Popular Scottish golf course to fully reopen after ‘difficult’ period

A popular nine-hole Scottish golf course is set to fully reopen next week after enduring a ‘difficult’ period.

Leslie Golf Club, located on the outskirts of Glenrothes in Fife, has been closed to visitors since September 2023 after the parkland layout was battered by storms.

The Tom Morris-designed course also felt the effects of heavy flooding but is now in a position to welcome back guests from June 1.

Club manager Susan Vines told bunkered.co.uk that the club is excited to see the course in a playable condition again.

“The storm damage and flooding just impacted the course all over,” she said. “Members were allowed to play but nobody really came.

“We closed to visitors just because of the state of the course, I mean, we had a lot of water and trees had fallen.

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“Before that, we had a young greenkeeper who put his stamp on it, and we started getting visitors from America and Canada, because it is a Tom Morris course. So, we thought we were going to be great for the following year and then the storms hit.

“But now, we’re excited, and we’ve had a lot of enquiries from visitors. I was shocked to see how well it was received on Facebook when we said it would be reopening.”

Memberships are available at the historic course, which first opened its doors in 1898 and stretches just under 5,000 yards.

While Vines insists people will see the hard work that has taken place, new and returning visitors need to understand some areas are a work-in-progress.

“Last year we got a lot of criticism but only one year later, people are now seeing it’s looking a lot better,” she said. “It’s been a real lift to see it nearly re-opening again.

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“People who do come to us, though, will have to realise it’s work ongoing.

“There might be a weed or a tree down, but bear with us, the guys are cutting the fairways, and it will be playable. The volunteers continue to do their best.”

Leslie, meanwhile, is also set to open footgolf, with play on the course from Thursday to Sunday each week.

It’s welcome news for the club which was forced to close ‘indefinitely’ in 2020 after a deliberate fire destroyed tens of thousands of pounds worth of equipment.

John Turnbull A graduate of the University of Stirling, John joined the bunkered team in 2023 as a Content Producer, with a responsibility for covering all breaking news, tour news, grassroots content and much more besides. A keen golfer, he plays the majority of his golf at Falkirk Tryst Golf Club. Top of his 'bucket list' is a round of Pebble Beach... ideally in the company of Gareth Bale.