Were it not for the proximity of its more illustrious and ancient neighbour, many experts feel that the Open Championships – as well as many other major golfing events – would have been fought out here, the world's oldest and most challenging 'new' course. It may be relatively new, but it has an extraordinary reputation for excellence.
The layout was based on the traditional out and back routing, and among its most famous features are the shared fairways and a double green at the 3rd and 15th holes.
About New Course, St Andrews – A short history
- The New Course is, in fact, the oldest new course in the world
- The Edinburgh engineer W. Hall Blyth designed the course, with layout by Old Tom Morris
- Construction was funded by the Royal and Ancient Golf Club
- New Course opened for play in April 1895
- It was built to handle overflow demand for tee time on the Old Course, but soon gained a great international reputation all of its own
- New Course provides a classic test of links golf at its finest
- The R&A was given the right to specific starting times on the New Course, enshrined by an Act of Parliament in 1894 and the precursor of the 1974 Act which still sets out how the links are run
- There's a traditional out and back layout, with the 18th green to the right of the first tee
- Golf World have rated it 38th in their top 100 British courses
St Andrew’s New Course Information
- Caddies Available: Available on request and subject to availability
- Golf Trollies Available: Powered and manual trollies available on request
- Golf Buggies Available: Available for seniors over the age of 65 or golfers with a medical certificate. Subject to availability
- Practice Facilities: Driving range, putting green and short game area
- Dress Code: Appropriate golfing attire while on the course, smart/casual in the clubhouse
- Soft spikes required
New Course scorecard
View The New Course scorecard
Featured hole – Hole 3
Hole three presents your first big challenge, a 511 yard par 5 with pot bunkers lining the fairway. Those on the right side are the most challenging and there's a beast at 211 yards to your left, which means you need to pull off a nice, straight tee shot. Assuming you manage that, there are two bunkers at 275 yards. And the wind here is a worthy adversary all of its own, howling behind you to create a drive that would normally travel 225 yards but can easily roll out to 275.
Known for particularly tough homeward holes
The New Course is known and loved for its really well designed greenside and fairway bunkers, plus a series of genuinely difficult homeward holes. The undulating fairways and deep greens make the course a classic links and, just like the Old Course, it has a habit of looking deceptively simple, especially when the sun is high. In reality, it's tougher than the Old Course. Low light at sunrise and sunset reveal the course's countless fiendish folds, wrinkles, and rolls. Add plenty of gorse and it's one of the trickiest courses around.
St Andrews New Course Golf Vacations
At The Experience St Andrews, we provide some of the At Par 71 and 6,625 yards, with 18 holes, the New Course at St Andrews is often referred to as the world-famous links' best kept secret. Designed by Tom Morris in 1895, it's an undulating course similar in character to the Old Course, with with driving range facilities in the nearby St Andrews Links Golf Academy., with exceptional play and luxury accommodation at all the St Andrews courses. It's an experience to treasure, the ultimate golf trip to Scotland.
Featured St Andrews New Course Package:
St Andrews 5 Night Golf Package - Five rounds of golf and five nights’ accommodation in a choice of 4* or 5* hotels. Includes play on four St Andrews courses, including the spectacular New Course, as well as one guaranteed round at the Old Course. Discover More >