Location for seventh golf course revealed

The Courier, 12 November 2002

The location of land being targeted for the new “seventh golf course” being planned by St Andrews Links Trust was formally revealed yesterday.

The organisation’s general manager. Alan McGregor, said the trust was close to concluding the purchase of 200 acres of farmland to the south-east of the town.

The elevated site, which differs from the traditional sand dunes and links of the West Sands area, lies between Kinkell Braes Caravan Park and the recently constructed St Andrews Bay hotel complex.

It lies in the area likely to be designated “green belt” and has already has found favour with golf course architects asked to inspect it.

The news brings to an end months of speculation over where the trust would seek to expand facilities and ease pressure on the six other public golf courses that have been running at near capacity in recent years.

The Courier revealed earlier this year that talks were taking place with landowners in the general area and at the end of last week the trust, while not revealing site details, confirmed that the matter was in the hands of lawyers.

Yesterday Mr McGregor said, “Missives are expected to be concluded shortly and I feel that it is now appropriate to announce the proposed location.

“We have consulted with several golf course architects who agreed unanimously that an extremely good quality golf course could be created on the land in question.”

News that the project is at such an advanced stage comes along with confirmation from Fife Council that new development around the town will be regarded as “premature” until the boundaries of the new green belt are established.