I’ve played St. Andrews before and thought it would be helpful to build this guide for playing St. Andrews.
St. Andrews stands as the world-recognized golfing destination with a history dating back over 500 years.
The game was illegal in Scotland until King James IV took up the sport and overturned the ban in 1502.Â
The Royal and Ancient Golf Club, based at St Andrews, continues to set the international rules for golf.
In and around St Andrews, there are now ten golf courses with enough variation to keep all players occupied for at least a week – from novices to experts.Â
While the Castle Course, which opened in 2008, and is now a popular and challenging addition to the St. Andrews’ golf experience, playing on the original course of golf, The Old Course at St. Andrews, is every golfer’s dream.
The famous Old Course at St Andrews is a public course
It’s a public course and sits right next to the Royal and Ancient Golf Club. The Swilcan Burn flows through the course’s first and eighteenth fairways, crossed by Swilcan Bridge, where tournament players get photographed after wins.
The British Open Golf Championship comes to the Old Course every five years. So, if you’re not playing golf, you can always watch one of the tournaments held at the Old Course every now and then.
If you do get a chance to play St. Andrews, you will want to know what to anticipate.
The following step-by-step guide gives you an idea of what to expect.
The Old Course at St Andrews is one of the most well-known in golf, giving it the moniker “Home of Golf” for good cause. The tips below can help you get through the game unscathed.
First Rule of Thumb – Master the Wind and You’ll Avoid the Rough
The Old Course at St Andrews appears to be very straightforward at first view. It has spacious fairways, so your tee shots should stay out of the rough. You can do this, as long as you know how to deal with the breezy conditions on the fairways.
In its esteemed and long history, the legendary Swilken bridge has welcomed some of the world’s best golfers, so don’t assume anything on this eminent golf course.
Focus on a safety-first approach if distance isn’t your finest asset off the tee.
Because the course is short by today’s standards, precision rather than power should be your main goal.
To keep your score low, you’ll need to keep your shots within the fairway zone.
The Wind Makes Golfing a Challenge
The wind at St. Andrews constantly shifts. While you might get lucky on your first tee shot, and hit downwind, that can change quickly. Still, playing on St. Andrews would not be nearly as enjoyable if you didn’t have this challenge.
Any player who has won the famous Claret Jug at St. Andrews has had to contend with wind – a breeze, that day, which was obviously blowing in a way that supported their game.
To reduce the impact of a swirling breeze, keep shots close to the ground.Â
Do what famous golf standout, Tom Watson, advises.
Approach your shot like long chips, swinging your club less and lessening the spin. Doing so will keep the ball in the fairways.
What You Should Know About the First Tee
Teeing off at St. Andrews is bound to be a dream come true. It can also jangle the nerves. To keep your focus on the ball, keep it low and centralized.
Don’t get too close to the green on the first shot. The links give you false confidence, as the first tee seems pretty straightforward.
If you get too close to the green, you will find your second shot a veritable challenge. Therefore, try to maneuver the ball so it lands in the broadest part of the fairway.
Tackling the 17th Hole
The 17th hole on the Old Course is, without a doubt, one of the most challenging, if not the most difficult, in golf.
You’ll begin by standing over your tee shot trying to direct the ball over the hotel, located between where you’re standing and the flag.
If you are like most golfers, the shot will stop in the rough to the left or in the bunker, or, if it veers right, it will settle on the roadway, thus posing one of two distinct obstacles.
If the ball goes left, you’ll have to deal with the rough. If this is the case, you should hit the ball back on the fairway, even if you have to aim your shot away from the pin.
If the ball lands in the road, on the right, and stops next to the wall, your best bet is to play a chip-and-run shot. However, be careful about the bounce.
If you run too long, your ball will settle in the rough, adjacent to the green.
At this point, the fairway narrows – considerably, making it different from the remaining course.
To execute a successful tee shot from this point, you need to focus on a defined target and aim for it. You will count your lucky stars if you obtain a bogey on this demanding hole.
The 14th Hole and and Staying Out of Hell Bunker
The devilishly difficult Hell Bunker is found at the fourteenth hole. It is located approximately 100 yards from the green and presents golfers with numerous challenges.
The 14th hole is a lengthy par 5 with a daunting tee shot, especially on windy days..
 If you think you can deliver the ball over the massive bunker with your second shot, just go for it. Getting stuck in Hell Bunder may happen.
During the 1995 Open, Jack Nicklaus needed four shots to get out of the obstacle before he finished with a 10.
Putting at St. Andrews
Expect to putt several times on each hole on The Old Course.
The massive greens feature twists and turns, which require a good deal of expertise to navigate. Many of the putts then will be close to 100 feet, requiring that you practice your lagging technique before you play on the links.Â
Therefore, you will want to make it your goal to shoot a respectable second putt so you realize a lower score. If you’re too short on the first putt, you will probably take a three put.
Therefore, learning to judge your lag putts is a must if you want to keep your score low.
