The home of golf
Join Lisa Longball as she plays St. Andrews in Scotland
Interesting architec: The clubhouse on the Castle Course seems to be part of the low, rolling topography.—Photo courtesy St. Andrews Links Trust
St. Andrews, Scotland, is a golf mecca known primarily for the Old Course, “the home of golf,” where the game was first played 600 years ago. Since inception five other courses have been in operation on site including the New, Jubilee, Eden, Strathyrum and Balgove courses. Opened officially on June 28, 2008, and now in its first full season, the Castle Course is an exciting and welcome addition to the St Andrews Links family. The seventh course is the first 18-hole championship-length track to be opened at St Andrews Links in over a century. Located a short drive southeast of the town of St. Andrews, the Castle Course spans 220 acres and is perched atop the dramatic coastal shoreline above Kinkell Braes. There is more than one mile of waterfront and the contrast of vast fescue-lined fairways and jagged coastal shoreline combined with cliff-top views makes this one of the most desirable and must-play courses on any golfer’s to-do list. The panoramic vistas of the town of St. Andrews, St. Andrews Bay, the Grampian Mountains and the North Sea are stunning and add a great deal to the overall experience and enjoyment of the course. The name of the course, the Castle Course, pays homage to the 16th-century Kinkell Castle that formerly stood on the grounds in close proximity to the current location of the impressive 9th and 18th double green. The official opening ceremony for the course was held on July 2, 2008, and was presided over by 150 leading figures from the world of golf and by the Duke of York, Prince Andrew. Course architect David McLay Kidd was also on hand and gave Prince Andrew a personalized tour. Kidd, a leading Scottish course architect and designer of the famed Bandon Dunes in Oregon, recently commented that the Castle Course “is probably my best work.” Considering the accolades Bandon Dunes has received, this is extremely high praise and a credit to the layout. The course is a par 71 and stretches out from 5,460 yards from the forward tees to an intimidating 6,759 yards from the tips. Each hole offers five different teeing locations and it is imperative that players tee it up from the appropriate length to match their ability level. Although the course does not crack the 7,000-yard mark it can be as punishing and daunting as a PGA Tour major on final round Sunday from the wrong set of tees. Many of the fairways are undulating and are lined with tall thick fescue that is virtually guaranteed to lead to a stroke and distance penalty for errant shots. Any balls that are actually findable will require a mighty whack to even slightly advance them to the fairway. Although the fairways appear quite tight and restrictive from the tee, it is in fact Kidd’s design element of visual intimidation playing a hand. Many fairways have generous landing areas although it would behoove players to follow the Architect’s Advice section in the Player’s Guide Book handed out upon check-in. Find out the ideal target location on tee shots and approach shots to save valuable strokes. If you are looking to go low, treat yourself and hire a caddie familiar with the local knowledge of advantageous spots for kicks, bounces and rolls. The caddie will come in very handy on the massive, undulating and, at times, roller-coaster-like greens. Finding the line and trusting it is key to avoiding three jacks. Picking a line to die the ball into the hole is a tough task and the more committed you are to your line and the more aggressive you are with the putt the more success you may have. In addition, pray for uphill putts. It is difficult to pick one signature hole. It would be a close call between the views of St. Andrews town and harbour from the 6th hole and the challenge and vistas of the finishing 18th. The incredible 17th hole may just edge them out. One of the best par 3’s in golf, it truly is a cliff-hanger. It is certain disaster if you are short and/or right. The rocky gulf between the tee and green and the stunning jagged coastal cliffs bordering the North Sea are truly breathtaking and are sure to test your shot-making skills. The Castle Course is open annually April 1 to November 1. When you make the pilgrimage to the home of golf be sure to add" this(http://www.standrews.org.uk)":http://www.standrews.org.uk track to your itinerary.