There is nothing better than links golf, especially in Scotland at Kingsbarns Golf Links which is situated 7 miles from St. Andrews. It is 1.8 miles of picturesque North Sea coastline, where each hole embraces the sea.

I just finished an amazing 18 holes at Kingsbarns Golf Links on a beautiful sun-filled day, with winds blowing in gusts up to 25 miles per hour. It was wonderful. I love playing the contours of links golf by the sea where you don’t aim at the center of the fairway but left to allow for the slope to bring your ball down to the right or right to allow for a left slope. Never straight.

Then on approach to the green, “hit it off the bank,” says Mackenzie, my Scottish caddie, so it rolls off toward the green…nothing is straight forward and I love it.

Mind the gorse, and of course the pot bunkers.

With Scottish golf, those steep-walled “brick” hazards are called revetted bunkers. Instead of actual bricks, they are constructed by meticulously stacking layers of living fescue turf, root-side up, resembling a wall of living sod. This method creates a sheer, intimidating wall that prevents the sand from blowing away or eroding. The steepness of the bunkered walls screams “just get it out and move on.” Which I did.

I parred the first hole and a few others, and managed to bogey the rest, with a final score of 88 which really does not matter. I was far away from the Tampa Bay heat, enjoying the strong cool wind in my face, and the good company of others who had traveled from a far to experience Kingsbarns.

Kingsbarns is not the oldest golf course in the St. Andrews area but by far one of the most glorious. The North Sea is visible on all of the holes-which makes it one of the most memorable.

If you have a chance to play Kingsbarns by all means do. It is a bucket list course and an excellent course to play after the Old Course at St. Andrews.

Is there anything better than walking the fairways in Scotland with a caddy? I’m heading back to Belleair, Florida on Wednesday and will bring fond memories of Scotland home with me. I will keep my nose into the wind in hopes of feeling a cool Scottish breeze coming off the coast-well it is a nice thought.

Enjoy your golf. I know I do.

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