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Scotland is extensively thought-about the ‘House of Golf’, so it’s no
shock that the oldest golf programs on the planet are just about all discovered
there. That stated, most oldest programs lists will differ as to when the membership was
first based, as that’s usually contested.
Nonetheless, what we do have on this weblog are 10 of probably the most fascinating and, in some circumstances, iconic golf courses and holes on the planet.
The programs on this listing have stood the check of time and are all deserving of a go to when you’re ever ‘north of the border’.
What are the oldest golf programs?
Old Course, St Andrews
Opened: 1552
Location: Fife
Inexperienced price: £320
That is extensively thought-about the oldest course on the planet, and
many additionally deem it the very best. It’s additionally thought that golf was performed right here effectively
earlier than 1552, but it surely was then that the townspeople of St Andrews got the
proper to play on the now iconic hallowed floor.
The Previous Course has many quirks—it options seven double
greens, all of which add as much as 14 (e.g., the 4th and 14th sit collectively), extra
landmarks and well-known bunkers than another course, and has additionally held extra
Opens than another course (30).
Its most well-known gap stays the 17th, the Highway Gap, which is performed over a railway shed earlier than a inexperienced that sits simply in entrance of a highway. Within the fashionable period, each Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods have received two Opens on the Previous Course. It turned generally known as the Previous Course after the opening of the New Course in 1895.
Montrose
Opened: 1562
Location: Angus
Inexperienced price: £150
There are two programs at Montrose, with the ‘1562 Course’
the elder of the 2. The lesser-known Broomfield Course affords a shorter
par-67 structure. The primary course sits comfortably inside the highest 100 programs in
Scotland, and components of it are the very definition of a rugged hyperlinks.
The holes that run alongside the coast are probably the most spectacular, and the deep bunkers, fast-running turf, wind, and excellent greens make it a worthwhile go to. Carnoustie is just 20 miles away, too.
Elie
Opened: 1589
Location: Fife
Inexperienced price: £135
You received’t meet many golfers who’ve performed at Elie and didn’t
fall in love with the previous hyperlinks. It lies simply 12 miles from St Andrews and
makes for a beautiful accompaniment to any journey to this nook of Fife.
The opening blind tee shot is performed from the shadow of the
submarine periscope above the starter’s hut and affords one of many course’s
signature photographs straight off the bat.
5-time Open champion Peter Thomson described Elie as ‘quirky and probably the most gratifying course I do know. If I had my approach, I’d construct Elies everywhere in the world.’ There aren’t any par 5s right here.
Musselburgh Links
Opened: 1672
Location: East Lothian
Inexperienced price: £23.60
The Previous Golf Course, which sits contained in the racecourse, has
held six Opens and is usually the forgotten stage for the Claret Jug in any quiz.
There are 9 holes right here (it was initially a seven-holer earlier than two extra had been
added in 1874 and 1889).
It was as soon as considered the oldest golf course earlier than that title fell to St Andrews. It stays sensible worth, although, and must you go to it, you need to positively make the most of the hickory golf equipment on supply that can assist you see it because it was initially laid out.
Fortrose and Rosemarkie
Opened: 1793
Location: Highlands
Inexperienced price: £95
Golf could effectively have been performed right here earlier within the century, however
we’ll choose 1793 for the aim of this listing. The course lies on a slim
peninsula, Chanonry Level, and every thing is squeezed right into a small parcel of
land— none extra so than the par-5 4th, which heads in direction of the
lighthouse.
All however three of the par 4s are underneath 400 yards, and plenty of of them supply the chance to tackle the inexperienced. The placing surfaces are small and delicate, so making an attempt to find them is loads of enjoyable. That is one other structure that has withstood the check of time, and in the present day, it stays a enjoyable however testing problem.
Kingsbarns
Yr opened: 1793
Location: Fife
Inexperienced price: £374
Kingsbarns is simply seven miles alongside the coast from St
Andrews and is without doubt one of the most interesting and most gratifying golf programs on the planet.
Golf has been performed right here for hundreds of years but it surely was shut at
the beginning of WW2, and work on the present structure solely started in 1997 underneath
designer Kyle Phillips, earlier than opening three years later.
Since then, it has obtained worldwide acclaim, internet hosting the Dunhill Hyperlinks yearly alongside the Previous Course and Carnoustie, and it additionally held the Ladies’s Open in 2017. A lot of the allure of this place is that you may see the North Sea from practically each spot, and it boasts so many iconic holes. The par-5 12th is without doubt one of the best holes wherever on the planet, whereas the brief 15th is almost definitely probably the most photographed.
Scotscraig
Opened: 1817
Location: Fife
Inexperienced price: £100
Scotscraig is without doubt one of the few golf golf equipment on the planet which
has been in a position to rejoice its bicentenary. It was based by the St Andrews
Society of Golfers, which might develop into the Royal and Historical Golf Membership, as they
needed to play extra golf than simply the occasional society assembly.
Whereas near the Previous Course, this presents a really completely different check, with a mixture of heathland, hyperlinks, and parkland. To provide you an concept of how good Scotscraig is, it has staged Open qualifying six instances in recent times and it’s a welcome addition to guests within the space.
North Berwick West Links
Opened: 1832
Location: East Lothian
Inexperienced price: £285
Solely St Andrews has performed golf repeatedly over the identical
course for longer, and plenty of regard North Berwick West Hyperlinks as a special model
of the Previous Course.
It begins and ends by the clubhouse with the ultimate tee shot
being performed, just like the Previous Course, with a row of automobiles flanking the best aspect
of the green. There’s additionally the possibility to complete with an enormous hurrah by discovering
the inexperienced and placing for an eagle. In between are some really spectacular
holes, most noticeably the 13th, Pit, the place the strategy is performed
over a wall earlier than transferring on to the world-famous 15th Redan, which has been copied at many programs.
It is a frequent host to Closing Qualifying and one other course to characteristic extremely in any World Prime 100.
Carnoustie
Opened: 1842
Location: Angus
Inexperienced price: £222
There aren’t any fewer than three programs on the property at
Carnoustie, however the Championship Course is the oldest and finest recognized.
Eight Opens have been performed over these well-known hyperlinks, the primary in 1931 and the newest in 2018, when Francesco Molinari prevailed. In between, we’ve seen the likes of Ben Hogan, Gary Participant, Tom Watson, Paul Lawrie, and Padraig Harrington choose up the Claret Jug right here.
Lawrie’s win on residence soil stays possibly the best-known due
to Jean van de Velde’s horrible end in 1999. On per week the place the scoring was
not possible, the Frenchman got here to the 72nd gap
needing only a double-bogey to win The Open. He would ultimately rise up and
down from the sand to make a three-way play-off. It’s extensively considered certainly one of
the hardest Open layouts, with a very robust end the place the Barry
Burn can usually play havoc.
The Ladies’s Open has additionally visited this nook of Angus twice.
Monifieth Links
Opened: 1845
Location: Angus
Inexperienced price: £125
There are 36 holes of ‘hyperlinks heaven’ right here, with the Medal
Course the best-known, the opposite being The Ashludie. The early holes are performed
alongside the Aberdeen to London railway line, and the course sits simply down
from close by Carnoustie. Panmure additionally started life right here earlier than transferring to its
present residence in 1899.
That is one other real hyperlinks with fast-running fairways, a prevailing wind from the Firth of Tay, gorse, intelligent bunkering, and sensible greens. Monifieth would rank someplace across the center of most Prime 100 Scottish rankings.
After all, golf does additionally exist outdoors of Scotland
(though this listing might need made you’re feeling in any other case!) The oldest golf programs
elsewhere embrace Royal North Devon in England (1864), Tenby in Wales (1875),
and Royal Curragh in Eire (1852).
On the continent, France’s Pau Golf Membership boasts the oldest course, having been based in 1856.
*Inexperienced charges on this weblog are based mostly on peak summer season charges and should range.
A few of the oldest golf programs on the planet are nonetheless going robust and obtainable to go to and play in the present day. In case you play golf recurrently, wherever you’re, you may wish to take into account defending your self and your gear with specialist golf insurance.
With Golf Care, insurance policies embrace Gear Cowl as much as £7,500, Public Legal responsibility of as much as £10m, and Private Accident Cowl as much as £50,000. Get a quote on-line in the present day.
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