hugh c. mcbride
St. Andrews, Scotland
Many have fallen in love
with 'cradle of golf'
Many have fallen in love
with 'cradle of golf'
Story & photos by Hugh C. McBride
Though often caricatured as old-moneyed, close-minded duffers clad in outfits that would make a test pattern weep, golfers are actually a decidedly disparate lot.
From private club members with thousand-dollar drivers and personal caddies to bargain-bin hackers who sneak onto public courses with hand-me-down clubs, the game’s aficionados defy any stereotype save a passion that to outsiders appears akin to an obsession.
But from the most austere clubhouse to the shabbiest publinks parking lot, there are two words that are guaranteed to put a lump in the throat of any serious golfer: St. Andrews.
As Jack Nicklaus observed after arriving there for the first time in 1964, “To come to St. Andrews for the first time is to fall in love at first sight.”
A bucolic Scottish town on the windblown banks of the Firth of Forth, the “Auld Grey Toon” is, quite simply, hallowed ground for anyone who knows that a mashie niblick doesn’t come with a side of haggis.
The cradle of golf
Ironically, the earliest recorded mention of golf is a March 6, 1457, edict from King James II that officially banned “ye golf” on the grounds that an obsession with the sport was distracting the royal archers from their much needed practice. This ban lasted until 1502, when James IV bought a set of clubs from a bow maker in Perth.
Though St. Andrews was the site of neither the ban on golf (which was issued in Edinburgh) nor its repeal, the city is widely acknowledged as the cradle of the sport.
James IV bought another set of clubs there in 1506, and a 1552 charter established the right of townspeople to play golf on the city’s links (which at that time were also home to Archbishop John Hamilton’s rabbit warren).
1754 saw the formation of the Society of St. Andrews Golfers, the organization that would, among other contributions to the game, establish 18 holes as the standard round of golf. In 1834, the society changed its name to the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews, which is what it continues to be called today.
Though often caricatured as old-moneyed, close-minded duffers clad in outfits that would make a test pattern weep, golfers are actually a decidedly disparate lot.
From private club members with thousand-dollar drivers and personal caddies to bargain-bin hackers who sneak onto public courses with hand-me-down clubs, the game’s aficionados defy any stereotype save a passion that to outsiders appears akin to an obsession.
But from the most austere clubhouse to the shabbiest publinks parking lot, there are two words that are guaranteed to put a lump in the throat of any serious golfer: St. Andrews.
As Jack Nicklaus observed after arriving there for the first time in 1964, “To come to St. Andrews for the first time is to fall in love at first sight.”
A bucolic Scottish town on the windblown banks of the Firth of Forth, the “Auld Grey Toon” is, quite simply, hallowed ground for anyone who knows that a mashie niblick doesn’t come with a side of haggis.
The cradle of golf
Ironically, the earliest recorded mention of golf is a March 6, 1457, edict from King James II that officially banned “ye golf” on the grounds that an obsession with the sport was distracting the royal archers from their much needed practice. This ban lasted until 1502, when James IV bought a set of clubs from a bow maker in Perth.
Though St. Andrews was the site of neither the ban on golf (which was issued in Edinburgh) nor its repeal, the city is widely acknowledged as the cradle of the sport.
James IV bought another set of clubs there in 1506, and a 1552 charter established the right of townspeople to play golf on the city’s links (which at that time were also home to Archbishop John Hamilton’s rabbit warren).
1754 saw the formation of the Society of St. Andrews Golfers, the organization that would, among other contributions to the game, establish 18 holes as the standard round of golf. In 1834, the society changed its name to the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews, which is what it continues to be called today.
|
|
|
A golfer hits an approach shot from the second fairway on the historic Old Course in St. Andrews, Scotland.
[Top] Jack Nicklaus and Tom Watson (seated, right), their partners and caddies pause for photos on the 18th fairway during a practice round for the 2005 British Open.
[Bottom] Nicklaus putts out on the 18th green during a practice round for the 2005 British Open.
[Bottom] Nicklaus putts out on the 18th green during a practice round for the 2005 British Open.
Double click to edit
Among other highlights contained in the archives of the St. Andrews Links Trust are accounts of the “Rabbit Wars” of 1805 (which began after a local court granted players the right to kill the animals if they interfered with their games), the construction of the Royal & Ancient clubhouse in 1854, and the first Open Championship contested on the city’s Old Course in 1873.
Sadly, no mention survives of the first person to pair plaid plus-fours with a tri-colored striped shirt.
A global attraction
Today, St. Andrews attracts golf pilgrims from across the globe. The Royal & Ancient has expanded considerably from its days of cohabitating with rabbits, and now features five 18-hole courses and one 9-holer - all of
which, including the legendary Old Course, are open for public play.
To fill the downtime between rounds, the city also houses the British Golf Museum, as well as a number of golf-themed stores - including the Tom Morris Golf Shop, named after the city’s legendary linksman and located a chip shot away from the Old Course’s 18th green.
The town isn’t completely golf-obsessed (this isn’t Disney’s Wonderful World of Links, after all), but the undercurrent does exist: For example, from June 23 to July 23, the Byre Theatre of St. Andrews offered nightly stagings of “Golf: The Musical.”
For those who aren’t completely enthralled with the game, St. Andrews is also home to a botanic garden and the ruins of a castle and a cathedral - the latter of which was consecrated in 1347 with a ceremony attended by Robert the Bruce.
A city museum documents the area’s history from medieval days to modern times, and a number of pubs, cafes and restaurants offer refreshing drinks, energizing snacks and filling meals.
And even if your idea of an ideal walk doesn’t involve stops on 18 greens and tee boxes, don’t count St. Andrews out. The city offers picturesque treks both along its coast and through the town itself.
Getting there
There’s no airport in St. Andrews, and the train hasn’t stopped there since just before Neil Armstrong set foot on the moon - but that doesn’t mean you can’t get there from here. ScotRail stops in nearby Leuchars(about an hour on the train from Edinburgh, an hour and 45 minutes from Glasgow), and a 10-minute bus ride from the station will take you almost to the first tee.
As the entire city can be traversed within an hour - and the locals are generally exceedingly helpful with directions and advice - getting around is about as hassle-free as touring an unfamiliar place for the first time can be.
[This feature originally appeared in the Aug. 2, 2005, edition of The Citizen.]
Sadly, no mention survives of the first person to pair plaid plus-fours with a tri-colored striped shirt.
A global attraction
Today, St. Andrews attracts golf pilgrims from across the globe. The Royal & Ancient has expanded considerably from its days of cohabitating with rabbits, and now features five 18-hole courses and one 9-holer - all of
which, including the legendary Old Course, are open for public play.
To fill the downtime between rounds, the city also houses the British Golf Museum, as well as a number of golf-themed stores - including the Tom Morris Golf Shop, named after the city’s legendary linksman and located a chip shot away from the Old Course’s 18th green.
The town isn’t completely golf-obsessed (this isn’t Disney’s Wonderful World of Links, after all), but the undercurrent does exist: For example, from June 23 to July 23, the Byre Theatre of St. Andrews offered nightly stagings of “Golf: The Musical.”
For those who aren’t completely enthralled with the game, St. Andrews is also home to a botanic garden and the ruins of a castle and a cathedral - the latter of which was consecrated in 1347 with a ceremony attended by Robert the Bruce.
A city museum documents the area’s history from medieval days to modern times, and a number of pubs, cafes and restaurants offer refreshing drinks, energizing snacks and filling meals.
And even if your idea of an ideal walk doesn’t involve stops on 18 greens and tee boxes, don’t count St. Andrews out. The city offers picturesque treks both along its coast and through the town itself.
Getting there
There’s no airport in St. Andrews, and the train hasn’t stopped there since just before Neil Armstrong set foot on the moon - but that doesn’t mean you can’t get there from here. ScotRail stops in nearby Leuchars(about an hour on the train from Edinburgh, an hour and 45 minutes from Glasgow), and a 10-minute bus ride from the station will take you almost to the first tee.
As the entire city can be traversed within an hour - and the locals are generally exceedingly helpful with directions and advice - getting around is about as hassle-free as touring an unfamiliar place for the first time can be.
[This feature originally appeared in the Aug. 2, 2005, edition of The Citizen.]
Except where otherwise indicated, all text & images on this site copyright © Hugh C. McBride, 2001-2011.
For information about this site e-mail hcm@hughcmcbride.com.
For information about this site e-mail hcm@hughcmcbride.com.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |