St Andrews Links

St Andrews Links is a historic golf complex beside the old university town of St Andrews in Fife. Golf has been played here since the 15th century, and the land north of the town holds six courses in a row: the Old, New, Jubilee, Balgove, Eden, and Strathtyrum. One mile south-east stands the Castle Course, while three miles south-west is the Craigtoun Course. The Balgove Course has nine holes and the rest have eighteen. The Old Course is regarded as one of the world’s finest and hosts the Open Championship regularly. The St Andrews Links Trust runs amateur events such as the St Andrews Links Trophy for men and the St Rule Trophy for women. Several clubs have clubhouses on the block south of the links, including The Royal and Ancient Golf Club, founded in 1754, which once managed golf’s rules. Visitors find the St Andrews Links Clubhouse by the first holes of the New and Jubilee courses, built in 1995. Pilmour Cottage, a 19th-century villa, now serves as the Trust’s headquarters, and the Eden Clubhouse looks after the Balgove, Eden, and Strathtyrum courses. The Old Course Hotel sits beside the 17th hole of the Old Course. Beyond the public courses, private clubs and nearby links add to the area’s reputation as a golfing heartland.