Fore sale... a golf gem
Seaside ex-clubhouse is now a modern family home, finds Paul Drury
LOOKING for a property that makes the cut? Then chances are you’ll think this delightful Victorian cottage is an ace find, for the former golf clubhouse in a pretty town has been converted into a stunning family home.
Number 14 MacDuff Crescent was built at the end of the 19th century.
A group of German golfers based in Edinburgh wanted somewhere to play, so went to the expense of creating their own club just over the Forth in Kinghorn, Fife.
Around ten years ago a builder who had his eye on the clubhouse proposed an unusual deal to the club – let him have the old property and he would construct them a modern replacement closer to the course.
The swap was agreed and Kinghorn Golf Club’s new venue was opened in 2009 by Scot Paul Lawrie, the 1999 Open Champion.
The original clubhouse, now a three-bedroom home, still has the initials ‘KGC’ and ‘1894’ carved into the stone above the door.
The listed building’s roots are evident in the vast living area, which once would have been the beating heart of the clubhouse.
It would have be here where prize nights would have been held, drinks quaffed and tall tales told about amazing days avoiding the bunkers outside.
The lounge boasts huge windows which flood the room with light.
Only the beams and ceiling arches suggest the room once had a different role.
Elsewhere in the house, there is little evidence the property has ever been anything other than a comfortable family home. It has been well maintained by the present owners and appears to be in walk-in condition.
From the lounge, French doors lead you through to a spacious conservatory.
The kitchen lies to the rear, with floor and wall-mounted units plus a separate utility room.
The master bedroom is on the ground floor and is another pretty bright affair thanks to yet more large windows. Two further bedrooms are on the upper level, one with views over the golf course.
The four-piece family bathroom is particularly appealing, and a wooden beadboard around the room provides a traditional feel. It is shoulder-high on one wall and painted a soothing lime green.
A smaller shower room can be found on the ground floor.
The former clubhouse has a decent driveway and ample offstreet parking, while a wall around the property offers additional comfort to parents or pet owners.
Kinghorn is perhaps best known as the death place in 1286 of King Alexander III, who fell off his horse on a rocky outcrop and was found dead on the beach.
These days, it seems to be growing in popularity with home buyers and residents have been concerned about the effect on the road network of a development of 133 houses at Kinghorn Loch.
Maybe this an indicator that this little coastal town is becoming a much more attractive proposition thanks to the new Queensferry Crossing, which makes the capital only a short chip and run across the Forth.
Offers over £249,950 to McEwan Fraser Legal, call 0131 524 9797.