Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Andrews is the site of Scotland's first university, founded in 1413. Closer to Edin-
burgh, Dunfermline was once the capital of Scotland, and its abbey witnessed the
births of royalty and has the burial grounds for several, as well.
St. Andrews: Golf's Hallowed Ground
The medieval royal burgh of
St. Andrews
in northeast Fife, about 80km (50 miles)
from Edinburgh, was once filled with monasteries and ancient buildings, but only a
few ruins of its early history survive. Once a revered place of Christian pilgrimage,
the historic town by the sea is now best known for golf, which has been played here
at least as early as the 1600s, though some believe much earlier. Today, the rules of
the sport are reviewed, revised, and clarified in St. Andrews by the Royal and
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HITTING THE
links
First you need a handicap of 24 for men
and 36 for women. You apply in writing
1 year in advance and, even then, there
are no guarantees. There is a daily ballot
or lottery, which gives out about 50% of
the tee times for the following day's
play. Apply in person or by telephone
before 2pm on the day before play. By
post, send applications to Reservations
Office, Pilmour House, St. Andrews KY16
9SF, Scotland. Single golfers wishing to
play the Old Course should contact the
reservations department at reserva-
tions@standrews.org.uk.
Greens fees vary from course to
course and depending on the time of
year. Generally speaking, for the 18-hole
courses expect to pay between £16 to
£125. From November to March, it costs
around £70 to play the Old Course,
using mats that protect the fairways.
Facilities for golfers in St. Andrews
are legion. Virtually every hotel in town
provides assistance to golfers. The
Royal and Ancient Golf Club,
founded
in 1754, remains more or less rigidly
closed as a private-membership men's
club, however. It does traditionally
open the doors to the public on St.
Andrews Day to view the trophy room.
This usually falls on November 30.
There are five 18-hole courses at St.
Andrews (www.standrews.org.uk) and
one course with only 9 holes for
beginners and children, all owned by a
trust and open to the public. They are:
1.
Old Course,
which is where the Open
is frequently played and dates to the
15th century.
2.
New Course,
designed by Old Tom
Morris in 1895.
3.
Jubilee Course,
opened in 1897 in
honor of Queen Victoria.
4.
Eden Course,
opened in 1914.
5.
Strathtyrum Course,
the least test-
ing 18 holes, designed for those with
high handicaps.
6.
Balgove,
the 9-hole course
designed for beginners and hackers.
No reservations, just turn up and play
(or turn up and wait during busy times
at weekends and holidays).
For the New Course, you should try
to reserve your tee time at least 1 month
in advance. To play Jubilee, Eden, or
Strathtyrum, tee times can be reserved
24 hours ahead (if you're lucky). The
reservation office is at
&
0133/446-
6666.
Online bookings for the New
Course, Jubilee, Eden, and Strathtyrum
can be made by logging on to www.
linksnet.co.uk.
The Old Course, which hosted the
Open in 2010, is a different kettle of fish:
