Scotland, St Andrews

ST ANDREWS
Founded: In 1140 by King David
Population: 15,000 +7000 students.
Short story: St Andrews has since the sixth century played an important role in Scotland's history. The name comes from the remains of the Apostle St. Andrew being was brought here from Constantinople during the eighth century. The cathedral was built in 1160 and during the Middle Ages St Andrews was a significant religious centre.
Homepage: www.standrews.org.uk

GOLF FACTS
Old Course
"The Home of Golf". Venue for 26 editions of the British Open.
Number of holes: 18, par 72.
Length: 5948 metres.
Number of rounds per year: about 42,000.
Green fees: EUR 106-159 depending on the season.
To book your starting time: If you’re early (we're talking 2005, keep in mind that the British Open is played in July, so in the summer you don’t have a chance), you can register via phone or letter. There are not enough start times however for everyone, so be sure to be extremely early. Alternatively, there is always the daily draw, "The Ballot", where start times are raffled off. Apply on site the day before. If you are alone it’s perfectly acceptable to walk up to the starter and find out if there is a gap in a 2 - or 3-ball. In the summer there are quite a few expectant players, so be here as early as possible.

Scotland, St Andrews - the dream of the Old Course

St. Andrews, Scotland, the city that breathes lives and eats golf.

Say you only have only one round of golf left before you have to stop - where would you choose to go? Many would decide on a round where it all began, at St Andrews Old Course. Now there are few who have been granted the privilege of coming out on golf's most sacred site.

The green fee is no worse than anywhere else in the area, but the availability of tee times is severely limited.
For most fate is decided with the help of the lottery. Every day, except Sundays when the course is closed, a modest little placard hangs on the start shed that proclaims who the lucky ones are on that particular day.

Eighteen holes at St. Andrews is a dream come true. Whether the course is a masterpiece or not is debated, but no one can say that it’s not special to play, for example, Road Hole where many British Opens are determined.
The first nine holes take you on a journey where if you're not a pro, you frequently visit the neighbouring course, New Course, from the tee. To be on the wrong fairway, however, is not so bad here. Sometimes it actually gives you much better approach angles.

The best advice regarding the Old Course is the following:
If you’ve been lucky enough to come out on the course - treat yourself to a caddy!
Otherwise, you rarely know where to aim.
Don’t count on lowering your handicap either. A visit to a bunker often leads to a disaster on the scorecard and while you check your way between the bunkers, you can think about the fact that Tiger Woods during the British Open in 2000 actually did not visit a single one on the road to victory.

Text: Fredrik Nilsmark
Foto Christer Höglund