It is Sunday – a links Sunday. We are staying next to the one identical links twin – Lundin – and make our way to the other – Leven. The clubhouse is locked but an early-bird member lets us in. A huge, old dilapidated mansion with a more recently built verandah. Next to our locker room awaits the holiest of holies – the club secretary’s bolt hole – “Knock and wait for an answer”. The starter has his own house by the 1st tee, and inside there are balls, scorecards with the day’s date and some good advice. The morning is cold and BBC One forecasts rain. Next to the 1st tee lies the 18th green and we have time to practice a few scary scenarios before teeing off far to the right and over the road into a playground. Is anyone there? No picnic baskets or laughing children just a LINKS75 ball of noble value. A wonderfully crooked links of the classic type awaits us. Small sand dunes that redirect balls to the side, well-protected greens, small, deep bunkers, fescue grass and flowering gorse, as well as a big hug from the North Sea. The 2nd hole has double fairways and a sunken green – double links pleasure. We recognise the twins and say hello to Lundin by the wall behind the 4th hole. A mirror image par 3 at the 5th, but with no burn, demands courage and power into the wind.
Par 3, 5th, Leven
The course makes its way into links landscape that encourages huge grins. The ranger turns up on the 7th tee in a Kingsbarns cap and enquires about the week’s exploits – “Are you professionals?” LINKS75 smiles and land their balls on the 7th green. The 8th – a short par 4 – has a tunnel through the gorse in front of the green. We take aim and find both gorse and grass. The course turns around and we play long par 4s in both head- and tailwinds. The forecast rain fails to arrive and on the 16th tee the clouds break up – links Sunday in the sunshine. We smile broad, delighted links smiles and head via a wonderful 18th hole to the clubhouse. The close takes place via a burn and the 18th green hard by the 1st tee. We would happily stay with the twins for the entire spring and fine-tune superior links play worthy of a devoted links lover.
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