Facts about the Old Course

Facts about the Old Course is a short golf blog post that examines some things you may not know about the Old Lady. Most people have either played or visited the Old Course; some have only seen it on TV, but everyone has heard of it. But did you know these facts about the Old Course, St Andrews? The Swilcan Bridge Previously known as the Golfers Bridge, the iconic structure was used by cattle herders to cross the Swilcan Burn. Did you also know that almost half of the bridge is buried under the ground since the burn was refashioned? The First Tee Known as ‘The easiest, yet hardest tee shot in golf’, the challenge of teeing off in St Andrews is not an easy one. It is the widest fairway in golf, and yet it is a knee trembler for many, as this is the Old Course. The original tee was on the mound behind the clubhouse, just below the Martyrs Monument. It was an even tougher tee shot due to Halket’s Bunker, which up to 1840 was a large hazard in the middle of the first fairway. The Railway Sheds Once upon a time, the railway passed the side of the 16th & 17th holes of the Old Course. It was the railway that helped make golf so popular in Scotland, as the Links were then reachable by tourists. Now, the Road Hole tee shot is played over the top of the old railway sheds, which are now a part of the Old Course Hotel. The March Stones Scattered around the Old Course, 4th, 5th & 7th holes, are ancient stone markers that define the land purchased in 1821. On one side of the stones is the letter ‘G’ for Golf, and on the other side of the stones is the letter ‘C’ for Common Land. After Old Tom Morris extended the golf course, these markers became obsolete. Another March stone was recently re-discovered when greenkeepers were cutting back the wild gorse. Reversed The Old Course was played ‘Clockwise’ up to 1870 when Old Tom Morris made a few changes and swapped it around. It is difficult to imagine playing the course in Reverse until you see it for yourself. All of the Bunkers that are usually hidden from the tees suddenly become visible and make total sense. Ginger Beer This is the name of the 4th hole on the Old Course. Named after the mobile refreshment stand that was operated here by David Anderson (aka ‘Old Daw’) He sold Ginger Beer and Shortbread from his stand in 1856. Hill Bunker This is a very famous bunker that often gets overlooked by visitors. Located on the left side of the 11th green, this was the bunker that defeated Bobby Jones at the 1921 Open Championship. After several attempts, Bobby Jones gave up and picked up his ball and walked in. 22 Holes Up to 1764, the Old Course was made up of 11 holes, which were played twice. 11 holes out and 11 holes in. Several of the holes were too short and were later combined to create just 18 holes. I think I prefer the theory of a whisky bottle only having 18 shots, and when the bottle was finished, it was time to stop. Granny Clark’s Wynd & Old Station Road The two most famous roads in golf are due to the Open Championship. Granny Clark’s Wynd is the road that splits the 1st & 18th holes of the Old Course. Once used to haul boats from the town to the West Sands Beach. Old Station Road is the crumbly road behind the 17th green. Both roads are classed as immovable obstructions / integral objects and defined as abnormal course conditions. That means you can either play the ball as it lies or take a penalty drop. The Loop A unique, circular path of holes which encompasses the 7th hole through to the 12th hole. This is seen as the most scoreable part of the golf course because it includes a row of short Par 4s and the only two Par 3s on the course. Check out how to get a tee time on the Old Course by visiting the Premier Golf website. What are your thoughts on the Facts about the Old Course? Please leave a comment by filling out a Contact Form. To read more of my golf blog posts, click here.