St Andrews (The Home of Golf)

Every golf nut must make the pilgrimage to St Andrews at least once in their lives. Whether you are lucky enough to play the Old Course or not. There’s nothing quite like entering the ballot and “making the cut”. We were lucky enough one June week and excitedly packed the car and headed to St Andrews.

As you wind down the roads towards golfing heaven the sense of excitement grows until you see the famous small town. We drove past the Old Course Hotel, the first major landmark of St Andrews, and into the narrow streets of the town. Reached the turn off at the Dunvegan Hotel and there it was. Not golfing heaven…HEAVEN. The site of the clubhouse, the 1^st/18^th fairway brings a natural beaming smile to the face.

We parked up at the car park near the New Course Clubhouse and made our way to the check in near the first tee. The buzz at the putting green / first tee is like nothing else. The vast majority getting ready for their first experience of Old Tom’s grand course, it’s hard not to start feeling the nerves. It was a tad wet but isn’t that how it’s meant to be as you make your way onto a Scottish Links.

A few practice putts next to the first tee and it was now our tee time. Welcomed by the starter, the obligatory 1^st tee photo before being announced on the tee. The widest fairway in the world has never felt more daunting. A crowd is never far away from watching and wishing you get the ball away safely. As you place the tee in the ground you can’t fail to think about the stars who have all pegged it up on that tee. The greatest players the game have ever seen have all graced that tee and now so have we.

Although it was wet there was next to no wind making the course very playable. A hybrid off the tee and a wedge to the first green was a nice start, no danger of flirting with the Swilcan Burn on first to a front pin. As we headed away from the famous town the rain stopped and allowed us to shed some rain gear. However many times you may have seen the course on TV being there and understanding the lines provides a very different perspective.

 The massive greens meant that finding the right spot is imperative. Greens In Regulation doesn’t always tell the story. Dodging the numerous bunkers is a challenge. A number of them not generally in play for most. The course was originally played in Reverse (an option available at certain times of the year), if you turn and look back, they make more sense at times.

The loop from 7 to 11 is some of the most fun stretches in golf culminating in the Par 3, 11^th. An interesting green complex and a view over the Eden Estuary is stunning. We then headed for Home. The furthest point from the town it’s a direct route back to the finish. As you squeeze a drive off 16 towards the stunning 5-star Old Course Hotel the anticipation grows of playing 17 and 18. Two of the most famous golf holes in the world. As we stood on the tee looking at the “wall” it was difficult to pick a line. But we let one rip over the sign not knowing where the fairway was. Missing a 3-foot putt for birdie to go back to level par was not in the script.

It was now onto that 18^th tee. Looking down the fairway to the greatest setting in golf was amazing. The backdrop is iconic! Smashing it down the fairway towards the famous clubhouse, the standard Swilcan Bridge photo and wedging to the applause of the on watching galleries is the best experience in golf. A couple putts, round of 72, a few handshakes and a short stare out towards the hallowed grounds of the Old Course and it was all over. HEAVEN.

We packed the clubs away and headed for the Dunaverty Hotel for food and a debrief. A wedge away from the last green (proven lately on an “influencers” Instagram) it is the perfect spot to chill after a round on the Old. The most famous watering hole in St Andrews and they have proof of that all over the walls. The most famous people in the world have all visited for a pint.