Crail Golfing Society, Crail Fife - Balcomie Links
This week I was honoured to have the opportunity to visit Crail Golfing Society’s new Clubhouse, opened last year.
I attended a meeting on 16 March 2010 at Crail Golfing Society which was an invitation to accommodation providers in the area to show them the new Clubhouse and to give a presentation about what the Club could do to work with businesses in the area.
There were presentations by:
Richard Clifford, Vice captain
Who welcomed us to the Clubhouse which opened in mid-2009.
The presentation was given The Spike Bar, where golfers can enter to relax before or after their game, whilst already wearing their ‘spikes’.
For non-golfers like me that was a revelation….I was wondering where they got their quirky name (thinking that spiking drinks was not a very nice thing for a golf club to do!)
Crail Golfing Society welcomes 10,000 visitors per year – THAT’S AN IMPRESSIVE FIGURE!! Imagine of all those visitors were to spend some money in the village of Crail while passing through, or use Crail as a base for their trips to several local golf clubs.
Graham Lennie, Golf Professional was next to present to us. He mentioned that Tom Morris designed Balcomie Links. The Crail Golfing Society is the 7th oldest golf club in world. Minutes of the first meeting 23th February 1786. Gil Hanse designed Craighead Links which was opened in 1998: he was Golf Magazine architect of the year 2009.
225th anniversary next year – quasquibicentennial of golf club – Crail Golfing Society will be celebrating, but Graham doesn’t want to have to say ‘quasquibicentennial’ too often!
One of Balcomie Links’ claims to fame is that it was the first course ever to use hole liners – metal liners to protect the hole. At the time tees were made of sand, so people took sand from holes to make tees – metal liners were designed to stop the practice.
Many well known players come to play here, and all are as welcome as you will be if you want to play a round of golf at either Balcomie Links or Craighead Links. Graham has had many famous faces in the Pro Shop at the Club. Clint Eastwood came for a look, but didn’t play and Neil Armstrong, who famously took the first steps on the moon, has played here several times. Alan Shepard, however, was the astronaut who played golf on the moon.
David Roy, Club Secretary
Introduced us to Doreen Mayes who looks after bookings at Crail Golfing Society (the name behind the email address: info@crailgolfingsociety.co.uk)
The golf courses at Crail – Balcomie Links and Craighead Links are a 7-day a week operation, course is open all year round – and its seaside links location means that there are very few days when it is not playable.
Club relies on visitors and wants to support businesses. The club has made books of tickets available to accommodation providers who buy a book of 10 tickets at a discount to the standard price. They may then sell these tickets to their guests, with the option to pass on the discount if this helps to bundle attractive packages for guests.
For guests who prefer to book directly with the club, there is an on-line booking system on website – you can see what tee times are available and make a booking.
Tee off at 10 minute intervals both courses – this is strictly adhered to so don’t be late!
Accommodation providers such as hotels or B&Bs can book on behalf of guests, then guests pay on arrival at course.
Few rules, but must take hat off when entering the Clubhouse and spikes are only allowed in the Spike Bar
Can book ahead until 2011 at present – but will always have a good forward booking calendar available so guests can book well in advance to plan trips.
If a single golfer arrives to play the club won’t automatically pair singles up – should ask the club for help
If a 2-ball booked won’t put folks together unlike some US courses where this would be the norm.
Week of British Open Championship at St Andrews means pressure on tee times and gaps may be cut to 7 or 8 minutes to speed up play during that week only.
Our visit to the Crail Golfing Society clubhouse was rounded off with a tour of the excellent facilities there and a delicious buffet lunch which gave me and my companion on the visit, Giselle from Alton House, the opportunity to meet some of the other guests of the Club.
We do hope that if you are staying at Sandcastle Cottage in Crail and love to play golf, you will take the opportunity to play a round or two at Crail Golfing Society.
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