Kinshaldy ( Leuchars )

This small course was hiding away in the middle of the Tentsmuir forrest, near Leuchars. The text comes from a book and an article written by Bernard Darwin in 1945, ( A bonny wee place ) and when i was alerted to this piece i was at first a bit unsure about its accuracy, however, i asked my mate in St Andrews Uni. to do a little bit of research for me and it turns out that Darwin was at St Andrews about the time this was written, which then prompted me to do one of my usual visits to site, and would you beleive it, i met the local gamekeeper at Tentsmuir ( Alan ) and he told me his father mentioned the course to him as a child. If it's good enough for Darwin and Alan, then it's good enough for me.

Kinshaldy Golf Course

The defect of most private courses is, in the nature of things, they are set in parks and most parks are muddy rather than sandy. Needless to say my course would have the lightest and sandiest soil and if possible the genuine seaside turf of Archerfield or of the jolly little nine holes at Kinshaldie, near St Andrews, now, alas ! defunct. Kinshaldy did not profess itself golf of the highest class but it too was “ A bonny wee place” with one or two highly entertaining shots. A Sunday afternoon there after a weeks steady two rounds a day on the old course, with all the agitations of starting times, had a quality of light-hearted repose never to be forgotten.

There were woods there too and my course would most certainly have woods to shelter me and it from the vulgar gaze. Foursomes would be encouraged, though I suppose I should have to allow people to play four-ball matches if they wanted to. There would be at most,two medal days a year, and on those days, when I should not myself be playing, the holes would be cut in the oddest places and the greens shorn very close indeed. Finally if anyone asked me what bogey for the course was he would not be asked again.