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The St Andrews Golf Courses
Old | New |
Jubilee | Eden | Dukes
| Strathtryum | Balgove
St Andrews is the home of golf. The game has been played here
since at least 1457 when it was popular enough for King James II to ban it on
the grounds that it interfered with archery practice. Since that time golf has
become hugely popular, but St Andrews still remains the birthplace and the centre
of modern golf.
The Old Course is the most famous golf course in the world, and
is regularly ranked in the top 5 golf
courses on the planet. For a guide on how to play it, click
here.
The St Andrews courses are all administered and maintained on
behalf of the town by the Links
Trust of St Andrews. As well as the Old Course, there are five other centrally
located courses, plus the Dukes, each with its individual character providing
enjoyment for golfers of all standards. There are now also championship layouts
at St Andrews
Bay Torrance, St Andrews Bay Devlin, and Kingsbarns,
with plans for a further course nearby.
In this section you can search the course profiles - each course
has its own its unique history listed together with pictures.
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map showing the locations of the St Andrews Courses complex. The Dukes is actually
at the other side of the town, and Kingsbarns is a few miles further down the
coast. |
The Old Course page contains detailed flythru's of each hole,
a list of Open Champions who won their titles over the famous links, and details
on yardage changes which were made for the 2000 Open.
The newest of these is the splendid Kingsbarns links, a few miles
south of StAndrews in some of the most spectacular coastal links land in the world.
Find out more about booking a round at one of the
St Andrews courses - our FAQ page
details all you need to know.
'Old' layout -
The Old Course will be open for play in reverse again in Spring 2005. Today
the 600-year-old course is played in the anti-clockwise direction but in the days
of Old Tom Morris, it was played clockwise. This route starts on the 1st tee driving
towards the 17th green, then driving from the 17th to the 16th green and so on
around the course bringing a different set of hazards into play.
Bunker changes* - A mammoth bunker rebuilding programme
that has been under way on the Old Course ahead of The Open has been completed,
two weeks ahead of schedule. The turf now has the optimum chance to take root
and establish itself before next spring and summer.
Over 12,000 square metres of turf from the Links Trust's nurseries
were used in the project and staff were seconded from other courses on the Links
to help out.
"The greenstaff did a fantastic job," said Gordon Moir,
links superintendent. "All the head greenkeepers contributed expertise in
the form of men and equipment, and the effort and team work of the squads was
excellent."
In all, 94 of the Old Course's 112 bunkers have been rebuilt.
"Wind blow and erosion subject all bunkers to some change over time and the
crucial task is to make sure they continue to gather the ball," said Mr Moir.
"Contouring work has been done in the vicinity of some bunkers to ensure
they keep playing in the traditional way."
As one would expect, Road Hole Bunker has been the most high profile
element in the rebuilding programme but the sheer scale of Shell Bunker, Cartgate
Bunker and the bunker behind the 16th green made them the most challenging.
One new problem golfers will relish in 2005 comes from changes
made to the greenside bunker guarding the entrance to the 12th green. The face
has been lowered by 8 inches and the area above it turfed over so that, like the
other bunkers on the hole, it is hidden from the tee.
"Like the Road Bunker, which has been extended by 3 feet
to the west, this was a matter agreed between the Links Trust Green Sub-Committee
and the R & A," said Euan Grant, head greenkeeper on the Old Course.
"They wanted us to play with the golfer's mind as he stood on the tee: he
will know there is plenty of trouble down there on the fairway but he won't be
sure exactly where it is." The bunkers will be out of play until April, when
one crucial ingredient will be added: sand.
*Courtesy of the StAndrews Links Trust.
To book in advance contact the St Andrews
Links Trust on 01334 466666 or email reservations@standrews.org.uk
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