Golf history - St Andrews
The town's university was founded in 1413 and one of its first students, Sir Gilbert Hay, is probably the first person to use the word 'golf', in a poem dating back to 1460.
Roll back time to the year 1502 and King James lifted his notorious ban on golf. In 1504 he almost certainly played a round or two at St Andrews himself.
By 1754 there was a course of twelve holes at St Andrews, ten of which were played twice to deliver a total of twenty-two holes. The same year saw 22 noblemen, professors and landowners found the Society of St Andrews Golfers, an organisation that would ultimately become the precursor to the Royal and Ancient, the sport's governing body everywhere except the USA and Mexico.
The Royal and Ancient Golf Club built the New Course in 1895, designed by Old Tom Morris. They opened the 12 hole Jubilee course in 1897, extended to 18 holes in 1905. The Eden Course was opened in 1914 and the Strathtyrum in 1993. The nine-hole Balgove was completed in 1972 then remodelled in 1993, the same year the Strathtyrum Course was finished. And the Castle Course opened in 2008. These days all of St Andrews' public Links courses are operated by the St Andrews Links Trust.
Golf packages in St Andrews
The Experience St Andrews are past masters in providing luxury golf vacations, and our appointment as an Authorised Provider of Old Course Tee Times by St Andrews Links Trust means we can guarantee your golf break includes a round on the Old Course.
We also arrange special programs including our Father and Son tournament and Open Championship programs. All our St Andrews Golf packages can be customized to create your dream experience based on the courses you most want to conquer, the accommodation and the number of rounds you'd like to play.
Find out more or make your booking
If you'd like to know more about our St Andrews golf packages, feel free to contact us.