Golf can be an amazing game. And some golf fans dream of playing a round in the birthplace of the sport, Scotland. The burgh of St. Andrews was where it all began around AD 1400, and golf fans consider the town almost sacrosanct.
St. Andrews is an hour’s drive north-east of Edinburgh and an hour and a half north-east of Glasgow. BritRail stops 8 miles away in the town of Leuchars, where passengers travel by bus the rest of the way. Both BritRail and the bus run frequently.
Over the years the Links of St. Andrews has been developed into 6 golf courses. A seventh course, the Castle Course, sits on top of a cliff overlooking the city of St. Andrews. The epicenter of the Links is the ultra-prestigious Royal and Ancient Golf Club. Although the golf courses are public, the R&A is a private men’s club and rules the body of golf all over the world except the US. It also runs The Open and other major championships. The R&A celebrated 250 years in 2004 and has 2,400 members worldwide.
The Old Course, one of six, is where it was first played 600 years ago. This legendary sanctuary of golf is known for its difficulty. Its layout and orography were shaped both by nature and by the sheep paths used in the past. The Jubilee Course also has a reputation for being challenging. The New Course features rolling hills and also requires a high degree of skill. It was developed in 1895 and called “New” to distinguish it from the original course, which became the Old Course. The Eden Course was planned by the noted course designer Henry Colt. It is meant by undulating fairways and severe bunkering. The Strathtyrum Course is a fairly recent expansion, and when it opened in 1993 it was the first 18-hole putting green added to the Links in 80 years. The Balgove course is a 9-hole course built for children and beginners.
Rounds of golf at these popular courses can be booked in 3 ways. Advance reservations can be made online several weeks or even months in advance. The most common means of obtaining a tee time is by voting (or lottery). Tickets are filled out one day in advance, and those whose tickets are drawn are allowed to play. Finally, single golfers can approach the Starter, and he will try to fit them in with the groups heading out that day. St. Andrews has several excellent courses outside of the Links that serve as top-tier alternatives.
The Links Clubhouse, opened in 1996, offers sweeping views of the Old, New and Jubilee courses. It contains free lockers, showers and changing rooms, as well as a golf shop and restaurant. In the summer months there are walking tours led by an expert. The price includes the promotional price of admission to the British Museum of Golf, located on the premises.