Monifieth Links, 1845 Allan Robertson & Alexander Pirie
Dundee, Scotland
Located about a 45 minute drive north of St Andrews, Monifieth Golf Links sits on an incredible piece of rolling sandy links and heathland landscape.
The routing takes you out with a mix of four short and longer par 4’s, a longer par 3, a drivable par 4, and finishes with a par 5 with a par of 36. Coming in the par 4’s are a little shorter, a couple of par 3’s, and finishing with a par 5. Par is 35. The fairways are pretty narrow, lined with sandy dunes or gorse/heather. The contours are exquisite. Just the right amount of cant and slope. You must be precise and many holes call for something less than driver to avoid the penal pot bunkering. They are incredibly firm and you need some luck with the bounces.
The green complexes at Monifieth are magnificent. A great combination of elevated and perched along with some flatter and less sloped. All are well guarded by bunkers and long fescue grass. The speeds were brilliant. Probably the best rolling greens I’ve putted on in Scotland to date.
I knew of Monifieth Links just by looking at maps and knowing of the more popular Carnoustie and Panmure in the area. But I was always told it was a really good golf course. Those expectations lived up to the billing. I was smitten by it. Hole after hole was something different. Plenty of strategy and the conditions were simply A+. Monifieth will definitely be in my St Andrews area rota going forward and can’t recommend it enough for those looking for something maybe a little more affordable yet, wanting a true Scottish links experience.