Ladybank

Overview: Ladybank is a classic Fife heathland course, set among heather, pine and silver birch rather than the links turf for which the region is best known. The championship layout is a par 71 of approximately 6,800 yards, with two loops of nine and tree-lined fairways that reward accuracy before length. The holes use the natural ground in a direct, unforced way. Tight approaches, contoured greens and changes in elevation make the course a test of position and club selection, while the surrounding heath gives the round a quieter inland character. It is a course where a good drive is useful, but an accurate drive is more valuable.

History: Ladybank Golf Club was established in 1879, when Old Tom Morris laid out the original six-hole course. A circular nine-hole course followed in 1910. Nine additional holes were laid down in 1958 and incorporated into the existing course in 1961, creating the 18-hole layout. The club recorded an official opening for the new 18-hole course in 1962, then gained Final Qualifying status for The Open, first in 1978 and again on several occasions through 2010. Those stages in the course's development explain why the 1879 date belongs to its origin, while the modern scorecard is the product of a much later expansion.

Did You Know? Ladybank hosted an exhibition match between Jack Nicklaus and Seve Ballesteros in 1983. The club also records a run of Open Final Qualifying appearances and the 2018 Senior Open qualifying, an unusual championship connection for a relatively compact inland course near St Andrews.