Having caddied and played the Old Course at St. Andrews Golf Course far in excess of 500 times, I feel qualified to make the following suggestions. We’ll take it hole by hole…
1st hole of the Old Course at St. Andrews
The only danger is the burn. The tee shot needs to be aimed at the bridge, the burn cuts in at about 250 on the right, to reach the burn near the bridge would be about 280. It’s a 3 wood/rescue. Pretty flat green, slopes back to front.
2nd
Tighter hole. Tee shot over the gorse; more room right than you think. One bunker to avoid off the tee to the left. Very undulating green, flatter to the right, which is the place to go. Very severe bunker short front but to the left side. Par is a good score.
3rd
Open the shoulders and let rip. Can get close to the green. Few bunkers, one severe front left of green but won’t be a problem.
4th
Don’t get lured into going straight; you want to feel like you’re aiming left over the top of the mounds, no concerns if you go down the 15th. The landing area is left to right but severe trouble right if you aim straight. Miss second to the right. Par is a good score.
5th
Par 5, reachable, difficulty is the huge swale in front of the green. Massive green (c.100 yards long), just make sure you clear the big swale, or the chip is difficult. An easy drive just keep it left, a couple of nasty pot bunkers right off the tee.
6th
A blind tee shot, and hard to stay with the line without knowing the tee position, usually a spotter there to show you. Danger right (gorse) but more room than you think and a bunker left. Generally, I would say over the marker post or just right – you’ll get close with a driver. This is one of the trickier greens of the Old Course at St. Andrews, with a swale at the front and it falls away from you. More of a chip and run approach shot than a wedge, or you will lose it through the green.
7th
A blind tee shot on a dogleg. Got to keep it out of a massive bunker. Probably a 3 wood aimed at the pot bunker to the left of the 11th green. There is plenty of room here, but the best shot is from the left as then you play down the length of the green which falls away from you. Looks difficult but not a hard hole.
8th
Par 3, as you see it. No worries.
9th
As you see it, driveable most of the time. Trouble left, a couple of bunkers in the middle of the fairway but you’ll just blast it over to the right side of the green or towards the 10th tee. Very flat green.
Where is the Old Course at St. Andrews?
The infamous, and arguably the oldest Golf course in the world, the Old Course at St. Andrews is located in Fife, Scotland, United Kingdom.
10th
As you see it, trouble left. Let rip with the driver and you’ll get close. Tricky green to hold if the pin is at the back.
11th
Famous par 3. Could play anything from wedge to driver. Clubbing is the hard part, anything in the air will just balloon. Obviously, the trouble is the massive bunker in the middle. Severe slope front to back and quite narrow green. Take a par and leave.
12th
Wonderful hole and not one you see much of in the coverage. Birdie chance. Depending on the wind if it’s calm or down-wind, just blast driver and you’ll get the green and take all the trouble out of play. If it’s breezy, you actually want to aim for the gorse/rough on the right towards the Eden course. Then a flick onto the green.
13th
Awesome hole, very strategic. The tee shot needs to be aimed down the 6th, left of the left-hand side bunkers; this is the blind tee shot hole and the shared green with the par 5. You will then have the gap in the mounds to see the green. Short shot to the green. Par is a good score.
14th
Second par 5, and this has a hell of a bunker on it. Open the shoulders on the drive but OB is right of the wall, there is no danger at all going left. Then depending on where you are, you can go for the green but you must carry Hell Bunker, which is about 100 yards short of the green, or play an iron down the 5th to the left of Hell. Just don’t lay up straight. Very undulating green and a great hole.
15th
A strong par 4 but no real danger. Keep it left to be safe.
16th
Tricky hole and options. OB is right. If you hit the driver, go over the Principal’s Nose Bunker into the rough. If iron, I think 5 or 6 straight at the Principal’s Nose. Then a short shot to the green. Fairly flat green and no concerns.
17th
More room right than you think. Generally, a straight shot over the middle of the word ‘Course’ would be fine. The further right you are, the easier the second shot. You want to aim over the word ‘Old’ and fade it. The second shot is either a raking draw that uses the natural slope or just play to the front right of the green. An alternative option is to blast it long and left towards the 18th tee. The bunker is not that bad, you can get it out as it’s been reduced in size.
18th
Open the shoulders, you’ll get close. Make sure you get through the Valley of Sin on the second shot with either plenty of club or a chip and run. The green holds as it runs from back to front. It’s a lot flatter if you aim up the 1st and it runs further.
If you’re lucky enough to be playing the Old Course at St. Andrews any time soon, play well.
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