St Andrews Scotland by Nature

Its Royal and Ancient, and it is the Home of Golf and the Governing Body that makes the rules up.Six members of the Royal family have been captains through the years, the most recent being the present Duke of York, who has had the time to practice.King James IV bought golf clubs at St Andrews in 1506 and written records suggest that golf was being played here long before that.

As a separate entity the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews remains as a private golf club with a world-wide membership of 2,400. But there are other clubs based at the fabulous St Andrews clubhouse, and it is also open to the general public. The club is funded by the cash from the Open Championship and the Amateur Championship, and because of the clubs stature in world golf, a win at St Andrews is the Holy Grail. The Scottish weather and the 112 bunkers make it an exciting venue... anything can happen.

There wasn't much course design going on when on May 14, 1754 , when 22 noblemen and gentlemen of Fife presented a Silver Club to be played for annually over the Links of St Andrews. The biggest contribution to golf course design has to be the 18 hole course. Previously there had been no standard number of holes, and St Andrews had been a 22 hole course, while most other British courses were 9 holes.

Another original feature is that the course can be played in either direction, clockwise or anti-clockwise, and originally the change in direction of play was a weekly occurance to allow recovery of the grass. Sundays are for picnics for the people. Can't see that happening at Augusta.