Quick Facts
-
Golf has been played at St Andrews Links for 600 years. In 1552 Archbishop Hamilton’s Charter recognised the right of the people of St Andrews to play golf at the Links.
-
St Andrews Links takes up almost 300 hectares and The Castle Course almost 90 hectares.
-
More than 230,000 rounds of golf are played on the seven courses each year with around 45,000 being played on the Old Course alone.
-
Around 300 people are employed by St Andrews Links Trust in the peak season making it one of the largest employers in St Andrews.
-
The Trust’s annual turnover is around £21 million. The Trust is a charitable organisation so all surpluses are reinvested into the Links.
-
The Open Championship has been played on the Old Course 29 times, more than any other venue. A study found that the 2015 Open Championship generated more than £140 million for the economy.
-
St Andrews Links Golf Academy features four technology studios equipped with the latest coaching systems including biomechanics. It has more than 60 practice bays, including 22 indoors, a short game area specially designed for links golf with greenside and fairway bunkers, three practice greens and a putting green.
-
The Tom Morris Shop is the oldest golf shop in the world having been opened by the four-time
Open champion in 1866.
Old Course figures
|
Total areas
|
Measurement
|
|
Greens
|
3 Ha (30,000 m2)
|
|
Tees
|
1.3 Ha (13,000 m2)
|
|
Fairways & surrounds
|
12 Ha (120,000 m2)
|
|
Semi
|
2 Ha (20,000 m2)
|
|
Greens
|
Measurement
|
|
5 and 13
|
37,846 sq feet
|
|
8 and 10
|
30,063 sq feet
|
|
17
|
7,078 sq feet
|
|
18
|
15,570 sq feet
|
Green 7 and 11 is 112 yards from left to right
Green 6 and 12 is 104 yards from left to right
The 1st and 18th fairway is 129 yards wide at Grannie Clark's Wynd and covers 7.2 acres in total.