St Andrews Links: Birthplace of Golf

Pilmour House

St Andrews KY16 9SF

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St Andrews Links Overall Empty Nester’s Guide (ENG) Rating 4.8/5.0

For more than 600 years St Andrews Links, much like the game of golf itself, has evolved. Today more than 230,000 rounds are played over seven public courses. St Andrews Links Trust manages a number of additional facilities including three club houses, five shops.

The Old Course — ENG Rating 5.0/5.0

More than anywhere else in the Royal Burgh, the living legacy of the past continues to be respected and nurtured at St Andrews Links, the Home of Golf, where the game developed and where its spirit and traditions have been safeguarded and cherished for six centuries. Appropriately, the designer of the Old Course is said to be Mother Nature herself. Who else could have provided so many idiosyncrasies, so many changes of perspective, and so many memorable details?

All other golf course are descended from the Old Course, but none can ever truly be compared to it.

Jubilee Course — ENG Rating 4.4/5.0

The Jubilee Course was the third course at St Andrews Links.

Officially opened on June 22, 1897 when Mary Macgregor, the wife of St Andrews Provost John Macgregor, struck the first drive. The Jubilee was built three years after the Town Council won the right to administer the Links as public golf courses open to all.

The Dukes — ENG Rating 4.1/5.0

Following a massive renovation, Kohler Co. has transformed The Duke’s into one of the best heathland golf courses in the country. The inspiration for the reborn Duke’s comes from the classic heathland designs of the Golden Age of Architecture, a time of challenge and style.

Kingsbarns — ENG Rating 5.0/5.0

Consistently recognized in the Top 100 Golf Courses Worldwide by major golf magazines and media rankings, it was no surprise to be on my top 5 courses I have played so far. There’s view of the ocean from almost every hole. And it was such a delight walking the pristine course with a hint of breeze on a sunny 60 degrees day.

If I ever come back to St Andrews again, I will play Kingsbarns and The Old Course back to back on consecutive days. That’s how good these courses are compared to the rest.

Carnoustie Golf Links (The Championship Course) — ENG Rating 4.7/5.0

Carnoustie’s Championship Course has become regarded as one of Britain’s finest and most challenging tests of golf. This course has hosted seven Open Championships, one Women’s British Open and two Senior Open Championships, making it one of the very few to have done so in the UK.