standrews

The historic city of St Andrews, no matter where in the world a golfer may travel this Mecca of golf, with its ancient buildings and dramatic spires, is ‘THE HOME OF GOLF’. Here in the Kingdom of Fife lies the cultural home of the World’s Greatest Game, to which every golfer aspires to visit at least once in his or her golfing life.

The ghosts of old Tom Morris and Allan Robertson roam and haunt the ancient links, where the rules and standards, that set golf apart from all other sports, have long since been laid down. Golf has been played at St Andrews for more than 400 years, the charter giving the residents of St Andrews town the right to use the ‘Links’ for golf, along with all other manner of pastimes is dated January 1552. The Old Course is unique in that it owes little to the hand of man in its design, having evolved over centuries to become the masterpiece that mother nature created.

With the exception of Ben Hogan, all the Greats of the game have walked, at one time, across the famous stone bridge over the Swilcan Burn and onto the final fairway to stand on the most famous stage in world golf. To the right of the 18th fairway is the ancient town itself home not only to the game of golf, but of Scotland’s oldest seat of learning the University of St Andrews.

The Old Course is a classic seaside links with wide fairways, humps and hollows leading to high double greens. The Old Course consists of only 4 single Greens, the 1st, 9th, 17th and the 18th, along with 7 double greens, unique in Open Championship venues. After a nerve-wracking opening tee shot the first hole then presents you with a frightening approach, it may look the most innocuous of short Irons on a calm day, but when the wind is blowing players must carefully judge the club, or pay the penalty with a visit into the famous Swilcan Burn which runs across in front of the putting surface. Thereafter the course follows the sweep of St Andrew’s Bay sharing Greens and Fairways along the way until the 7th hole, the start of ‘The Loop’ where scores are made or hearts are broken. The loop consists of five holes during which you encounter the only two short holes the 8th, and the difficult 11th known as ‘High Hole In’ from here the course heads for home back along a path already trodden. White Flags signal the outward journey, while red distinguish the homeward stretch, the exception being the 18th, where tradition demands a white flag.

The Course has changed little over the years, apart from the addition of the old tee, it was much the same for John Daly in 1995 as it was for Tom Kidd back in 1872. Avoiding the numerous bunkers around the Old Course is one of the main keys to survival, Bernard Darwin once described them as ‘these greedy lurking enemies’ of which most have fascinating names, Hell Bunker on the 14th, Cockle and Strath Bunkers on the 7th and 11th respectfully. On the 16th there lies a group of three bunkers known as ‘ The Principal’s Nose’ only one being visible from the tee lying in wait in the centre of the fairway, driving past the Principal’s Nose you may find yourself in a nasty little Bunker known as ‘Deacon Sime’ some 30 yards further on.

The most notorious bunker of them all ‘Road Bunker’ awaits at the front of the 17th Green, ‘The Road Hole’. Tommy Nakajima was well placed in the 1978 open until he met up with the infamous ‘Road Bunker’ taking 4 strokes to escape, the bunker was re-christened ‘The Sands of Nakajima’ by one golfing scribe. On the home hole the main threat to one’s sanity comes in the form of ‘The Valley of Sin’ a deep depression eating its way into the front left of the green. No matter the time of day spectators cast critical eyes on those negotiating the final challenge, passing judgment according to the level of success.

Contrary to popular belief the Royal and Ancient Golf Club does not own the Old Course, the links being the property of the Local Authority, ensuring that this most famous of courses remains open to anyone on the payment of a green fee.