Gents Open

St Michaels Golf Club

Fife, Scotland

St Michaels Golf Club is an 18-hole, par 70 parkland course measuring around 5,802 to 5,867 yards from the white tees, located at Gallowhill near Leuchars in Fife, Scotland, just a few miles from St Andrews. The club was formed in 1903 and the original layout was created by Old Tom Morris and Hugh Hamilton, the keepers of the green at St Andrews. The course remained a shorter layout for most of its history before being extended to its current full 18-hole form in 1996. The ground on which the course sits encompasses a prehistoric settlement protected by Historic Scotland, adding an unusual layer of historical significance to the site. The course occupies the top of Gallow Hill and combines elements of wooded parkland and undulating heathland, sitting on a free-draining sandy base that allows play to continue throughout all twelve months of the year. Views from the front nine look out across the River Eden and the Eden Estuary, with the spires of St Andrews visible on the horizon. The terrain is hilly in places, with small greens and relatively narrow fairways that reward accuracy over power. The opening hole is an uphill par four with a fairway that slopes right to left, setting a challenging tone from the start. The signature hole is the par three 15th, widely regarded as one of the most demanding short holes in Fife. It features a large drop to the left and rear of the green, a bunker guarding the front right, and out-of-bounds running along both the left side and the railway line behind the green. The par four 17th is also noted for its difficulty, with out-of-bounds left and right narrowing the target considerably.