golfers
Links Trust Announces Changes
A week ago, the Links Trust, administrator of seven courses in St Andrews including the Old Course, announced that they were making a change to the daily ballot for play on the Old Course. It is a significant change. This from their press release:
10th Anniversary Contest-Click Here to Enter
2011 is the 10th anniversary for Monarchs House. Since opening our doors to golfers and non-golfers alike in 2001, we have hosted well over 200 groups and 1500 people. Our visitors have been families, couples, groups of eight men and groups of eight women. Remarkably, we haven’t advertised the house and all visitors have arrived as a result of the House’s reputation as the ideal setting for a St Andrews based holiday. 75% of the visitors are repeat guests.
Our 2010 Open Championship Memories
Watson Bids Farewell
Every five years, the Open Championship returns to St Andrews and the Old Course. As you might imagine, the town teems with visitors and brims with excitement. Patrons are 5 deep at the Dunvegan, a popular local restaurant and pub. And that’s on the pavement! Golfers, locals and visitors mix as one. There is no other place and no other event like it.
While on course drama was lacking in this year’s Open, we still took away many wonderful remembrances (and a few we would like to forget!). Here are some of our memories for the 2010 Open Championship:
- The Road Hole – The golfers proved why this hole, the 17th on the Old Course, is one of the most interesting and famous holes in golf. The lengthening of the hole only added .04 strokes this year versus 2005 but produced more words from scribes then anything else. To quote Shakespeare, it was ‘much ado about nothing.” The R&A deserve kudos for making the hole the centerpiece of the Open.
- Miguel Angel Jimenez – It seemed fitting to us that a Spaniard would find a way to execute a near impossible shot on the Road Hole (see video). Clearly, Jimenez paid attention to his countrymen, Ballesteros & Olazabal, the original wizards of shot making.
- Louis Oosthuizen’s surgical play to win the Open Championship – It wasn’t flashy but Oosthuizen did some things that allow one to win Major Championships. Oosthuizen hit 16 out of 16 fairways on Friday( while belting it an average of 330 yards ), the day the course closed for 66 minutes because of high winds. He 3 putt only twice on the Old Course’s colossal double greens. Congrats to Louis on his outstanding play to win the Open and for his opening remarks upon winning where he wished his former President, Nelson Mandela, a happy 92nd birthday. Color us impressed.
- Rory McIlroy’s opening round 63 - OK. His second round wasn’t pretty but his opening round score of 63 was pure dead brilliant. He hit 17 greens in regulation, had 1 eagle, 7 birdies and 10 pars. Flawless. But temporary. Fear not though, Rory is 21 and he will be back.
- Friday’s scoreboard – Hopefully we weren’t the only one who found the humour in the Scoreboard announcement of the course closure on Friday. “Play suspended because of high winds. LOL ” It is an Open after all.
- Tom Watson’s farewell – While he will likely play in more Open Championships, Tom Watson will be 65 years old when the Open returns to St Andrews. His walk down 18 on Friday night in the waning light was likely his goodbye to the Auld Grey Toon. Tom Watson, a 5 time winner of the Open Championship, will long be remembered in St Andrews. As an aside, it seemed to us a classy move by Justin Rose, Camilo Villegas & Tiger Woods to allow Watson to finish his round by waving him up as darkness began to set preventing Watson’s return the next morning to finish the last hole.
- The Weather – Just like St Andrews to deliver a little bit of every kind of weather imaginable. Perfect for an Open Championship.
- Arnold Palmer in town again – You know how we are about royalty and seeing the King in town puts a smile on everyone’s face. His visit coincided with the tournament but he was in St Andrews to receive an honourary degree from the University of St Andrews. The one thing we can tell you is this: the only other people to command attention like Arnold Palmer were John Kennedy and Winston Churchill. Powerful stuff indeed.
- The Old Course – Once again the Old Course was the biggest winner of all. It is a special place that everyone loves immediately or learns to love eventually. There are other great courses that make up the Open rota but nothing compares to the wonders of the Old Course (and St Andrews).
- John Daly’s attire – How can we view him as a contender again if he doesn’t take himself seriously?
Golf
IF YOU BELIEVE GOLF IS A RELIGION, WELCOME TO ITS SANCTUARY
St Andrews is a mystical experience that’s almost spiritual. The aura that permeates the air creates an unexplainable range of emotions. And the altar where you experience it all is the first tee of the Old Course. Step onto that sacred land and you now have a responsibility. Not to necessarily play well. But, to respect all those who have gone before you.
As you tee up your first ball you’ll hear 600 hundred years of drives. Approach shots. Pitches. Chips. And putts. You’ll experience 600 years of winds. Sea mist. Clouds. Rain. And more often than not, sun. 600 hundred years of emotions and history. And by the simple act of swinging your driver, you become a part of it all.
GOLF AROUND ST ANDREWS
There’s more to golf at St Andrews than the Old Course. Today golf in St Andrews is played on 11 courses. Each has its own history, challenges and charm. Each has its own ability to conjure up the spirits of all who preceded you. Six of the courses at St Andrews; Old Course, New Course, Jubilee Course, Castle Course, Eden Course, Strathtyrum Course and Balgove Course are part of the St Andrews Links and are open to the public.
As there are more courses per capita in Scotland than anywhere in the world, gold in Scotland is not limited to St Andrews. You can find 60 championship courses within one hour’s drive, including the likes of Gleneagles and Carnoustie. Turnberry and Royal Dornoch are further away but reached by luxury coach or helicopter. Two hidden gems that are but a short thirty minute drive from Monarchs House are Crail Balcomie and Golf House Club, better known as Elie. Both are inspiring 18 hole links courses with spectacular views of Edinburgh and East Lothian over the Firth of Forth.
Many have visited St Andrews over the years. Whether it is the trip of a lifetime or an annual pilgrimage. But, now for those staying at Monarchs House, St Andrews is more than a vacation, escape or dream. It’s home at the home of golf.
Sample Golf Itinerary
One of the services included with a Monarchs House let is constructing and booking your golf itinerary. As a result, we are frequently asked to give our opinion on the definitive Scottish golfing itinerary. While we are not the hem and haw type, we also know that the answer is not the answer most golfers are waiting to hear. When a group of golfers first approach the idea of playing golf at the Home of Golf, their inclination is to line up all of the courses that they have heard about without considering the geography of the itinerary. Scotland’s land mass covers over 30,000 square miles and while the country’s infrastructure is far above average, driving can still take considerably longer than it might in the United States. Trips that are arranged to cover Scotland’s most notable courses are trips that are spent in an automobile.
Before we get into specific itineraries, let’s look at the courses themselves. This table shows the primary list of courses that most people think about when playing golf in Scotland. Undoubtedly, this is a great list of courses and with the exception of Kingsbarns, all have hosted an Open Championship at one time or another. It’s no wonder why everyone wants to play them. The question then becomes, is this a practical itinerary? The answer is, it is certainly doable. But what you need to ask yourself is, do you want to spend 9 hours and 30 minutes (more if you return to a central location) in a car during your week’s holiday? My guess is you’d do it and at week’s end you would need another holiday.
We think the most practical way to look at golf in Scotland is to break the country down into golfing regions. Then you can look at the density of golf courses by region and better plan the trip of a lifetime. You may not get to everywhere on your list on the first try but guaranteed you will return to your home with a new list of places for your friends to visit and you won’t be exhausted from driving to the ends of the earth.
(Double Click for a clearer picture)
There’s no doubt one could break down Scotland’s golfing regions differently than we did but let’s start here for the sake of argument. We have roughly drawn five regions where there is a significant density of golf courses. Take a look at the map. Regions A, B & C are fertile territory for golf and all of the above courses are in one of those regions. Our suggestion for first time visitors is for you to stay in St Andrews if at all possible (of course, we are biased). Is it more expensive? Yes. Is it worth it? A thousand fold yes. If you are staying in St Andrews, you can take one road trip and it won’t ruin the vacation. All other regions are well within reach.
When planning a trip, try to play some of the Open Championship rota courses as above but also sprinkle in a course or two with historic significance and 1 or 2 hidden gems.
The table below shows the some of other notable courses in Scotland by region. Include any of these in your road trip within the region you are staying for guaranteed results.
COURSE REGION
Machrahanish A
Western Gailes A
Glasgow Gailes A
Dundonald A
Kilmarnock (Barassie) A
Irvine A
North Berwick West B
Dunbar B
Gullane I & II B
Musselburgh (Old) B
Braid Hills (No. 1) B
Crail (Balcomie) C
Elie (Golf House Club) C
Lundin Links C
Downfield C
St Andrews (New) C
St Andrews (Castle) C
Montrose (Medal) C
Panmure C
Royal Aberdeen D
Murcar D
Cruden Bay D
Fraserburgh (Corbie) D
Peterhead (Old) D
Grantown-on-Spey E
Royal Dornoch E
Nairn E
Brora E
Moray (Old) E
Boat of Garten E
Tain E
Fortrose & Rosemarkie E
Have a look at this sample itinerary for a recent stay at Monarchs House. It is by no means definitive but represents the group’s interest. We can tailor your trip any way that you would like.
By no means is this the definitive list of golf in Scotland.There are plenty more courses for you to discover. This is a guideline if nothing else. We know all of these courses well and can tell you this: you will be warmly welcomed, play a challenging round of golf and never forget your experience. What more could you possibly want?
About Monarchs House
Monarchs House
Monarchs House is an elegant, freestanding stone residence built at the mid-19th century in the heart of St. Andrews. Completely refurbished, restored and improved, the house offers very sophisticated comfort while retaining its air of old-fashioned charming Scottish hospitality.
Guests are warmly welcomed by Monarchs’ experienced staff, which looks after every need. By prior arrangement, our staff will customise your trip, including (but not limited to) arranging golf tee times, caddies, ground transportation, fishing, hunting, touring, whisky tastings, woolen mill excursions, falconry or anything else you desire.
The house is staffed with a gourmet chef, maid service, servers and a general manager. Their attention to detail will make all the difference for the discriminating traveler.
Groups of up to eight guests will enjoy the privacy and ease the house affords. Experience the ultimate, all inclusive Scottish vacation. All you need to do is purchase a plane ticket, everything else will be arranged for you.
Download a pdf version of our ebrochure by clicking here.
While man’s battle against himself is undoubtedly at the heart of golf’s abiding appeal, the setting in which it is played is for most golfers, one of the most wonderful things about it.
Herbert Wind
