The approach to St. Andrews from the south sets the tone for a town with such legend and lore as this one. Surrounded by rolling green hills and bright yellow gorse, you first see the ocean, and then a small city appears in the forefront with a skyline that’s looked the same for centuries. It’s here that tourists and golfers—from amateur to world’s best—pay homage to the ancient game.
The view of St. Andrews from the south approach
Photo Credit: Matt Thompson
Legendary Golf
St. Andrews is known as the “home of golf” because it’s believed that the Old Course is the first place the sport was played sometime around 1400 AD. The Old Course is located outside the center of town and adjacent to a sprawling, white sandy beach. This provides the backdrop for the iconic Swilcan Bridge and Hell Bunker, both of which are easily recognized by golfers around the world. Visitors are encouraged to walk the course and take photos, while being cautious not to interrupt play. The best time to do this is Sunday, when the course is closed, so townspeople can walk its grounds or picnic: a tradition that dates back centuries.
The first tee of the Old Course
Photo Credit: Matt Thompson
While playing the Old Course is every golfer’s dream, scheduling a tee time can be difficult because the course is public and open to everyone. The most common way to get on the course is to submit a ballot, which enters you into a drawing. The ballot is drawn every day for scheduling two days ahead, so if you’d like to play the Old Course, expect to stay in St. Andrews for a few days to increase your chances.
The Old Course is the most famous in St. Andrews, but it’s only one of seven courses that make up St. Andrews Links, the largest public golfing complex in Europe. There are two other championship courses: New Course and Jubille Course. Nestled on the opposite side of the links are the Eden, Strathtyrum and the Balgove. The seventh, the award-winning Castle Course, is a five-minute drive from St. Andrews and offers spectacular views of the town.
For the ultimate golf experience, stay at the Macdonald Rusacks Hotel—located off the 18th green of the Old Course. The hotel of choice for golf legends like Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus and Nick Faldo to celebrities like Mick Jagger, the Rusacks Hotel offers five-star amenities with a location that can’t be surpassed. The hallways are decked with photographs of famous guests, champions from The British Open (which is held at the Old Course every five years) and paintings depicting the rich history of the course and golf itself.
Everywhere you look inside the Macdonald Rusacks Hotel is a piece of golf history. Here in the lobby is a series of paintings featuring Ryder Cup champions
Photo Credit: Matt Thompson
If you stay at the Rusacks, eat at least one dinner at their restaurant, Rocca Bar & Grill. Request a table near the window so you can watch golfers take on the 18th hole of the Old Course while sampling the region’s finest whisky and fresh seafood. We enjoyed Isle of Gigha Halibut and a Scottish Seafood Bouillabaisse while watching the 10pm sun begin to set over the 18th fairway, a truly unforgettable experience.
You can’t beat the views or the dining experience at Macdonald Rusacks’ restaurant, Roca
Photo Credit: Matt Thompson
Afterwards, head out to the most famous golf pub in the world, the Dunvegan (aka the “Dunnie”) for a pint. Walking in, you’ll immediately see why the place is a legendary. The entire pub is covered with memorabilia and photos of the biggest names in golf’s history. This is where the pros go after a round at the Old Course, so you might see a familiar face or two during your visit.
St. Andrews Castle
While golf is the primary focus of most visitors to St. Andrews, there are other sights. St. Andrews castle overlooks the ocean and is located near the University (just outside the city center). The castle is surprisingly intact and open daily for self-guided tours. Plan to spend at least an hour exploring.
Looking through the main entrance to St. Andrews Castle, where the draw bridge would have been
Photo Credit: Matt Thompson
While there are many impressive attributes, the most unique feature is the mine and countermine, showcasing a true feat of 16th century engineering. In 1546, following the murder of a cardinal, St. Andrews Castle was under siege by his assassins. Troops were ordered to take back the castle, who began digging a mine underneath it to bypass its 30-foot walls. In return, the defenders of the castle began to dig their own countermine. After a few unsuccessful attempts and re-routing, the defenders found the mine and fended off the intruders. Today, you can walk a quarter-mile underground down the countermine from inside the castle grounds, with scars from pick axes still etched into the stone. The mine and countermine are among the most important medieval siege works to be found anywhere in Europe.
A look down the countermine under St. Andrews Castle
Photo Credit: Matt Thompson
Another interesting feature of the castle (and grim reminder of how life was in medieval times) is the bottle dungeon. Named after its shape, the bottle dungeon is comprised of a narrow, three-foot wide shaft leading down to a single room that widens out to roughly fifteen feet. The prison—unlit, damp and cold—held all ranks of prisoners, from senior aristocracy to common criminals. It’s said that when the castle was overthrown in 1546 and Cardinal Beaton was assassinated, his body was thrown into the bottle dungeon where it lay for months, covered in salt to manage the smell.
St. Andrews Cathedral
When building began in 1160, no one could have predicted the turbulent future of St. Andrews Cathedral. Construction took over a century to complete, and severe damage was inflicted on the church by a storm in the 1270s, then again by a fire in 1378. Another storm brought down the south transept, and in 1559 a fiery sermon by John Knox influenced his congregation to destroy much of its rich furnishings. After the office of bishop was abolished in 1689, the cathedral fell into the ruins you see today.
St. Andrews Cathedral
Photo Credit: Matt Thompson
One of the cathedral’s most distinctive elements is its vast graveyard, which began to sprawl across the church lands following the Reformation of 1560 and was used well into the 20th century.
The cathedral museum is worth a visit and features stone carvings and other artifacts that survived the centuries, including post-Reformation gravestones dating back to the 1600s and mason sketches from the early 1200s.
About the Author
Matt Thompson is Digital Marketing Manager at TravelSmith. For him, travel is a true passion; particularly exploring and experiencing foreign cultures— from their history to their local cuisine. His thirst for travel has taken him to many destinations, domestic and international, and his favorites (so far) are Greece, Spain and Sayulita, Mexico. Follow his travels on Instagram.
The post St. Andrews: The Home of Golf appeared first on TravelSmith: TravelCenter.