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Kingarrock, the course in parkland below the white Golf Cottage and the woods of Hill of Tarvit.
Fife

Kingarrock Hickory Golf

A nine-hole golf course at Hill of Tarvit near Cupar, played with the old hickory-shafted clubs of a century ago, run by the National Trust for Scotland.

Welcome

Kingarrock is golf as it was played a hundred years ago.

The little nine-hole course lies in the parkland of the Hill of Tarvit mansion near Cupar, and every player is handed a set of authentic hickory-shafted clubs in a light canvas bag, the kind golfers used before steel and graphite.

Without modern technology to help, the game becomes one of skill, touch and strategy, and it suits seasoned golfers and beginners alike. The staff start you off with a lively introduction and a few tips, and tee times are half an hour apart, so no one is hurried round. There are no buggies or trolleys; you simply carry your bag and walk.

Afterwards, ginger beer and shortbread wait at Golf Cottage. The course is run by the National Trust for Scotland and opens every day in the season; book a tee time ahead.

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Before you go

Open every day in the season, with the first tee at 10am, according to the National Trust for Scotland.

Book a tee time; from £85 for nine holes.

Where
Hill of Tarvit, near Cupar, KY15 5PB.
Clubs
Hickory, supplied.
From
£85.

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Where it is

On the Hill of Tarvit estate near Cupar in Fife, KY15 5PB.

Close byCupar.
  1. Giant model strawberries on the grass outside the farm shop and cafe at Cairnie Fruit Farm, with a sign pointing to the Funyard and Mega Maze.Cairnie Fruit Farm3 miles as the crow flies
  2. Lounge with blue and coral armchairs around a stone fireplaceThe Peat InnA Michelin-starred restaurant with eight suites in an 18th-century coaching inn near St Andrews.5 miles 13 min by road
  3. The painted Welcome to Blacketyside Farm Shop sign over the open doors, with shelves of gifts and the counter inside.Blacketyside Farm Shop6 miles as the crow flies
  4. Standing Stones of LundinStanding Stones of LundinThree huge Bronze Age standing stones, about five metres tall, on a fairway of the ladies' golf course at Lundin Links in Fife.8 miles 14 min by road
  5. Old Course at St AndrewsOld Course at St AndrewsA public links played for some 600 years, with its double greens and the Swilcan Bridge.10 miles 25 min by road
  6. Falkland PalaceFalkland PalaceThe royal palace and its tennis court.11 miles 20 min by road
Directions
Swans and ducks on a park pond, autumn trees framing a distant boathouseAttractionsCraigtoun Country Park7.5 miles
White-walled Railway Inn on a village corner beneath a grey skyRestaurantsThe Railway Inn7.8 miles
White building entrance with dark green trim reading "The Crusoe" above glass doorsRestaurantsThe Crusoe7.8 miles
The Road Hole Restaurant at the Old Course Hotel, St Andrews: tables, a long banquette and tall windows looking out over the course.RestaurantsRoad Hole Restaurant8.2 miles
The bar at Haar in St Andrews, with wooden stools at a stone-topped counter, blue armchairs and its awards on the wall.RestaurantsHaar8.4 miles
The dining room at Ondine in Seaton House, St Andrews, with a long marble-topped bar on one side and tables by tall windows on the other.RestaurantsOndine Oyster & Grill8.5 miles
Aerial view of a coastal town's promenade and sandy shoreline curving towards distant hillsAttractionsLeven Beach8.5 miles
Tables in the glass-walled dining room of the Seafood Ristorante, St Andrews, with the sea and the beach beyond the windows.RestaurantsThe Seafood Ristorante8.5 miles
Trig point on a snow-patched hilltop overlooking the coast at sunsetAttractionsLargo Law8.7 miles

Recommend to a friend

Stay nearby

Places to stay near the course, and when each is next free.

The black timber cabin's exterior, with a chimney above the roofline and a freestanding bath standing on the decking below.Bracken Treehouse at Airdit
  • Sleeps 2
  • In Balmullo
  • 6 miles from Kingarrock
Free 8–10 NovA stone and timber house with a dark slated roof and roof windows sits on a lawn, a hot tub and picnic table on the patio.Lindores Lodge
  • Sleeps 8
  • In Newburgh
  • 8 miles from Kingarrock
Free 2–5 NovThe long timber-clad side of the house runs under a slate roof with solar panels, white chairs on the terrace and a clear blue sky.The Glasshouse
  • Sleeps 6
  • In Newburgh
  • 8 miles from Kingarrock
Free 16–19 NovTwo arched glazed doors in a stone wall open onto a paved patio, a rattan table with daffodils and mugs to the right.The Arches
  • Sleeps 2
  • In Newburgh
  • 8 miles from Kingarrock
Free 1–3 NovPlaces to stayEvery stay in FifeAll our places to stay nearby, to search by date and by who is coming.See them all
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