The
historic city of St Andrews, no matter where in the world
a golfer may travel this Mecca of golf, with its ancient
buildings and dramatic spires, is ‘THE HOME OF GOLF’.
Here in the Kingdom of Fife lies the cultural home of the
World’s Greatest Game, to which every golfer aspires
to visit at least once in his or her golfing life.
The
ghosts of old Tom Morris and Allan Robertson roam and haunt
the ancient links, where the rules and standards, that set
golf apart from all other sports, have long since been laid
down. Golf has been played at St Andrews for more than 400
years, the charter giving the residents of St Andrews town
the right to use the ‘Links’ for golf, along with
all other manner of pastimes is dated January 1552. The
Old Course is unique in that it owes little to the hand
of man in its design, having evolved over centuries to become
the masterpiece that mother nature created.
With the exception of Ben Hogan, all the Greats of the game
have walked, at one time, across the famous stone bridge
over the Swilcan Burn and onto the final fairway to stand
on the most famous stage in world golf. To the right of
the 18th fairway is the ancient town itself home not only
to the game of golf, but of Scotland’s oldest seat
of learning the University of St Andrews.
The Old Course is a classic seaside links with wide fairways,
humps and hollows leading to high double greens. The Old
Course consists of only 4 single Greens, the 1st, 9th, 17th
and the 18th, along with 7 double greens, unique in Open
Championship venues. After a nerve-wracking opening tee
shot the first hole then presents you with a frightening
approach, it may look the most innocuous of short Irons
on a calm day, but when the wind is blowing players must
carefully judge the club, or pay the penalty with a visit
into the famous Swilcan Burn which runs across in front
of the putting surface. Thereafter the course follows the
sweep of St Andrew’s Bay sharing Greens and Fairways
along the way until the 7th hole, the start of ‘The
Loop’ where scores are made or hearts are broken. The
loop consists of five holes during which you encounter the
only two short holes the 8th, and the difficult 11th known
as ‘High Hole In’ from here the course heads for
home back along a path already trodden. White Flags signal
the outward journey, while red distinguish the homeward
stretch, the exception being the 18th, where tradition demands
a white flag.
The
Course has changed little over the years, apart from the
addition of the old tee, it was much the same for John Daly
in 1995 as it was for Tom Kidd back in 1872. Avoiding the
numerous bunkers around the Old Course is one of the main
keys to survival, Bernard Darwin once described them as
‘these greedy lurking enemies’ of which most have
fascinating names, Hell Bunker on the 14th, Cockle and Strath
Bunkers on the 7th and 11th respectfully. On the 16th there
lies a group of three bunkers known as ‘ The Principal’s
Nose’ only one being visible from the tee lying in
wait in the centre of the fairway, driving past the Principal’s
Nose you may find yourself in a nasty little Bunker known
as ‘Deacon Sime’ some 30 yards further on.
The most notorious bunker of them all ‘Road Bunker’
awaits at the front of the 17th Green, ‘The Road Hole’.
Tommy Nakajima was well placed in the 1978 open until he
met up with the infamous ‘Road Bunker’ taking
4 strokes to escape, the bunker was re-christened ‘The
Sands of Nakajima’ by one golfing scribe. On the home
hole the main threat to one’s sanity comes in the form
of ‘The Valley of Sin’ a deep depression eating
its way into the front left of the green. No matter the
time of day spectators cast critical eyes on those negotiating
the final challenge, passing judgment according to the level
of success.
Contrary to popular belief the Royal and Ancient Golf Club
does not own the Old Course, the links being the property
of the Local Authority, ensuring that this most famous of
courses remains open to anyone on the payment of a green
fee.
