St Andrews Links

St Andrews Links in the town of St Andrews, Fife, Scotland, is regarded as the "Home of Golf". It has one of the oldest courses in the world, where the game has been played since the 15th century. Today there are seven public golf courses; the Balgove, Eden, Jubilee, Strathtyrum, New, the Old Course (which is widely considered one of the finest, and certainly the most famous and traditional course in the world), and The Castle Course, sited on the cliffs a mile to the east of St Andrews and designed by the architect David McLay Kidd, which opened in June 2008.[2] The courses of St Andrews Links are owned by the local authorities and operated by St Andrews Links Trust, a charitable organization. St Andrews is also home to the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews, one of the most prestigious golf clubs and until 2004 one of the two rulemaking authorities of golf (in that year, the Royal and Ancient Club passed on its rulemaking authority to an offshoot organisation, The R&A).

St Andrews Links

The 18th tee at the Home End of the Old Course at St Andrews Links
Club information
Location	St Andrews, Fife, Scotland
Established	Over 6 centuries
Type	Public
Operated by	St Andrews Links Trust
Tournaments hosted	The Open Championship PGA Tour Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews
Old Course
Par	72
Length	6,721 yards (6,146 m)
Course record	61; Ross Fisher (2017) [1]
The Castle Course
Par	71
Length	6,759 yards (6,180 m)
New Course
Par	71
Length	6,625 yards (6,058 m)
Jubilee Course
Par	72
Length	6,742 yards (6,165 m)
Eden Course
Par	70
Length	6,250 yards (5,720 m)
Strathtyrum Course
Par	69
Length	5,620 yards (5,140 m)
Balgove Course
Par	30
Length	1,520 yards (1,390 m)

In general, St Andrews is a popular hub for golf tourism, as there is a high density of links and heathland courses in the area. In addition to the public courses there are two courses at the privately owned Fairmont Hotel (Torrance and Kittocks) to the south of the town; the Dukes and Drumoig, both inland parkland courses to the west. A few miles further South are the modern links of Kingsbarns and the traditional Balcomie links at Crail. Also nearby are the courses at Elie, Lundin, Leven, Scotscraig and Anstruther. Within 45 minutes drive are Monifieth, Downfield, Carnoustie and Panmure.

History

The land was acquired by James Cheape, owner of the adjacent Strathtyrum estate, in 1821 and sold by his brother's grandson, also named James Cheape, to The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews in 1893.[3][4][5] Control of St Andrews Links was regulated by an act of Parliament in 1894 and another in 1974 which resulted in the creation of the St Andrews Links Trust.[6]

Public courses

Balgove Course

The Balgove Course, named after the farm on which it was built,[7] is a 1,520 yard, par 30, nine-hole course. It was originally opened in 1972 and remodeled in 1993.[8]

The Balgove Course[9]

Tee	Rating/Slope	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Out	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	In	Total
White		220	219	104	194	161	298	103	116	105	1520	220	219	104	194	161	298	103	116	105	1520	3040
Par		4	4	3	3	3	4	3	3	3	30	4	4	3	3	3	4	3	3	3	30	60

The Castle Course

The Castle Course opened in June 2008, becoming the seventh public course at St Andrews. The course is set on a rugged-cliff top with extensive views over St Andrews.[10] The course is a par 71 and measures 6,759 yards from the back tees.[11]

The Castle Course[12]

Tee	Rating/Slope	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Out	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	In	Total
White	73.6 / 139	346	404	202	540	536	421	456	141	381	3427	167	402	454	179	400	585	406	184	555	3332	6759
Yellow	71.9 / 135	337	394	179	518	504	399	429	129	351	3240	154	385	415	154	376	555	390	174	533	3136	6376
Ladies'	73.0 / 131	300	344	145	476	446	355	341	122	314	2843	130	289	340	119	312	509	346	142	430	2617	5460
Par		4	4	3	5	5	4	4	3	4	36	3	4	4	3	4	5	4	3	5	35	71

Eden Course

The Eden Course opened in 1914 after demand on the existing courses grew. It was designed by Harry Colt, and alterations in 1989 by Donald Steel maintain Colt's standards.[13] It was named after the Eden estuary by which it resides, as the profits from mussels collected there once made up an important part of the St Andrews economy.[7]

The Eden Course[14]

Tee	Rating/Slope	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Out	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	In	Total
White	70.6 / 125	326	449	417	273	144	407	346	178	505	3045	196	375	341	422	350	170	568	432	351	3205	6250
Yellow	68.9 / 121	301	438	402	251	125	376	307	155	484	2839	187	364	326	404	334	151	523	407	334	3030	5869
Par		4	4	4	4	3	4	4	3	5	35	3	4	4	4	4	3	5	4	4	35	70
Ladies'	72.1 / 122	270	438	402	240	119	371	291	139	466	2736	148	327	283	404	316	108	433	378	317	2714	5450
Par	Ladies'	4	5	5	4	3	4	4	3	5	37	3	4	4	5	4	3	5	4	4	36	73

Jubilee Course

The Jubilee Course is the third championship golf course at the Home of Golf. It was named after Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee celebration in 1897.[15]

Originally intended for Victorian dressed ladies, and other golf beginners, it has evolved into one of the hardest courses at St Andrews Links. The course is commonly used to test junior and amateur golfers for the British Mid-Amateur Golf Championship, as well as the St Andrews Links Trophy.[16]

Initially a 12-hole course,[17] it was expanded to 18 holes in 1905. The course has seen considerable developments under the management of Willie Auchterlonie, Donald Steel, David Wilson and Graeme Taylor. It now plays at around 6,745 yards, and is host to the St Andrews Links Trophy. The Jubilee is one of several courses in Scotland that are under threat from erosion.[18]

The Jubilee Course[19]

Tee	Rating/Slope	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Out	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	In	Total
White	72.6 / 131	367	360	546	371	162	498	373	369	192	3238	411	497	538	188	438	356	428	211	437	3504	6742
Yellow	71.2 / 127	337	352	524	349	141	480	341	344	182	3050	403	488	516	176	423	346	418	199	405	3374	6424
Par		4	4	5	4	3	5	4	4	3	36	4	5	5	3	4	4	4	3	4	36	72
Ladies'	74.6 / 128	318	271	506	332	132	422	329	326	139	2775	387	470	479	147	415	341	409	180	372	3200	5975
Par		4	4	5	4	3	5	4	4	3	36	4	5	5	3	5	4	5	3	4	38	74

Strathtyrum Course

The Strathtyrum Course, opened in July 1993, became the first new 18 hole layout at St Andrews in nearly 80 years.[20] It was built on land that was previously part of the Strathtyrum estate and sold to the St Andrews Links Trust by Mrs Gladys Cheape in 1986.[3][21]

The Strathtyrum Course[22]

Tee	Rating/Slope	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Out	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	In	Total
White	M:66.2 / 107 L:72.2 / 120	332	350	154	298	497	125	331	183	366	2636	338	512	389	168	350	300	137	376	414	2984	5620
Yellow	63.4 / 101	327	319	149	256	451	120	290	160	340	2412	292	442	312	143	312	265	120	321	385	2592	5004
Par		4	4	3	4	5	3	4	3	4	34	4	5	4	3	4	4	3	4	4	35	69
Ladies'	66.8 / 105	315	312	140	248	384	110	284	154	334	2281	288	401	308	133	264	257	114	314	345	2424	4705
Par	Ladies'	4	4	3	4	4	3	4	3	4	33	4	5	4	3	4	4	3	4	4	35	68

Old Course

Main article: Old Course at St Andrews

The Old Course, believed to be the oldest golf course in the world, dates back more than 600 years.[23]

The Old Course[24]

Tee	Rating/Slope	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Out	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	In	Total
White	73.1 / 132	376	411	370	419	514	374	359	166	347	3336	340	174	316	418	530	414	381	455	357	3385	6721
Yellow	71.4 / 129	355	395	337	411	514	360	349	154	289	3164	311	164	304	388	523	391	345	436	361	3223	6387
Par		4	4	4	4	5	4	4	3	4	36	4	3	4	4	5	4	4	4	4	36	72
Ladies'	75.6 / 138	339	375	321	401	454	325	335	145	261	2956	296	150	304	377	487	369	325	426	342	3076	6032
Par	Ladies'	4	5	4	5	5	4	4	3	4	38	4	3	4	5	5	4	4	5	4	38	76

New Course

The New Course, located adjacent to the Old Course, was paid for and commissioned by The R&A who asked Old Tom Morris to be designer. The New Course opened for play in 1895.[25]

The New Course[26]

Tee	Rating/Slope	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Out	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	In	Total
White	72.8 / 127	336	367	511	369	180	445	356	481	225	3270	464	368	518	157	386	394	431	229	408	3355	6625
Yellow	71.6 / 125	299	367	511	351	167	433	336	472	225	3161	457	331	493	147	370	379	416	211	397	3201	6362
Par		4	4	5	4	3	4	4	5	3	36	4	4	5	3	4	4	4	3	4	35	71
Ladies'	75.3 / 126	282	356	500	351	158	401	320	464	204	3036	427	308	447	133	363	312	388	192	386	2956	5992
Par	Ladies'	4	4	5	4	3	5	4	5	3	37	5	4	5	3	4	4	5	3	5	38	75

See also

• The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews
• Old Course at St Andrews

References

1. Herrington, Ryan. "Ross Fisher breaks the Old Course scoring record ... in disappointing fashion - Golf Digest". Golf Digest. Retrieved 18 October 2017.
2. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 10 May 2008. Retrieved 9 June 2008.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
3. Hagen, John Peter (2011). Play Away Please: The Tale of the Sale of Golf's Greatest Icon – The St Andrews Old Course Starter's Box. Random House. ISBN 9781907195754. Retrieved 17 January 2016.
4. Malcolm, David (2011). Tom Morris of St Andrews the Colossus of Golf 1821-1908. Edinburgh: Birlinn. ISBN 9780857901071. Retrieved 19 January 2016.
5. Slovick, Lyle (September 2012). "The St Andrews 'Rabbit Wars' of 1801–1821" (PDF). Through the Green. British Golf Collectors Society. Retrieved 17 January 2016.
6. Peper, George (2008). Two Years in St. Andrews: At Home on the 18th Hole. Simon and Schuster. pp. 170–171. ISBN 9781416534310. Retrieved 19 January 2016.
7. http://www.standrews.org.uk/golf/the_courses/course_no7_history.html
8. "The Balgove Course". St Andrews Links. Retrieved 9 June 2008.
9. "The Balgove Course Scorecard" (PDF).
10. "The Castle Course: the Seventh Course at the Home of Golf". St Andrews Links. 2008. Archived from the original on 10 May 2008. Retrieved 9 June 2008.
11. Ian Wood (1 June 2008). "Castle course Poses Sternest of Tests". The Scotsman. Retrieved 9 June 2008.
12. "The Castle Course scorecard" (PDF).
13. "The Eden Course". St Andrews Links. Retrieved 9 June 2008.
14. "The Eden Course scorecard" (PDF).
15. "Jubilee Course at St Andrews" (web). 2007. Retrieved 9 July 2008.
16. "Jubilee Course at St Andrews" (web). 2007. Retrieved 16 February 2008.
17. Charles Hillinger (6 December 1987). "Where the Games Began". The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 9 June 2008.
18. Ellen Hale (17 July 2001). "Erosion Threatens Legendary British Golf Courses". USA Today. Retrieved 9 June 2008.
19. "The Jubilee Course scorecard" (PDF).
20. "The Strathtyrum Course". St Andrews Links. Retrieved 9 June 2008.
21. Glen, Duncan (1998). Illustrious Fife: Literary, Historical & Architectural Pathways & Walks. Kirkcaldy, Scotland: Akros. p. 14. ISBN 9780861420872. Retrieved 17 January 2016.
22. "The Strathtyrum Course scorecard" (PDF).
23. "The Old Course". St Andrews Links. Archived from the original on 21 September 2012. Retrieved 9 June 2008.
24. "The Old Course scorecard" (PDF).
25. "The Old Course". St Andrews Links. Retrieved 9 June 2008.
26. "The New Course scorecard" (PDF).

External links

• St Andrews Links official site
• The New Golf Club of St Andrews official site
• St Andrews Golf Blog - Information on golf in St Andrews and the surrounding area