Standing on the first tee at St Andrews you look forward onto a vast wide open space. An impossible to miss fairway which seems to stretch beyond anyone’s driving range. Behind you is the Royal and Ancient clubhouse where the rules of this great game are still administered and verified to this day. To your left is the shop of Tom Morris Open champion in the 19th century and a landmark which continues to draw visitors from all over the world. Beyond that the town of St Andrews with the oldest university in Scotland and to your right the waves of the North Sea sweep onto the shore of the beach.
For beauty, history and the challenge of the golf course you are as near to heaven as a golfer can get whilst still breathing.
The course was used for this years Open Championship and though the winner could easily have been predicted the tournament provided a lot of excellent golf before Tiger Woods victory was confirmed. As a mid-handicap amateur though what is the Old Course actually like to play? I am fortunate to have played St Andrews a couple of times. Happily on both occasions the weather was kind and secondly that I played reasonably well. I can say without any hesitation that to achieve a par on any of these holes is a great feeling and I have done it on a few of them (I’ve also had a few 7s and 8s).
The 1st as I have said is magical. Here you are truly stepping in the footsteps of giants and of history.
It is an easy drive though I have seen a few people slice off the tee and nearly hit the scorers hut. Thankfully my drive travelled straightish left and a nice distance and I was off. This is pleasing because no matter what time of day you tee off there will be an audience of a few tourists. You then play your second over the Swilcan Burn onto a large flat green. A couple of putts later and there is your par. Luck will play a part though as if you are short you may get a nice bounce over the burn and onto the green. In the burn and you’re looking at a 5 or a 6 here. The 2nd is straight but longer at 411yds and narrower. You are playing onto a large green that is shared with the 16th and the fairway is used by those driving on the 17th. You have a lot to watch out for here with a lot of trouble down the right from bunkers, gorse bushes etc. You start to move away from the sea as the New Course appears on your right. The 3rd is wider and more undulating but generally has fewer perils. A large bunker guards the green , but the green is large enough to have plenty to aim at.
The 4th is long difficult par 4 which as it cannot be played straight plays like a par 5. Again the undulating ground and occasional bunkers including a huge one called The Cottage make this a very difficult hole. When you do reach the green it is shared with the 14th. The huge par 5 th also shares its green, this time with the 13th. As you look at the huge fairway your only option appears to be to get it off the tee as far and as straight as possible and hope for a good lie.. There are so many hazards with the road and gorse to the right the ground sloping away to the left, the fairway so narrow and a large moat before the green. A hugely difficult hole for any player and it makes you appreciate how good the professionals are as many birdied this hole during The Open. The 6th is a slightly easier par 4 needing a drive of 220yds carry to reach the safety of the fairway. A longer drive may reach the famous ‘Coffins’ bunkers. After this is pretty straight forward to another shared green - 6th and 12th this time. Give your approach a good push to get it up the hill before the green.
As the Old Course has largely been manufactured by the lie of the land and time the holes around the turn are a strange combination. If it were not for the tradition I am sure it would be altered but it remains an odd series of holes from 7 to 12. The 7th is a dog leg right but as you play your second shot you may find those teeing off on the par 3 11th playing acros s you toward the same green. If it were a local course you would think it odd but on a championship course it is unbelievable. The 7th plays towards the river and features all the old favourites, gorse, undulating fairway and a huge bunker – Cockie -at the front. At least the 8th – a straightforward par 3 gives you a breather. Yet again though a shared green with the 10th. The 9th is a shorter par 4 with fewer perils than most. Often golfers feel they can pick shots up here because the holes should be easier. The problem is you are right out at the mouth of the river and the wind can be a problem here both in terms of strength and changes in direction. The 10th is similar to the 9th but just be wary of staying away from the gorse down the left. Get in there and you’ll be lucky to be able to play out – if you find your ball. The 11 again has Cockie the bunker in play and at 170yds gives you a difficult club choice, with the weather also likely to play a part in your choice Underclubbing brings the bunkers into play, overclubbing could see you run off the back towards the river.
The 12th has half a dozen bunkers to catch your drive and you need to carry 225yds to clear most of them after that it depends where the pin is as to how difficult it will get. The 13th is immensely difficult sharing much of its features with the 6th. At 400yds it is longer than the other par4s and has many problems not leats the gorse to the right. The 14th is a 525yd par 5 with an out-of-bounds covering all the right side. With bunkers in range of the tee and a large slope along the left side this is a difficult hole with shot-choice crucial depending on where you find yourself after your drive. The 15th has a wide fairway to aim at with a couple of bunkers to catch the shorter drive after these though a straightforward hole.
Approach the end of the round we encounter three lovely closing holes. The 16th has the old disused railway line to the right with the fairway guarded by a number of bunkers , Once over the these its back to the huge shared green which has a large rise about 12-20 yrds in depending on where you reach on it. The 17th is the famous road hole which plays around the corner of the hotel. A hugely difficult drive which only the very brave will attempt. At 460yds though laying up means a certain bogey. Even after this though more difficulty comers from the narrow fairway, undulations and of course the deep but small bunker which gurads the approach to the green. This hole is enormously daunting but one that you play with a smile on your face. And so to the 18th named after Tom Morris this is another hole to savour. Relatively easy with a wide area to aim at and no major hazards once you are over the burn. You can walk over the Swilcan Bridge as so many have done before and play up to the green taking care not to be short and falling into the valley of sin.
And so this finishes the round at St Andrews. Anyone who gets the opportunity should try to play St Andrews Old Course. It should be remembered that the Old course is a municipal course owned by the local authority. To play you need to be residing in St Andrews and enter a ballot for the following days play. There is no guarantee you will get on. High handicappers can get on but should be properly dressed and obey the rules of golf etiquette. There are no club facilities available. Caddies can be hired.
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Advantages: Fun you choose what you want to do and often agreat amount of sun on the beaches MMMM Disadvantages: Can get slightly busy near the Golf Course but its not that bad generally
Oct 31st, 2000
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