Murray's summary:

With so much great links golf, one visit will never be enough.

Birdies:

•  The home of golf

•  Short distances between fourteen courses

Bogeys:

•  Winter golf

•  A long drive from most parts - flights to Edinburgh easiest

St. Andrews

When to go

Winters in Fife cold and wet; so best avoided for g

Accommodation

Accommodation is either

Sightseeing

Around the coast there are some long sandy beaches although it takes a hardy swimmer to brave the Atlantic waters

St. Andrews - Old

Course:

Greenkeeping:

Clubhouse:

Murray's word

The history attached to the oldest links in golf is incomparable and golfers owe it to themselves to play here at least once in their lifetime.  However, the course does take some getting to know; bear in mind that it was designed to be played in both directions (alternating between clockwise and anti-clockwise circuits) so many hazards seem randomly placed unless looked at heading in the opposite direction!  Caddies will add to your enjoyment of your first round as the direction of play is not always obvious from the Tee and pay attention to the colour of the flags on the seven double Greens: playing to the wrong one can leave you huge putts.  All in all: an experience you will never forget.
N.B. There is a daily ballot for Tee-times, your hotel may well be able to help with this and no play is allowed on Sundays.
* Trolleys only available from April - October after 12pm on the Old Course

St. Andrews - New

Course:

Greenkeeping:

Clubhouse:

Murray's Word

Considered by more than a few locals to be the best of the collection of courses at St. Andrews.  The hundred year old New Course runs alongside the Old, but has a more classical links design being thought out rather than just allowed to happen.  The bunkers are more strategically placed and the preferred route to the cup more easily discerned.  As with nearly all links courses, mastery of the bump and run shot around the hard fast Greens will pay dividends.  St. Andrews New shares a Clubhouse with the Jubilee course, which becomes home base for many visiting golfers.

St. Andrews - Jubilee

Course:

Condition:

Clubhouse:

Murray's Word

The Jubilee course is the longest in the St. Andrews links course stable and the closest to the sea; consequently also the breeziest and with the largest dunes.  Here the land has returned from the North Sea in the last couple of hundred years so the going is very sandy underfoot and the more pronounced dunes are smothered in plumes of Marram grasses as opposed to the more predominant Furze (aka Gorse) of the New and Old courses that lie to the inland side.  A fine links course in all respects with the water in view from almost every hole - and always within earshot.  The Jubilee was given a minor facelift for its centenary in 1997 and is now a perfect complement to the other courses governed by the St. Andrews Links Trust.

St. Andrews - Eden

Course:

Condition:

Clubhouse:

Murray's Word

The shortest of the St. Andrews collection, yet still exhibiting all the intricate demands of a true links.  For many of the locals and Members this is their favourite with a nice balance of length and trouble it is never too taxing but shoddy shots are punished so keeping you on your guard.  A great course on which to start your week and hone your links skills of low shots into the wind, running the ball up to the flag on firm Greens, escaping from deep bunkers and staring into gorse bushes...

St. Andrews - Strathtyrum

Course:

Condition:

Clubhouse:

Murray's Word

Nice and open and encouraging the swish of the Driver.  The Strathtyrum course is by far the least taxing of those that St. Andrews has to offer.  Perfect for a brisk warm-up round on the day that you arrive or an afternoon's post prandial outing or for your first taste of links golf - so different from the inland version of the game.  Shares a Clubhouse with the Eden course.

St. Andrews - Castle

Course:

Condition:

Clubhouse:

Murray's Word

A course with a very different look and feel to all of the others in the area and on ethat is sure to promote discussion amongst your party.  From the Tee your eye is met with the sight of a complex of white bunkers cut in ragged shapes that confound and confuse and serve to mask the true location of the Fairway.  A course planner or a caddie is essential to plot your ball’s course to the hole – and plot it you must.  The other remarkable feature of the course is the Greens.  These have huge contours and tiny areas where the pin can be cut.  Holding the Green is one problem: getting into the cup another test.  A demanding course that makes you think hard all the way around; think twice before heading for the white Tees as playing long irons into these Greens could be a frustrating quest.

St. Andrews Bay - Torrance

Course:

Condition:

Clubhouse:

Murray's Word

Sam’s course is more inland – although in sight of the sea all the way around, and is in itself a very enjoyable course, just slightly overshadowed by the landscape that the Kittocks enjoys.  There are a few trees in places around the inner holes but they do not really come into play.  The main golfing challenges are some elevated Greens and deep bunkers both Greenside and along the Fairways.

St. Andrews Bay - Kittocks

Course:

Condition:

Clubhouse:

Murray's Word

The more attractive setting of the two courses with most of the holes being on the coastal side of the land with tremendous views of St. Andrews across the bay.  The style of the course is linksy with earthen mounds covered in wild sea grasses separating the Fairways.  Bunkering is in the traditional revetted style and the course belies its young age.  A good test of golf that is exposed to any wind there might be about and builds to a crescendo as the closing holes get closer to the Clubhouse and the sea.

The Duke's

Course:

Condition:

Clubhouse:

Murray's Word

Inland from the town in the hinterland hills, the Dukes course is a complete contrast to all the links courses of Fife.  Heavily wooded and with a big hill to clamber up and down (lots of buggies are available and there are some walks from Green to Tee) the Dukes asks a different set of golfing questions.  Restyled along the lines of its sister course in the States, Whistling Straits, bunkers (some huge ones) are rough-cut with long grass all around – real hazards with a look that you either like or don’t.  If you feel that golf courses should have trees involved, then the Dukes is the St. Andrews’ course for you, possibly with a buggy.

Kingsbarns

Course:

Condition:

Clubhouse:

Murray's Word

Just a beautiful place to play golf.  A long sloping hill from the main road down to the sea with holes cut laterally and Fairways levelled off Kingsbarns is a delight to play.  Despite the sea being in view on every hole, it is not really a pure links as the land is very lush and there are copses of pines here and there.  However it does exhibit the links traits of moulded Fairways, deep revetted bunkers and rough of tall golden fescue grasses.  Expensive, but a lovely day out and the holes down at sea level will linger long in your golfing memory.  Treat yourself.
One of the hosts of the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship.

St. Andrews - Balgove

Course:

Condition:

Clubhouse:

Murray's Word

Ideal if you need a quick nine holes to get your eye in on arrival.  Changing facilities and Green-fees in the Eden Clubhouse.

Dining out in St. Andrews

Sho

Dining out in

Nightlife

Flights

Edinburgh airport has direct connections to many European destinations and more can be reached with a change of aircraft in Istanbul.  From Antalya the drive to Belek will take less than an hour as the airport is to the East of town and the road is a decent dual carriageway.

Hover on a logo to see the available routes, clicking the logo below will take you directly to the airline's website to book your flights.

Hire cars

Probably the most flexible way to get around during your visit.  Both airports offer the full range of hire-car companies: Avis, Hertz, Budget, Europcar, Sixt et cetera, whose contact details are shown opposite (if you have not already been offered a hire-car by your airline when you booked your flights!).

Chauffeur driven cars, minibuses and coaches

Local Agencies

If you would prefer to leave the driving to somebody else then there are a number of local travel agents who will take care of all you transfer arrangements.

We have heard good things about Laura Golf.  The others mentioned are a bit of an unknown quantity, so please leave a comment if you have experience of their services.

Credit card payments is the surest way to pay and will allow you to reclaim your money should you run into any trouble with a local agent going into liquidation or failing to deliver their promised services.