leave golfers with a bad taste in their mouth as they finish their round. It doesn't have to be the best hole on the course (although it doesn't hurt) but it cannot be one the weakest. At Kingsbarns, the 18th hole is without a doubt the weakest on the course. And it's a shame because the rest of the course is so great.
One of my biggest pet peeves is bitching without a solution. So here's mine. Flip the nines. Finish with the strong par 5 at #9. Or relocate the clubhouse to behind #17 green on the water. Something.
#54 on the Links world rankings is a bit lofty in my opinion for Kingsbarns. Regardless, it is a spectacular course with stunning scenery and absolutely worth playing.
Hit 'em well.
-MG
