Along with Sydney’s Harbour Bridge and San Francisco’s Golden Gate, the Scottish Kingdom of Fife can also boast one of the most iconic bridges on earth. No, I’m not referring to the magnificent rail bridge connecting Edinburgh with Fife over the Firth of Forth, although that bridge has also caused grown men heartache and captured the imagination of millions.
The bridge I’m referring to, as any golfer worth his handicap will know, is of course the Swilcan Bridge on the 18th hole of the St. Andrew’s Old Course. A popular stop for golfers playing their way up the final hole towards the clubhouse of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club, the small stone bridge, which some say dates back to the 12th century, has become the most famous spot on the world’s most famous golf course.
Although St. Andrew’s was not the site of the first ever game of golf (that honour belongs to the Leith Links near Edinburgh) the town has been the spiritual home of the game since 1457, when King James II banned swinging a four-iron because it interfered with archery practice and was seen as a threat to the defence of Scotland! Kings come and go though, and in 1754 the first golf club was formed to play on the site of the famous Links beside the North Sea. In 1834 King William IV named the club the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrew’s, and a legend was born. Since 1897 the club has also been responsible for setting and amending the rules for golf played anywhere in the world… except for the USA, Canada and Mexico. Typical.
While the public are able to play on any of the three courses run by the St. Andrew’s Links Trust, who run and administer the various courses of St. Andrew’s, the R&A is a private member’s club. Beware the foolhardy visitor who dares to sit on the members’ benches overlooking the 18th green!
With hundreds of golfers eager to play a round on the famous Old Course, it’s no surprise that tee-off times for visitors are as rare as a windless day in St. Andrew’s. A limited number slots for two, three and four-balls are made available for visitors each month, and the only way to get your hands on a much sought-after tee-off time is to enter the daily lottery. Names are drawn at 2pm each day for the following day’s tee-off times, so if you want to play you literally have to arrive, sign up and hold thumbs. There is also a handicap requirement of 24 for men and 36 for ladies, and players have to present a valid certificate or card. Even if you don’t get a round on the iconic Old Course, the New and Jubilee Courses run right next to the Old Course and are definitely worth a round. And if the weather closes in, the British Golf Museum next to the R&A clubhouse should keep you entertained for a few hours.
Although hardened golfers may scoff, there is more to St. Andrew’s than just golf, so golf widows (or widowers!) needn’t worry about spending days languishing in the clubhouse while you battle the elements, and that annoying slice, to hold par.
The town traces its history back to the 4th century, when the Greek monk Regulus (meaning ‘Rule’) brought the relics of St. Andrew to this windy corner of Scotland to keep them away from the Ottoman Empire. The ruins of the magnificent cathedral built to house the precious relics is one of the town’s most popular attractions, and with a bit of imagination it’s easy to picture the soaring Gothic spires surrounded by thousands of pilgrims arriving to pay homage. An impressive sight indeed!
St. Rule’s tower, built over 800 years ago, still stands in the cathedral grounds and can be climbed for a bird’s eye view of the town. Away in the distance you can easily see the outline of the three courses at St. Andrew’s as well as the wind-blown West Sands; the beach where the famous scene from ‘Chariots of Fire’ was filmed.
The 16th century St. Andrew’s Castle is not far away if you’re still hungry for more history, but make sure you leave time to wander around the town centre. As with all university towns it’s a lively setting filled with quaint shops, quiet university cloisters, ancient wynds (alleys) and wonderful places to eat.
Most of the university grounds are open to the public, so visitors are welcome to wander through college courtyards and soak up the student atmosphere. And the history – St. Andrews University was started in 1410, and is the oldest university in Scotland. Of the various colleges, St. Mary’s is well worth a visit - started back in 1539, the central courtyard is home to a thorn tree said to have been planted by Mary Queen of Scots in 1563.
Feeling hungry? You’ll be spoilt for choice when it comes to places to eat, from small sandwich shops to cosy pubs and upmarket eateries. Most visitors will also be happy to hear that there is not a single McDonald’s or Burger King in town! For a bite on the run, your best bet is to head for the mouth-watering Butler & Co. Deli in Church Street. Voted Britain’s Best Deli in 2006, you can look forward to healthy wraps with amusing and appetising names like Italian Stallion (salami and rocket), Billy Goat Gruff (with feta) and Mangoes Into A Bar.
With gourmet wrap in hand, wander back through the wynds towards The Scores overlooking the famous links. The Scores may sound like a commercial nod to the 18 holes below you, but is in fact a Norse word for cliff top.
The cliffs certainly make a good vantage point for following the sporting action, but in days gone by were used for something far more sinister. Women accused of witchcraft were tossed into the sea from here, hands and feet bound together. If they sunk to the bottom they were deemed innocent, the family received an apology and the ‘witch’ got a Christian burial. If the ‘witch’ floated they were, without doubt, a witch and were strangled before being burnt at the stake. Charming.
The last witch was burnt way back in 1667, and since then this quiet university town seems to have mellowed out a little. Apart from Prince William’s studies causing a flurry and the five-yearly circus when the Open Championship rolls into town, it’s a sedate spot beside the North Sea. The home of golf it may be but there’s certainly more to St. Andrew’s than 18 windswept holes and a small stone bridge.
For more information, visit http://www.standrews.org.uk or http://www.explore-st-andrews.com. www.visitbritain.co.za should be your first stop for planning a trip to England and Scotland.
This article originally appeared in Diversions Magazine.
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