The Open Championship begins here July 15, 2010
The Old Course at St Andrews is the oldest golf course in the world, and is a public course over common land in St Andrews, The Kingdom of Fife, Scotland. It is held in trust by The St Andrews Links Trust under an act of Parliament. The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews (R&A) club house sits adjacent to the first tee, and is one of many clubs that have playing privileges on the course, along with the general public. The course was mostly designed by nature and the elements, with a little help from Tom Morris and Alan Robertson from Carnoustie. The first record of golf being played at the Old Course dates to 1574, which would make the Old Course the fifth-oldest links in Scotland. One of the unique features of the Old Course is the huge double greens. Seven greens are shared by two holes each. Only the 1st, 9th, 17th and 18th holes have their own greens. Another unique feature is that the course can be played in either direction, clockwise or anti-clockwise, and once a year in the spring, they play it backwards. The other unusual thing about the Old Course is that it is closed on Sundays to let the course rest, and the townspeople come out to stroll, picnic and otherwise enjoy the grounds. The Open Championship has been held at St Andrew’s 27 times since it started. Among the winners at St Andrew’s have included Tiger Woods (twice), John Daly, Nick Faldo, Seve Ballesteros, Jack Nicklaus (twice), Tony Lema, Kel Nagle, Bobby Locke, Peter Thomson, Sam Snead, Richard Burton, Denny Shute, Bobby Jones, Jock Hutchison, James Braid (twice), John Henry Taylor (twice), Hugh Kirkaldy, Jack Burns, Bob Martin (twice), Jamie Anderson, Tom Kidd and Lorena Ochoa. at the Women’s Open. The Open is now scheduled at St Andrew’s every year ending in 05 and 00.Without wind, the course can play quite easy with the extra roll provided by the dry, hard fairways. Best to take a caddie though to avoid the collection of ill placed pot bunkers throughout the course as well a for the general direction of the course routing. The course has some of the most generous fairways, and favors the right hander with a draw. When the wind comes out of the North Sea at 40+ mph, all bets are off. An absolute must play, memories forever.
The R&A Clubhouse sits behind the 1st tee of the Old Course
I wish I could have played the Old Course when I was younger for two reasons; one, my game was a little better and two, because it would have been nice to hear some Scottish brogue. On the June day I played it two years ago, the dominant accent was East Coast American. At least the caddies were local University lads and the course did not disappoint. That said, once per trip is enough with so many other excellent links courses in the area. We stayed in Crail nine miles away. Crail Balcomie was as interesting as St. Andrews, and you get to see the ocean on virtually every hole. Elie, Lundin Golf Club and others in the Kingdom of Fife were also worth the green fees at an awful exchange rate.”what club is it?” but “what is it exactly that I am trying to do?” There are no fairways in the accepted sense of the word; just a narrow strip of golfing ground which you use both on the way out and the way in, together with huge double greens, each with two flags. From the tee you can play almost anywhere, but, if you have not thought it out correctly according to the wind and the position of the flag, you may find yourself teed up in the middle just behind a bunker, and downwind. Fantastic experience, once in a lifetime for the dedicated golfer.
There are a number of ways to play the Old Course: 1. Ballot-half of all starting times over the year are put into the daily ballot (lottery) which is drawn every day for next day’s play. A minimum two golfers can enter by telephone, 01334 466666, or in person before 2pm on the day before play. Names, home clubs and handicaps are required. The results are shown by 4pm on the web, and at various locations on the Links. 2, Single golfers-The most common way for a single to get on the Old Course is by going to the starter as early as possible in the morning. The starter will try to join the golfer with the first available 2 or 3 ball. 3. Applying in Advance-A number of packages which include the Old along with other courses the Links Trust operates are provided well in advance of the season. Call the Links Trust directly. 4. The Old Course Golf Experience and Gleneagles offer guaranteed starting times at the Old and one of the other Links Trust courses for $2700 depending on the hotel for two nights. 5. Get to know a local club member of the many “golf clubs” in St Andrews who have daily access to the courses and favorable greens fees.
