Every corner of Scotland seems jam-packed with golf courses. There are some world-renowned gems of course, but you really don't have to look that far to discover the country's real crown jewels - and they can be scattered in some fairly unusual places. Take the Dunfermline area on the Firth of Forth just north of Edinburgh for instance. The Scots call this area the country's historic heartland and with wonderful cities like Edinburgh, Perth and Stirling all nearby, you can see why. Stirling makes a great place to stay for a few days and, if you want to take a break from the golf, you can always visit the castle, the excellent town jail museum as well as the William Wallace memorial and the Bannockburn battle site. Still, it's the golf that you really venture north of the border for isn't it - and this month we take a look at four little beauties. Aberdour is a lovely parkland course on the shore of the River Forth with some very interesting holes. There are extensive views from all around the course and in particular from the clubhouse across the water to Edinburgh and beyond. The course is six miles south east of Dunfermline - another good place to stay though less historic than Stirling - in the delightful region of Fife. A number of holes run along the river and there are great views to the picturesque Inchcolm Island and its historic priory. Particularly unusual is the start of two par 3s. They may be short but they are far from straight forward. The first is from an elevated tee down to a green set on a rocky promontory. The second is at least as daunting. Teeing off from the rocky platform by the first green, the shot required is across a bay to an elevated green set into a steep hillside. From the 3rd tee the course takes on its parkland character as it rolls and undulates across the raised beach. Take care to savour the greens - all are beautifully sculptured with some very attractive bunkering, the 12th being a fine example. With the fine views and a series of testing holes, Aberdour is a popular course with visitors coming from many parts of the world. Just six miles to the east of Dunfermline is Cowdenbeath, a relatively new course which was completed in 1988. It was built on the site of the old Dora coal mine and, hence, is often referred to as Dora. It was recently extended to 18 holes and is now a course that's full of character, charm and challenge. Indeed, it is a picturesque parkland lay-out with gentle undulations and tree-lined fairways and is ideal for both low and high handicappers. The third course we're looking at in this area - though there are many, many more of course - is Canmore, which is situated in the outskirts of Dunfermline itself. With a par of 67, this course is moderate in length to say the least but it is a good test of accuracy and demands a good short game. Canmore celebrated its centenary in 1997 with the help of Ryder Cup player Thomas Bjorn, who shot a two under par 65. As you'd expect, there are some very interesting par 3s. Players of all standards will enjoy the setting and the challenge to beat Thomas's score - scratch or net. Two rounds can easily be achieved in a day and there's a charming clubhouse with good catering services. Another of Dunfermline's courses is Pitfirrane, a gently undulating parkland course designed by JR Stutt. It boasts a clubhouse that is over 600-years-old and is a category A listed building. Known as Dunfermline Golf Club, Pitfirrane was founded in 1887 and is much travelled. The present club is no less than the club's 4th home! Happily though, the days of wandering are over and the club has been settled at Pitfirrane since 1953. This is no bad thing for the estate provides both a wonderfully historic clubhouse and a very fine golfing landscape. Strutt has made a very good job of the course, which features five par 5s, five par 3s and the remaining eight par 4s. It's an unusual combination but it gives the course great variation in length from hole to hole and it must be said that the par 3s are all exquisite. A number of fine dog-legs also add interest. They mostly favour a fade and the 6th and 7th are lovely examples. The four courses make for a nice little trip to an area that's probably not on most people's 'must visit' list but is, nonetheless, highly worth visiting. What's more, you can make use of a First in Fife Golfpass at Aberdour, Canmore and Dunfermline - along with several other clubs. The pass is great value and provides cut-price golf. The pass is valid from April 1 to October 31 and is completely flexible, so it can be used either on a single golf break trip to Fife or on several day visits. The three round pass, which costs from £55, is ideal for a short break while a five round pass costs from £85. --------------------------------------------------------- Aberdour Golf Club
Address: Seaside Place, Aberdour, Fife, Scotland, KY3 0TX.
Telephone: 01383 860080; Fax: 01383 860050; Pro Shop: 01383 860256; Professional: 01383 860256.
Email: manager@aberdourgolfclub.co.uk
Website: www.aberdourgolfclub.co.uk
Green fees: Weekday £25 round; £35 day; Weekend £40 round/day (no visitors on Saturdays). Cowdenbeath Golf Club
Address: Seco Place, Cowdenbeath, Fife, KY4 8PD,
Tel: 01383 313723; Fax: 01383 511918.
Green fees: Weekday £14 round, £23 day; Weekends £18 round, £30 day. Canmore Golf Club
Address: Venturefair Avenue, Dunfermline, Fife, KY12 0PE,
Tel: 01383 724969; Fax: 01383 731649.
Email: canmoregolfclub@aol.com
Website: www.canmoregolf.co.uk
Green fees: Weekday £20 round, £26 day; Weekend: £25 round, £35 day (no visitors on Saturdays). Dunderfmline Golf Club
Address: Pitfirrane, Crossford, Dunfermline, Fife, KY12 8QW.
Tel: 01383 723534; Fax: 01383 723547.
Email: secretary@dunfermlinegolfclub.com
Website: www.dunfermlinegolfclub.com
Green fees: Weekday: £28 round, £40 day; Weekend: £35 round (not available Saturdays).
For more information on the First in Fife Golfpass, log on to: www.firstinfife.com
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Golfing Destinations
