Old Course, St Andrews
The Old Course at St Andrews is widely regarded as the birthplace and spiritual home of golf, with the game recorded as being played on this stretch of coastal linkland since at least the 15th century, making it the oldest golf course in the world still in active play. Laid out along the shore beside St Andrews town, its distinctive features - enormous double greens shared by two holes, the notorious Road Hole (17th) with its narrow approach past the Old Course Hotel, and the closing Swilcan Bridge that generations of champions have walked over - have become some of the most recognisable landmarks in the sport.
The course has hosted The Open Championship more times than any other venue and remains a working municipal-style course open to the public, not a private members' club, though demand to play it is intense. Even for non-golfers, walking along the adjacent West Sands beach or watching play from the public paths near the 18th green and Swilcan Bridge is a worthwhile way to take in golf's most famous piece of ground.
Old Course, St Andrews FAQs
Yes, it's a public course rather than a private club, but demand is very high - tee times are allocated via an advance ballot system and daily walk-up slots, so booking well ahead (often up to a year) is generally necessary.
There's typically a handicap certificate requirement to book a tee time, reflecting both course difficulty and pace-of-play needs, though this can vary by booking route.
Yes, the Swilcan Bridge, 18th green and West Sands beach beside the course are freely viewable from public paths, and many visitors come just to see and photograph these famous spots.
Traditionally, the Old Course is closed to golf on Sundays and the ground is opened to the public for walking, a long-standing St Andrews custom.
More than any other course in the rotation - it has hosted the Open more often than any other venue in the tournament's history.
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