St Andrews Links
Coordinates: 56 ° 21 ′ 5 ″ N , 2 ° 49 ′ 5 ″ W.
The St Andrews Links are one of the greatest golf courses in the world and are in St Andrews , Scotland . They are known as the home of golf ("Home of Golf"), although this name is also common for the city itself.
history
The first mention of the St Andrews Links dates back to 1552 when Archbishop John Hamilton guaranteed the population in a decree the free use of the links, explicitly also for golf, and at the same time secured all rights to the rabbit population. This decree was subsequently confirmed several times by other archbishops and in 1726 a William Gibbs received permission to breed rabbits in the dunes, provided that the golf course would not be damaged. However, it was precisely this feared damage that occurred towards the end of the century, so that in the so-called "Rabbit Wars", golfers, also supported by a court decision of 1805, resorted to self-help. Shortly before, in 1797, due to financial difficulties, the City of St Andrews had mortgaged the links to private individuals with a commercial interest in rabbit breeding. After another change of ownership, the golfer James Cheape finally bought the links in 1821, thus ending the Rabbit Wars. In the almost two centuries since then, the city had to laboriously buy back parcel by parcel from Cheape's heirs, who had even secured guaranteed tee times on the Old Course and free golf on all other courses for themselves and all their guests.
At first there was only one golf course on the Links, which was accordingly named St Andrews Links. It was not until 1895, when the second golf course was opened, that the old golf course was renamed Old Course and the new one was consequently named New Course. Since then, the name St Andrews Links has applied to all golf courses in St Andrews.
Todays situation
The entire St Andrews Links complex has been operated since 1974 by the St Andrews Links Trust and the St Andrews Links Management Committee, two purpose-built, not-for-profit organizations. The links are owned by the town of St Andrews, although it is unclear whether this also applies to land purchased since 1974 and acquired by the Links Trust on its own account.
For the city of St Andrews, golf tourism is now a major source of income. During the high season, the trust has over 250 employees, including 70 greenkeepers . The 150 or so caddies in St Andrews work independently, but have to be licensed by the trust.
A total of around 210,000 rounds of golf are played here every year, 40,000 of them on the legendary Old Course. The rest is spread over the other golf courses :
- New Course (18 holes, opened in 1895, architect Old Tom Morris )
- Jubilee Course (18 holes, opened in 1897, architect John Angus Jr., extensions Donald Steel )
- Eden Course (18 holes, opened in 1914, architect Harry Colt )
- Strathtyrum Course (18 holes, opening 1993, architect Donald Steel )
- Balgove Course (9 holes, opening 1993, architect Donald Steel )
- Castle Course (18 holes, opening 2008, architect David McLay Kidd)
In addition to extensive practice facilities and some golf shops, there are also two clubhouses, the Links Clubhouse and the Eden Clubhouse, which are open to the public. The Castle Course, which is outside the city, also has facilities. The famous club house of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club is reserved for its members.
literature
- Tom Jarrett, Peter Mason: St Andrews Links, Six Centuries of Golf . 2009, Mainstream Publishing, Edinburgh. ISBN 1845965019