Kingarroch - Fife
Embrace the gentler pace of 1920s golf. Play the way the game was played a century ago, when golf was a game of skill, strategy & technique not driven by innovation and technology.
Test your game on a golf course that transports you back almost 100 years in time to an era when golf was a game of skill, strategy & technique and not a game driven by innovation and technology.
Kingarrock is the only remaining Hickory Golf Course in the UK, first establish in 1924. Over the years we have welcomed British and US Open Champions and now we offer YOU the unique opportunity to follow in their footsteps and test your own skills on our challenging 9-hole 2022 Yard Course on National Trust for Scotland’s stunning Hill of Tarvit Estate.
Whether you’re a serious golfer or just fancy trying your hand at a fun, authentic sport from bygone days, we’re confident you’ll enjoy swinging back in time, whatever your handicap.
ABOUT THE COURSE
Today’s course has a number of features to put your skills to the test, including three bunkers of varying depths and a water feature, the cundy (or small stream) on hole 7.
The original design and layout has been tweaked slightly, bringing it in line with modern safety needs. The old course had several holes which crossed each other, which made many a player holler ‘fore!’ and dodge flying balls!What makes Kingarrock truly special is the unique environment we’ve created, using a combination of historically-inspired groundsmanship with a few modern touches, with sheep grazing among the rough.
Greens and collars are hand-cut, while fairways and tees are carefully mowed using authentic 1920s-style trailed gangs. No fertilisers or artificial irrigation are used anywhere on the course, which provides a more natural, less manicured (and therefore more authentic) feel than most other courses.
The Ecology of the Course
Kingarrock offers an impressive level of biodiversity, with wildflowers including Marsh Orchid, Lady’s Bedstraw, Cuckooflower and Ox-eye Daisy spreading across the course and attracting high numbers of bumblebees.
The tussocky grasses draw field voles and tawny owls, while the gorse on the course attracts yellowhammers sheltering from swooping Sparrowhawks. You’ll also spot many Tree Sparrows, who nest in the 15 tree boxes provided.
We’ve also started planting trees, such as Sessile Oak, Pedunculate Oak, European Beech, Horse Chestnut, Copper Beech and Sweet Chestnut, some of which have not been seen here for a century.
The course was designed with views of the surrounding Fife countryside in mind, and today you can play while looking out onto nearby Craigrothie and distant Drumcarrow, while also taking in the Mansion House, Doocot Forrester’s Cottage, and the impressive Hill of Tarvit itself.
THE KINGARROCK GOLFING EXPERIENCE
– A TYPICAL DAY
A day at Kingarrock should please any keen golfer of course, but here you get much more than a game of golf, you get an authentic slice of Edwardian life.
Your day starts with a warm welcome in Forrester’s Cottage from the Kingarrock Hickory Golf Team. You’ll be introduced to the quirks and charms of the 1920s kit and hear some fascinating history, about both the history of the game and the Sharp family. With that done, it’s time to collect your clubs and head out to the first tee.A 9 hole round takes roughly 90 – 120 minutes to complete. For maximum privacy on the course – and to fully experience the game exactly as the Sharps did when they had the course to themselves, we do our utmost to ensure each golfing party gets a half hour gap on the first tee.
After you’ve made your final putt, you’ll return to the Forrester’s Cottage where we reward you for your efforts with another fine Fife tradition: a cool, refreshing glass of ginger beer and a plate of homemade shortbread.
There is no dress code, but you’re welcome to don your plus fours and look sharp on the course!
Please note that dogs are not permitted on the golf course, although they are welcome on the rest of the site.
Complete your day with a visit to National Trust for Scotland’s Hill of Tarvit Mansion HouseBefore you leave, make sure you drop into the Hill of Tarvit Mansion House and see how this thriving Fife family lived in the early years of the 20th century, and to explore Frederick Sharps extensive collection of porcelain, furniture and masterpieces.
Families and non-golfers are more than welcome to join us for a fun day out in this sublime stretch of Fife countryside, and may accompany their golfing counterparts on the course.
Facilities
You can enjoy lunch or an afternoon tea in the mansions Conservatory Tearoom. Why not browse the shop and pick out a unique souvenir gift?If you want to continue the sporting theme of your day, why not pick up a cue and enjoy a game of billiards, or enjoy Edwardian Parlour Games in the Patrons Room.
Dogs are welcome on woodland walks, but please keep them on leads in fields due to livestock. Please keep dogs out of the walled gardens and immediately in front of the property. Please clean up any dog mess and dispose of it in the car park bins.
Accessibility
Parking for disabled visitors is available at the house in the forecourt, which can also be used as a drop-off point. There is a front door ramp to the ground floor of the house, shop and tearoom and a wheelchair is available. There are gravel pathways to view the grounds and an accessible toilet in the car park.
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