Monarchs House Drawing Room
Every year after the Open Championship is played on the Old Course in St Andrews, there is renewed interest in the town and all it has to offer. Our experience at Monarchs House only extends to 2001, after Tiger Woods won the Championship and in 2006, after Woods repeated in 2005. Our booking diary was chock-a-block then and early indications suggest that if you want to come to St Andrews and stay at Monarchs in 2011, it is time to book now.
Monarchs House is your turn-key solution for golf or touring. The price for a Saturday to Saturday let is $13,500 for 8 people. This price has held steady for 4 years and includes breakfast, 3 dinners, your first bar-setup and the services of our General Manager, Kevin Low. Kevin will arrange your golf, caddies, transportation, dinners outside of Monarchs or anything else you may need. While these “extra” are not included in the weekly price, the headache of planning a trip is not yours.
We hope to see you in the Auld Grey Toun in 2011. Slainte. 
On September 2, 2010, the Links Trust, administrator for the Old Course and 6 other St Andrews’ links, announced that 2011 demand for advance Old Course tee times was at a record setting level. If you’re thinking of a trip to Scotland, we would encourage that you book early.
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?
Recently, we welcomed our first residents of 2010 at Monarchs House. It was a group lead by Boston-based Bryan Anderson, Tom Baxter and Bill Maffie. This triumvirate were deeply involved in the planning process and decided to visit St Andrews in April.
We talked to Bill about why the group chose the month of April, not considered high season for the area. He said,
A lot of our thinking revolved around weather and the ability to get on the courses we wanted to play. We figured that while school was still in session and it was early in the year, golf tourists would be at a minimum. It worked exactly as planned. We played the “Old” and all of the other great courses on our list.
But what about the weather?
It was fantastic. We had a little bit of everything but mostly it was blue skies and warm. It was like we dialed it in.
Bryan Anderson was sold on Monarchs House and St Andrews. He remarked,
I want to make this an annual pilgrimage. I have talked to the guys and everyone agrees that this was the most enjoyable trip ever.
Bryan, we appreciate the kind words and would be delighted to welcome you any time. Most of our residents are repeat visitors, some staying with us bi-annually.
Visit Monarchs House, your home at the home of golf.
From L-R: Mike Charland, Dan Pimental, Bill Maffie, Monarchs House Chef Kevin Low, Curtis Mueller, JR McDonald, Bryan Anderson, Tom Baxter
As a lad, David Forgan of St Andrews was a fine golfer but before the age of sixteen, he chased his older brother, James, to Nova Scotia. Ultimately, he moved west to settle in Chicago where his newly honed banking skills led him to become the President of National City Bank in 1907. Forgan’s expertise was such that he was often asked to give speeches about banking but it was his speech at the Chicago Golf Club awards dinner in 1899 about golf (soon after Forgan won the Western Amateur) that has never been forgotten.
Forgan’s Golfer’s Creed, for us at Monarchs House, encapsulates everything one would want to know about the wonderful game of golf. We would like to share it with you here.
Golf is a science, the study of a lifetime, in which you may exhaust yourself, but never your subject. It is a contest, a duel, or a melee, calling for courage, skill, strategy and self-control. It is a test of temper, a trial of honour, a revealer of character. It affords a chance to play the man and act the gentleman. It means going into God’s out-of-doors, getting close to nature, fresh air, exercise, a sweeping away of mental cobwebs, genuine recreation of tired tissues. It is a cure for care, an antidote to worry. It includes companionship for friends, social intercourse, opportunities for courtesy, kindliness and generosity to an opponent. It promotes not only physical health but moral force.
It is as true today as the day Forgan spoke these words over 110 years ago.
Forgan Family Golf Works of St Andrews circa 1900
Bald Eagle Falconry
If you cannot live with golf alone, St Andrews and the surrounding area offers an endless array of outdoor activities from relaxing to challenging. Whether you prefer to be on foot, horseback, wheels or water, Monarchs House can set stage for your favourite pastime or perhaps introduce you to a new one.
Our guests have walked the Fife Coast Path, a 150 kilometer seaside path. We have also arranged ghillies (a Scottish fishing guide) for those wanting to try their hand at fly fishing in Scotland. Guests have also off-roaded in 4x4s and quad bikes, shot skeet and clay pigeons, tried their hand (arm really) at falconry and so much more. You might prefer to walk the West Sands Beach and experience its breathtaking shoreline and massive tide.
Horseback on the West Sands
If you want to visit some of Scotland’s historically significant sites, we have dedicated an entire tab for you under activities. In short, if you are thinking of a visit to Scotland and St Andrews, we can keep you as busy as you want to be or provide the perfect setting for a relaxing holiday.
18th green at Kingsbarns
Michael Murphy’s masterpiece novel, Golf in the Kingdom, struck a nerve 30+ years ago and has been recognized since as a classic work on the deeper mysteries of the game. It will come as no surprise then that the book is based in The Kingdom of Fife. As Golf in the Kingdom‘s protagonist, Shivas Irons, had his life transformed in a single day and night so too will a first or many time visitor to St Andrews. St Andrews, as the home of golf, feels like it has gravitational pull. Its acres of green golf space in the center of town is like no other place. The surrounding stone buildings look down upon centuries of golf history. Being here, you know that you are but a paragraph in this history but the fact that you are included is somehow gratifying. St Andrews is that type of place. You feel the same way throughout Fife, the kingdom, and Scotland. You sense that the only thing missing until that point in history was you. And now you are here.
Aerial view of the 1st and 18th of the Old Course
The history of golf in St Andrews began humbly enough 550+ years ago as an open field that encompassed the land where the Old Course is currently situated. Today, there are 11 golf courses in St Andrews. The newest, The Castle Course, is located but a mile from the first tee of the Old Course on the bluffs of St Andrews Bay. The Torrance and Kittocks Courses are located minutes away on the same cliffs and the award winning, Kingsbarns, is just down the road before one enters Crail. The Dukes Course has been recently redesigned and member and visitor alike rave about the changes. The New Course was designed by the patriarch of the first family of golf, Old Tom Morris, and opened in 1895. Its brilliance is often overlooked because of the shine from its next door neighbour, the Old Course. You also couldn’t go wrong at all with the Eden, Jubilee, Strathtyrum and Balgove Courses, all part of the Links Trust, a charitable organisation established in 1974 by an Act of Parliament and entrusted with the operation and maintenance of the golf courses and facilities on the Links. As for the surrounding area of Fife, it possesses 60 championship courses that offer a mix of traditional links and classic parkland golf to suit all standards and tastes. Guests staying at the luxuriously appointed Monarchs House will be transferred to the courses of their choice either by coach, taxi or helicopter. After golf, they will return to Monarchs for dinner, relax in front of the fire with a few single malts and retell the day’s stories.
Monarchs House works diligently to secure tee times for our guests that are subject to availability and day light hours.
The rest is up to you.
The 12th at Kingsbarns
Golf Week Magazine just released their list of the greatest modern and classic golf courses in Great Britain and Ireland. Leading the way on the modern list is Kingsbarns. And the number two course on the classic list is the Old Course in St Andrews (trails Royal County Down of Northern Ireland). Nine courses from both lists are no further than 30 minutes away from the front door at Monarchs House.
If you are planning your 2010 trip to Scotland, there is no better base camp than St Andrews. And no better place to call home than Monarchs House – your home at the home of golf.
Have you made your plans to come to Scotland in 2010 yet? Monarchs House is now taking reservations for the new season.
If you haven’t been in awhile, there are new courses to play. The Castle Course, featured to the left, is just a mile from Monarchs House and is the 12th course in St Andrews. The course everyone is talking about is the Highland gem, Castle Stuart. Read the review of the new course by downloading here.
If golf isn’t your primary concern, visit for the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. The Edinburgh Festival Fringe is the biggest arts festival in the world, with something for everyone: theatre, comedy, music, dance, exhibitions and much more. Or come instead for the Edinburgh Military Tattoo. Against the backdrop of Edinburgh Castle, the world’s most spectacular Tattoo will host a celebration of talent from four continents including pipers, gymnasts, singers, dancers and an amazing motorcycle display team.
There is truly something for everyone and we at Monarchs would be delighted to host you.
Monarchs House's Chef Kevin Low
Kevin Low has been the chef at Monarchs House since we opened in 2001. And if well over a thousand visitors to Monarchs House are to be trusted, Kevin is St Andrews’ best chef. Naturally, we wholeheartedly agree but it is his demeanor, in addition to his cooking, that makes Kevin such a pleasure to be around. He is as equally quick with a smile as he is with a whisk.
Over the years, Monarchs House has hosted many visitors during the holidays and that will be the case again this year. Thanksgiving is solely a US holiday but on many occasions, Kevin has prepared a beautiful Thanksgiving meal for our visitors. We asked Kevin to share his menu for this Thanksgiving at Monarchs. What do you think?
Thanksgiving – Thursday, 26 November 2009, Monarchs House – St Andrews
Rocket Salad with Oranges, Pomegranate seeds and goats cheese
Orange and Mustard Basted Turkey
Served with Apple Cider-Mustard Gravy and Apple and Sage Stuffing,
Maple Butternut Squash Puree
Peas and Turnips with Scottish Back Bacon and Dill Butter
Cranberry Sauce with Dried Apricots and Cardamon
Sticky Toffee Pudding and Caramel Sauce
Everyone who journeys to Scotland for golf, whether for the 1st time or the 50th time, is keen on playing the Old Course in St. Andrews. And who can blame them. It is the ultimate golf destination for the golf aficionado. This is the home of golf and a place where you can play a circuit that has regularly hosted the (British) Open Championship since Tom Kidd won there in 1873. Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus and James Braid have each won the Open twice in St Andrews. Palmer won two Open Championships in a row but a life regret was that neither win took place at the Old Course. Bobby Jones won there as an amateur in 1927 and remarked later:
…although I have played it many, many times, its charm for me increases with every round. The more I study the Old Course, the more I love it, and the more I love it, the more I study it.
This is the charm of the Old Course. The average golfer can walk in the footsteps of the great and near great. While you cannot take a swing at a 95 mile an hour fastball at Yankee Stadium or volley for serve at Wimbledon, the Old Course is open to the rich and poor, men and women, young and old. It is one of the reasons why everyone wants to play there at least once. For first time players, there is nothing like the feeling that washes over you as you stand on the first tee preparing to strike your inaugural shot on the Old Course. (Oddly, professionals will tell you that they feel the same “giddiness,” awe and sense of history.)
Since Scotland is all about the democratization of golf, the administrators of the Old Course (The Links Trust) implemented a system that gives everyone a fair and equitable opportunity to get a tee time. While your chances improve if you are local St Andrean, a member of the Royal & Ancient Golf Club (or another club in town), a resident of the county or serving at the military base in neighboring Leuchars, everyone is subject to a lottery of sorts. If for example, you submit your group’s name on the first Wednesday in September for the previous year you wish to play, that grouping goes in a bucket for a drawing at near year end. Also, there is a daily lottery, or ballot, for next day play. You submit your request by 2 P.M. the day before play. If you are a single or twosome, get up early to visit the starter. He will tell you if there’s any chance of playing. Your odds are very good but likely will require a wait. A quick note, don’t bother trying to grease the skids with the starters. It’s more likely to set you back. If money is no object and you positively must play the Old Course, call the Old Course Experience. They will get you on the course but prepare for great expense. Lastly, your concierge or General Manager sometimes has slots that he or she may be able to help you with but prepare for a hit or miss experience.
Good luck in your quest to play the Old Course. If you arrive in Scotland with a flexible itinerary, there is a good chance that you can get a slot. If you don’t…there are eleven other courses in town and 65 other championship courses within an hour ride. Try again the next day. This is where a stay at Monarchs House will help.
