St Andrews – The Town of a Saint

Scottish Saltire flag (St. Andrew's Cross) blowing in the wind

The 30th of November is St Andrew’s Day in Scotland. The feast day of Saint Andrew, patron saint of Scotland. Many Scots recognise this Christian holiday by celebrating Scottish culture and cuisine.

Long before he became a saint, Andrew was born in Bethesda on the shores of the Sea of Galilee, the younger brother of Peter (who also became a saint); they were both fisherman and disciples of Jesus.

It is said that Saint Andrew died in Greece by crucifixion bound to an x-shaped cross, which later became the cross on the Scottish flag known as the Saltire.

There are several tales offering explanations of how Saint Andrew came to be associated with Scotland, according to legend he became the patron saint of Scotland in 832 AD when the Scottish king prayed to St Andrew for help when his army were facing battle against the English army. Seeing a cloud in the shape of the saltire against a clear blue sky, the king vowed that if the Scots were victorious, St. Andrew would be made the patron saint of Scotland. The Scots won, the king followed through on his word and the intervention of St Andrew has been represented on the Scottish flag ever since.

Legend has it that the relics of Saint Andrew were brought to Scotland by Bishop Acca of Hexham in 732 AD to the town of Kilrimont. Kilrimont was later renamed St. Andrews.

fullsizeoutput_224

This stunning coastal town is a delightful destination and offers a plethora of visitor attractions including St. Andrews Castle which became a ruin in the late 17th century; it stands on the coast overlooking Castle Sands beach. What was once the focal point of several battles between the Scots and the English, and later between secular and religious ideologies, now serves as a museum for visitors to explore at their leisure.

The extensive ruins of St. Andrews Cathedral and St Rule’s tower are located just east of the centre of town. St. Andrews was once the ecclesiastical capital of Scotland and in 1160 work began to create the largest cathedral in Scotland to reflect this. It took nearly 150 years to complete and was an important centre of pilgrimage in Europe. The Scottish reformation initiated the decline of the cathedral and it had fallen into ruin by 1560.

The town is also home to the oldest university in Scotland, St Andrews university, founded between 1410 and 1413. After Oxford and Cambridge, it is the third oldest university in the English-speaking world.

Today St. Andrews offers a wide selection of first class hotels and guesthouses, museums, stores, fine dining restaurants, great pubs and local fish and chip shops. The west sands beach which featured in the movie ‘Chariots of Fire’ is a great place for a stroll and to take in the townscape.

Modern day pilgrims to this part of the world are those with an appreciation for golf as St. Andrews is the birthplace of this ancient game.

img_0358

If every golfer has a wish list of courses they would like to play soon, (and most of us do!) it is likely that St. Andrews Old Course was, or still is sitting at the top of such a list, and rightly so. Golf is deeply ingrained in the fabric of the town and although the Old Course remains the most popular, a trip to St Andrews offers far more golf than a round on the most iconic course of them all. In total there are seven courses in St Andrews; all of which are public courses and available to everyone. These seven courses combine to make St Andrews Links the biggest public golf destination in Europe.

The three oldest Courses in St Andrews are all located on the same stretch of land; the Old, the New and the Jubilee.

img_4967

The Old Course is the Open Championship flagship course and the holy grail for golfers worldwide. Now a par 72 measuring 6,721 yards, golf has been played here for more than 600 years.

The New Course, designed by Old Tom Morris in 1895 offers a 6,625 yard par 71 and lies wedged between the Old and the Jubilee.

The Jubilee Course, a 6,742 yard par 72 opened for play two years later in 1897 and is considered to be the tightest and most challenging test of golf in St. Andrews.

The Castle Course, a recent addition to the St. Andrews Links portfolio was opened for play in 2008. A cliff top, modern championship links, the Castle Course is located on the south side of St. Andrews and as well as providing a 6,759 yard par 71, provides stunning panoramic views of St. Andrews and the North Sea.

The Eden Course offers a 6,250 yard par 70 and is located to the west side of the Old course. The Eden was designed by the great Harry Colt and opened for play in 1914. Although a slightly shorter and more forgiving course, it provides a fun day for golfers of all ability.

The Strathtyrum and Balgove courses each provide a shorter test than the challenging championship courses. The par 69 Strathtyrum measures only 5,620 but encourages precise iron play throughout. The Balgove is the only 9-hole course in St. Andrews and is the perfect course for children and beginners alike to learn to play links golf.

In addition to seven golf courses, St Andrews also provides a state of the art practice range, golf academy and golf club fitting facilities as well as the oldest golf shop in the world the Tom Morris Shop.

As a golf destination, St Andrews has it all; history, culture, tradition, and Scottish hospitality. St Andrews is far more than one golf course – it is a golfer’s paradise, fit for a Saint.

 

 

 

 


Back-to-back nominations for ‘Best Tour Operator’ at Scottish Golf Tourism Awards 2024
01 February 2024

Bonnie Wee Golf is proud to announce its nomination for the coveted title of Best Tour Operator at the upcoming Scottish Golf Tourism Week for the second consecutive year. This recognition reaffirms Bonnie Wee Golf’s unwavering dedication to delivering unparalleled golf experiences. Building on the success of the previous year, this prestigious nomination underscores Bonnie...

Read more >

Finalists at Scottish Golf Tourism Awards 2024 ‘Best Golf Marketing Campaign’
17 January 2024

Bonnie Wee Golf for The Old Tom Morris Trail: Nominated for ‘Best Golf Marketing Campaign’ We are excited to announce that Bonnie Wee Golf, the proud curators of the Old Tom Morris Trail, has earned a spot on the shortlist for the prestigious ‘Best Golf Marketing Campaign’ category at the Scottish Golf Tourism Awards. This...

Read more >

PGA Show 2024
16 January 2024

The PGA Merchandise Show is one of the top trade shows in the US. This exclusive golf expo takes place at Orange County Convention Centre in Orlando from 24th – 26th January 2024. Should you or your club professional be attending the show, then please do swing by the VisitScotland Stand and say hello to...

Read more >


Finalists at the Scottish Golf Tourism Awards 2023
06 February 2023

Scottish Golf Tourism Awards 2023 Last week the The Bonnie Wee Golf team attended the sixth Scottish Golf Tourism Week. The event which took place at the Fairmont Hotel, St Andrews, aims to support Scottish golf businesses and encourage growth in the industry. Bringing together more than 80 world leading golf tour operators from 30...

Read more >

Heading into the 2023 season…
04 January 2023

Heading into the 2023 season.. Scotland was crowned the ‘Best Golf Destination’ in the World and in Europe in November 2022. Naturally, we’re not surprised; we know we have something unique here, and it’s reflected in how busy the tee sheets are for 2023 already.  It is not just Scotland that is booming, but Ireland...

Read more >


Old Tom Morris Trail
12 January 2022

Bonnie Wee Golf launches the Old Tom Morris Trail Introduction to the Old Tom Morris Trail by Golf Historian, Stephen Proctor “In golf, all roads lead to one man: Tom Morris, of St Andrews. During the 19th Century, as the Scottish game was coming of age, Old Tom spread the gospel of golf by travelling...

Read more >

Best Par 3s in Aberdeen
15 October 2020

With the recent announcement that the Aberdeen Golf Links Pro-Am will be back again on 28-30 April 2021, we thought we’d take a look at the best par 3s in Aberdeen on offer for competitors at the tournament. Launched in 2019, The Aberdeen Golf Links Pro-Am is a 3-day Pro-Am tournament staged at 3 of...

Read more >


Golf Pubs in Scotland
24 August 2020

Bonnie Wee Golf’s Guide to the Best golf Pubs in Scotland . . .   Golf pubs in Scotland are nearly as plentiful as golf courses. Whether it’s a cold pint of Tennent’s, a Gin & Tonic or a fresh orange juice, one thing’s for sure – after a good day on the links, all...

Read more >

Restaurants in St Andrews
17 August 2020

Restaurants in St Andrews all visitors should try at least once   We know that refuelling after a round of golf in Scotland is nearly as important as the golf itself, and there are plenty of restaurants in St Andrews to choose from. Dining out is the perfect way to recount the day you’ve just...

Read more >

2019 Season Update
20 December 2019

SEASON UPDATE & NEWS FOR 2020 AND BEYOND Well, 2019 was yet another fantastic year on this side of the Atlantic and once again we thoroughly enjoyed welcoming a number of fantastic visitors to our shores, both golfers and sightseers. 2019 was a landmark year for golf and for Bonnie Wee Golf. A particular highlight...

Read more >


HELiGOLF: Turnberry, South West Scotland & Northern Ireland
14 October 2019

ELEVATE YOUR GAME HELiGOLF is undoubtedly the best way to explore golf in Scotland. HELiGOLF allows you to elevate your game and play all those legendary but hard to reach championship golf courses while staying in one location for the duration of your trip. The south-west coastlines of Scotland are arguably the most beautiful anywhere in the world, so...

Read more >

2018 Season Update
19 December 2018

Greetings from Bonnie Wee golf We have enjoyed an incredible summer here in Scotland this year. It was the hottest Scottish summer in 12 years. The golf courses were all in fantastic shape and the links courses were playing incredibly fast & bouncy. We are now very much in the midst of winter here in...

Read more >

Gullane Golf Club: A Profile
10 January 2018

A BRIEF HISTORY OF GOLF AT GULLANE Resting on the southern banks of the firth of forth in East Lothian lies a special strip of land, steeped in Scottish golfing heritage. When approaching the village of Gullane you are already deep into golf country. The road to Gullane from Edinburgh takes you past multiple links...

Read more >


2017 Season Update
07 December 2017

Greetings from Bonnie Wee golf We have enjoyed a visually stunning autumn here in Scotland, the leaves have now fallen from the trees and winter has arrived signaling the end of another fantastic golf season. It has been our pleasure to welcome so many of you to Scotland & Ireland this year. Thank you for...

Read more >

Airways to Fairways – Fly into Inverness airport and tee off on a Scottish Open Venue within minutes.
20 July 2017

If ever there was an example of a perfectly located golf course, surely Castle Stuart Golf Links, on the outskirts of Inverness is it. Castle Stuart can be reached in 4 (yes, four) minutes from Inverness Airport. The beauty of Inverness airport is its size. As one of the smaller international airports in the United...

Read more >


St Andrews – The Town of a Saint
30 November 2016

The 30th of November is St Andrew’s Day in Scotland. The feast day of Saint Andrew, patron saint of Scotland. Many Scots recognise this Christian holiday by celebrating Scottish culture and cuisine. Long before he became a saint, Andrew was born in Bethesda on the shores of the Sea of Galilee, the younger brother of...

Read more >

HALF-IN-1 for buddies during golf trip of a lifetime with Bonnie Wee Golf
14 July 2016

Golf buddies David Yaspan and Bob Sunness made history at North Berwick Golf Club, Scotland on Friday 24th June 2016 by becoming the first golfing group to have 2-hole-in-1’s on the same hole during a Bonnie Wee Golf tour of Scotland! As the group made their way from the 5th green to the 6th tee,...

Read more >


Dr Alister MacKenzie: The Master Behind Augusta National
06 April 2016

April is a marvelous time to be alive, as the days lengthen, trees blossom and flowers bloom. For the golfing community, April also represents the start of the golf season. The Masters is once again upon us: armchair audiences around the world will gather round televisions, captivated by a golf course like no other. Amateur...

Read more >

Following in the footsteps of Old Tom Morris: Bonnie Wee Golf suggests five reasons why every golf enthusiast should experience the Askernish Open.
01 March 2016

If it’s an authentic golfing experience you seek, look no further than The Askernish Open in South Uist. Askernish is a remote crofting community in the Outer Hebrides and is home to one of the most distinctive golf courses in the world. Founded in 1891 and designed by Old Tom Morris, the course sadly fell...

Read more >

June 1st 2016 – the newly redesigned Turnberry Ailsa Course will be unveiled
22 January 2016

An exciting new chapter is unfolding at the historic Turnberry Resort on the West Coast of Scotland; both the Turnberry Hotel and the Ailsa Course have been closed since 28th September 2015 to allow extensive refurbishment and remodeling of this prestigious resort. Renowned golf architects Mackenzie & Ebert were commissioned to craft the proposals, in...

Read more >


2016 Open Championship
17 December 2015

The Open Championship will once again grace the shores of the Ayrshire Coast in 2016 where the world’s best golfers will battle it out for the famous Claret Jug on the links at Royal Troon Golf Club. This will be the 145th Open Championship and the ninth occasion The Open will be contested at Royal...

Read more >

Bonnie Wee Golf is attending the PGA Show in Orlando
16 December 2015

The PGA Merchandise Show is one of the top trade shows in the US. This exclusive golf expo takes place at Orange County Convention Centre in Orlando from 27th – 29th January 2016. Should you or your club professional be attending the show, then please do visit the Scotland stand and say hello. Bonnie Wee...

Read more >

Bonnie Wee Golf Hole In One at Turnberry
15 December 2015

In June John Jung Junior became the first golfer to have a hole in one, whilst on a Bonnie Wee Golf tour. John aced the par 3 15th hole and received a certificate from Turnberry. Congratulations John! The Ailsa course at Turnberry is currently going through a major renovation and will reopen in June 2016.

Read more >



From the blog…

07 March 2024

Teeing Off at Royal Birkdale, Lytham St Annes, Royal Liverpool, and Southport

Pack your clubs and prepare for an unforgettable golfing adventure on England’s northwest coast – Royal Birkdale, Lytham St Annes, Royal Liverpool, and Southport. These prestigious venues, each with a unique character, promise an unforgettable golfing experience. Royal Birkdale: A Symphony of Sand Dunes Our journey starts at Royal Birkdale, nestled along Southport’s golden shores....

Read more >

01 February 2024

Back-to-back nominations for ‘Best Tour Operator’ at Scottish Golf Tourism Awards 2024

Bonnie Wee Golf is proud to announce its nomination for the coveted title of Best Tour Operator at the upcoming Scottish Golf Tourism Week for the second consecutive year. This recognition reaffirms Bonnie Wee Golf’s unwavering dedication to delivering unparalleled golf experiences. Building on the success of the previous year, this prestigious nomination underscores Bonnie...

Read more >

Subscribe to the Bonnie Wee Golf Newsletter

Email NewsletterWe email our newsletter four times a year, or whenever we have any exciting scottish golf news to share with you. Your privacy is of paramount importance to us and we will never share your details with anyone else.


Aberdeen Golf Link Pro Am
The Old Tom Morris Trail
X