The St Andrews Society of Golfers, forerunner to the Royal and Ancient Golf Club, played the leading role in founding the Scotscraig Golf Club. In 1817, after a meeting called by William Dalgleish, certain members of the St Andrews Society, seeking more golf than the Society's occasional meetings afforded them, decided to form a new club playing over six existing holes near Tayport, Fife. At the time, there were only 12 other golf clubs in existence. Over this rudimentary six hole course, golf had been played, long before the club's formation( for exactly how long, no one knows).

In 1835, the golf club went into temporary abeyance, partly due to the course being ploughed up! The club was resurrected again in 1887 and played over an adjacent 9 hole site until the present site was purchased from Admiral Maitland Dougall in 1888. The first proper clubhouse was not erected until 1896 - before that a hut, part of the local hospital, was shared. In 1904, a lease for additional ground was obtained and the course was extended to 18 holes.

The new course was inaugurated on 2nd September, 1905, with an historically interesting match between amateurs, Mr J. Gordon Simpson and Mr F. H. Scroggie (then Scottish Amateur Champion), opposed by two prominent professionals of the day, Andrew Kirkcaldy and Willie Auchterlonie. In 1923, the course was further improved on lines suggested by James Braid and has continued to develop into the distinguished links that it is today. A sense of the club's rich history pervades the elegant clubhouse and the golf course.

In modern times, Scotscraig is used as a Final Open Qualifying course when the Open is played at St Andrews. Competitors from all parts of the world sample the fine links turf and smooth, fast greens and many have remarked on the course's admirable condition.

Although close to the sea, there is something of a heathland nature to Scotscraig, with far more trees in evidence than on most links. Combined with many whin bushes and the rolling nature of the fairways, the course is quite demanding but, at the same time, interesting. The most memorable hole is the 4th, a Par 4 of average length but with a formidable finish over lumpy, heather covered terrain to a plateau green that is very difficult to hit and hold. A more lengthy challenge is the Par 5 14th, a test that calls for precise positioning in order to reach the well-guarded green. Players of all levels will find a day's golf at Scotscraig truly enjoyable.