|
You're in serious golfing country now. From the back tees it is long, a sound test with a tough six hole finish. For the less ambitious, there's an option known as the Bronze course, which uses variable forward tees. Great fun.
The New course is in fact the second most senior at St Andrews, built in 1895 when the game experienced its first boom and an increasing volume of visitors predicated the demand for a second course.
Designed by Old Tom Morris, then the head green keeper and professional, it is considered the nicest and fairest of them all. Indeed, many locals prefer it to the Old.
Unchanged from the original, it is an out-and-back links in the old style, with a slight diversion for variety. Like the Old Course, it has some undulating fairways, lots of magnetic gorse and it makes all the demands known in golf, particularly over a tough five hole finish.
The size of the greens is, as it should be, governed by the length of shot required to reach them. Some are quite large and there's one double but they're all full of interest and in good order, as are all the courses at the Home of Golf.
There may be little to write about the Old Course that you may not already know. Visitors and locals meet and chat along the footpath that runs in front of the Royal & Ancient clubhouse and the famous monument.
They'll be there when you nervously tee off; some will be waiting when you play your final approach, over the Valley of Sin at the 18th, and they'll be peeking over your shoulder as you weigh up the downhill, sidehill putt that's sure to follow. But whatever the quality of your shots they'll be sympathetic or appreciative.
They'll be golfers, too, you see. Virtually everyone is who lives at St Andrews, which is also home to one of the world's oldest universities. You'll be aware of the students as you wander around the narrow streets.
Don't contemplate driving once in situ, incidentally: the walking is easy, the town is compact, and parking is limited.
Strolling is part of the local tradition, particularly on Sundays when many people walk the course or cross it to reach the beach that rims St Andrews Bay, or the wonderful old putting green that edges the first fairway.
The Old Course is on common land, hence its accessibility to the public. It is a municipal course, managed by a trust (not the Royal & Ancient, as many presume) which is responsible for all the golf facilities in town.
They set the fees, decide how the revenue should be spent and supervise the continuous programme of up-keep and expansion that has taken the resort's golfing facilities to a peerless level in recent years.
You should be aware that actually getting onto the Old Course is not easy, unless you are a lone player, in which case you can "make-up", that is complete a foursome, simply by approaching the starter early in the day. You'll find his office near the first tee of the Old Course, in front of the R&A clubhouse.
For most, all is dependant upon the ballot, held the day previously, that's necessary to filter the hundreds of applications to play the world's most famous links.
Your best bet is to choose a hotel or a holiday company which will make the tee reservation on your behalf. You will, though, need to make your plans well in advance: eight weeks' notice is required for this purpose.
There are dozens of hotels, large and small, in town, many overlooking the Old Course. There are restaurants galore, an equal number of bars and the shopping is a delight.
Those playing the Old Course should make a bee-line for the new Links Clubhouse where there are locker rooms, secure storage for golf clubs, a pro shop and, on the upper floor, a handsome restaurant and bar giving all-day service.
This is a popular spot come The Open: the terrace overlooks the opening and closing holes of the Old Course.
Doubtless a few more love affairs were launched when Tiger etched another chapter in golfing history in the most venerable championship in golf on the world's oldest and most revered links.
'Twas ever thus at St Andrews, the town that is a timeless monument to golfing traditions and a magnet to lovers of the royal and ancient game the world over.
******
Page [1], [2] - [previous page]
|
