You have a tee-time on the most sought after course in the world. Take a deep breath and aim left at the famous little Bridge. You are off on a true test of your golfing character!
The earliest records show that gentlemen golfers played with a leather ball stuffed with goose feathers. From the old time greats to the modern superstars you are now walking in the footsteps of the legends who have crossed the Swilken Bridge
15th Century Golf was first played on the Links at St Andrews
1457, James II of Scotland banned golf because he felt that young men were playing too much golf instead of practicing their archery.
1502, King James IV became a golfer and removed the ban.
1552, Archbishop John Hamilton gave the townspeople of St. Andrews the right to play on the links.
1754, 22 noblemen, professors, and landowners founded the Society of St Andrews Golfers which latterly became known as the R&A
1797 St Andrews Links had a scare when they went bankrupt.
1821, Twenty years of legal battling between the golfers and rabbit farmers ended when local landowner named James Cheape of Strathtyrum bought the land and is credited with saving the links for golf.
1764, the Old Course had 22 holes and the members would play the same hole going out and in with the exception of the 11th and 22nd holes.
1865–1908, Old Tom Morris designed the 1st and 18th holes
1921, Bobby Jones played in his first St Andrews Open Championship. During the third round, he infamously hit his ball into a bunker on the 11th hole. After he took four swings at the ball and still could not get out, he lost his temper and continued the round, but did not turn in his score card, disqualifying himself
1930, Jones returned to St Andrews and win the British Amateur.
1958, the town of St Andrews gave Jones the key to the city; he was only the second American to receive the honour (after Benjamin Franklin in 1759)
2005, the Old Course was ranked as the greatest golf course outside the United States, by Golf Digest.
Since 1990, the Old Course has been unique on the Open roster in holding the Championship every five years.
2022, breaks the sequence as it will be the 150th Open Championship.
Remember that the Old Course is a public course and available to all golfers with the appropriate handicap to play.
There are six 18 Hole Courses and one 9 Hole Course in St Andrews.
