The Old Course at St. Andrews
St. Andrews. Need we say more?
Everything about St. Andrews, and we mean everything, oozes golf. Not just the actual playing of the game, but the sheer history and magic of the sport.
If you’re lucky enough to travel to the home of golf and tee it up at the Old Course at St. Andrews Links – the world’s most famous public course that has hosted the Open Championship a whopping 27 times – definitely take a minute or two on the first tee to just enjoy the moment. You’ve made it. Take a look around.
Then focus. FOCUS.
THE BIRTHPLACE OF GOLF
Playing at St Andrews, with the Royal and Ancient clubhouse watching over you, it’s understandably easy to let your mind wander. And although the scenery doesn’t include towering snow-capped mountains, thick tree-lined fairways, or crystal clear blue waters lapping the shore, there is truly more history and landmarks here than you might realize. A true living golfer’s museum.
The Road Hole, the Swilken Burn, Hell Bunker, the Valley of Sin… every single yard of this course, every bunker, every hole has a great story to tell.
With fairways that are hundreds of yards wide in spots, double greens, downright “hellish” bunkers, and an endless variety of options to tuck pins, the Old Course certainly never quite plays the same way twice.
“Anyone who raves about the Old Course after just one or two rounds is either a liar or a fool,” said David Fay, former Executive Director of the USGA. To truly appreciate the course is to play it over and over and absorb its nuances, its magic.
In addition to the Old Course, St. Andrews offers: The Castle Course, New Course, Jubilee Course, Eden Course, Strathtyrum Course, and Balgove Course.
THE COURSES AREN’T THE ONLY THINGS THAT ARE IMPRESSIVE
There are many accommodation options in and around St. Andrews including hotels, B&B’s, inns, and cottages.
The Old Course Hotel, an AA 5-star-property has 144 rooms and 35 suites, the Kohler Waters Spa, six unique dining spots, shopping, fishing, kayaking, auto racing, and the Scottish Clay Shooting Centre. The hotel offers the Suite Golf package which includes: One round on the Old Course, One round on the New or Jubilee Courses, One round on Kingsbarns, One round on The Duke’s with buggy hire, Three night stay in a luxury suite, Full Scottish breakfast served daily, Dinner on one evening in the Road Hole Restaurant, Dinner on one evening in Sands Grill, and a 50 minute luxury spa treatment at Kohler Waters Spa.
St. Andrews Links also offers several packages: https://www.standrews.com/play/offers-packages
Buddy Trip Cost
Varies
Travel
Edinburgh Airport
Accommodations
- Old Course Hotel
- Mcdonald Rusacks Hotel
- Hotel du Vin
- Rufflets Country House Hotel
- Hazelbank Hotel
- Fairmont St. Andrews
Entertainment
- The Jigger Inn
- The Keys Bar
- Central Bar
- Guided Walks
- The Himalayas
- University of St. Andrews
- St. Andrews Aquarium
- Secret Bunker
- Eden Mill Brewery & Distillery
- British Golf Museum
- Skydiving
- The Byre Theater
Dining
- Road Hole Restaurant
- The Adamson
- The Vine Leaf Restaurant
- The Seafood Restaurant
- Mitchells
- Playfair’s
- Forgan’s
Scorecard
- Old Course
- New Course
- Balgove Course
- Strathtyrum Course
- Eden Course
- Jubilee Course
- The Castle Course
Design
- Old Course: Old Tom Morris, Alister MacKenzie (1850)
- New Course: Old Tom Morris (1895)
- Balgove Course: Donald Steel, Tom MacKenzie, Martin Ebert (1993)
- Strathtyrum Course: Donald Steel, Tom MacKenzie, Martin Ebert (1993)
- Eden Course: Donald Steel (1993), H. S. Colt (1914), Cameron Sinclair
- Jubilee Course: Donald Steel (1988), Cameron Sinclair, Martin Hawtree, Martin Ebert, Steve Marnoch
- The Castle Course: David McLay Kidd (2008)
