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The Castle Course

The Castle Course is the seventh course at the Home of Golf. Set on a rugged cliffline overlooking the ancient town of St Andrews, the course combines breathtaking views with a memorable golfing challenge.

Designed by David Kidd, creator of Bandon Dunes on the West Coast of America, The Castle Course won several international awards in its first year of opening and was included within the prestigious Golf Digest Top 100 rankings almost immediately.

The course was officially opened for play on July 2, 2008 by HRH The Duke of York and has proved popular with golfers looking for a new and exciting test of golf in St Andrews.

The par 71 course has five tees on every hole and the length ranges from 5300 yards to 6789 yards from the boxes.

The award-winning Castle Course Clubhouse nestles into the landscape on Kinkell Ness and offers spectacular views over St Andrews Bay and the town itself. The clubhouse has a restaurant, shop and changing and shower facilities.

Click here to view The Castle Course score card.

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What They Said...

"The most eagerly awaited new course in the world. An instant classic."

Golf World

Hole Guide

Hole 1 - Ford

  • White Yards 346
  • Yellow Yards337
  • Red Yards 300
  • Par 4
  • S.I. 9

Architect's Advice

Best played as a left to right dogleg. Aim to place your ball short of the fairway bunkers. From the left side you have a straightforward approach; from the right you will have to deal with two greenside bunkers, so use an extra club.

Hole 2 - St Rule

  • White Yards 404
  • Yellow Yards 394
  • Red Yards 344
  • Par 4
  • S.I. 3

Architect's Advice

Don't be tempted into any shortcuts. Stay left of the fairway bunkers off the tee. You will have to trust your yardage book on this one: the pin is further away than it looks.

Hole 3 - Cathedral

  • White Yards 202
  • Yellow Yards 179
  • Red Yards 145
  • Par 3
  • S.I. 15

Architect's Advice

Favour the right side of the green to avoid the deep bunker. If you miss the green, putting back might be the best option

Hole 4 - Briery Hill

  • White Yards 540
  • Yellow Yards 518
  • Red Yards 476
  • Par 5
  • S.I. 7

Architect's Advice

Aim right, next to the two fairway bunkers. A lay up short of theburn leaves a full shot in.

Hole 5 - Brownhills

  • White Yards 536
  • Yellow Yards 504
  • Red Yards 446
  • Par 5
  • S.I. 1

Architect's Advice

Aim just to the left of the bunker in the fairway. There are lots of options for the next shot: lay up short of the fairway bunkers; go big left for a better view; or try the pocket of fairway beyond the bunkers from where you can use the slopes to feed your ball next to the pin. The green sits in a bowl and the contours can be used to your advantage.

Hole 6 - Pier

  • White Yards 421
  • Yellow Yards 399
  • Red Yards 355
  • Par 4
  • S.I. 13

Architect's Advice

The tee shot is semi-blind. Aim down the left side as the fairway will kick your ball to the right. The sea isn’t as close as you might imagine, right side of the green is safest.

Hole 7 - Maiden Rock

  • White Yards 456
  • Yellow Yards 429
  • Red Yards 341
  • Par 4
  • S.I. 5

Architect's Advice

Best to favour the right side off the tee but don’t be too long. An approach to the right half is best, but you might like to think about running one in.

Hole 8 - Cave

  • White Yards 141
  • Yellow Yards 129
  • Red Yards 122
  • Par 3
  • S.I. 17

Architect's Advice

A tricky short hole which is all about distance control. From the left hand tees you could run one in, but from the right side accuracy is at a premium.

Hole 9 - Kinkell Ness

  • White Yards 381
  • Yellow Yards 351
  • Red Yards 314
  • Par 4
  • S.I. 11

Architect's Advice

Line here depends on how ambitious you are, as the further left you go, the greater the carry required. Aim for the fi nal fairway bunker and you will be left with a short approach to the raised green.

Hole 10 - Horseshoe

  • White Yards 167
  • Yellow Yards 154
  • Red Yards 130
  • Par 3
  • S.I. 12

Architect's Advice

No bunkers on this par three, but plenty of challenge. An uphill tee shot, so take enough club. The green feeds the ball in from the right side.

Hole 11 - Maiden Pinks

  • White Yards 402
  • Yellow Yards 385
  • Red Yards 289
  • Par 4
  • S.I. 4

Architect's Advice

Try to stay just left of the fairway bunkers for a fl at lie and the best line into the biggest green on the course. Make sure you have enough club to get to the big target and use the slope on the left to help you.

Hole 12 - Boar's Chase

  • White Yards 454
  • Yellow Yards 415
  • Red Yards 340
  • Par 4
  • S.I. 8

Architect's Advice

Try to keep inside the line of the bunker on the right of the hole and you will fi nd a deceptively wide fairway. A good drive allows you to run one in from the right side. If you can’t make it, the smart play is to lay up short of the central fairway bunker.

Hole 13 - High

  • White Yards 179
  • Yellow Yards 154
  • Red Yards 119
  • Par 3
  • S.I. 18

Architect's Advice

The best play here is to take the bunkers on the right out of play and feed your ball in from the left side.

Hole 14 - Covenanters

  • White Yards 400
  • Yellow Yards 376
  • Red Yards 312
  • Par 4
  • S.I. 14

Architect's Advice

The pin should be visible from the tee but playing to the left half of the fairway will afford the best view of this green. Distance is the key to this approach: get the club wrong and you will need your best short game to salvage a par. The easiest up and down is from the right side.

Hole 15 - Spinkston

  • White Yards 585
  • Yellow Yards 555
  • Red Yards 509
  • Par 5
  • S.I. 2

Architect's Advice

Favour the right side of this fairway and aim at the rock. The smart play is to lay up well short of the burn on the right side. The target is a small green which puts a premium on accuracy.

Hole 16 - Craigendaff

  • White Yards 406
  • Yellow Yards 390
  • Red Yards 346
  • Par 4
  • S.I. 16

Architect's Advice

The fairway will feed balls from right to left, so aim at the highest point on the horizon. The approach isn’t as far as it looks so the clever shot might be to run one in.

Hole 17 - Braes

  • White Yards 184
  • Yellow Yards 174
  • Red Yards 142
  • Par 3
  • S.I. 6

Architect's Advice

Take the yardage to the front of the green, add 10 yards, and aim between the green and the bunker on the left. Everything will run into the middle of the green from there.

Hole 18 - Rock & Spindle

  • White Yards 555
  • Yellow Yards 533
  • Red Yards 430
  • Par 5
  • S.I. 10

Architect's Advice

There is more fairway beyond the diagonal ridge than you think. The extent to which you can cut the corner depends on the wind direction. A good strategy is required for the second shot: lay up short of the fairway bunker or try to sneak one past and leave a short pitch into the green. The fi nal approach shot is a stern test of distance control.

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Green Fees

Seasons Adult Under 16
Low Season
(1 - 31 Mar 12)		 £60 £30
Shoulder Season
(1 - 15 Apr 12)		 £84 £42
High Season
(16 Apr - 14 Oct 12)		 £120 £60
Shoulder Season
(15 - 31 Oct 12)		 £84 £42
Low Season
(1 - 4  Nov 12)		 £60 £30

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  • St Andrews Links is a registered trademark of St Andrews Links Limited

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