St Andrews, New Golf Course

Many deem St Andrews New Course as better than the Old Course. We wouldn’t quite go that far, but the New Course is still one of the best links courses around.

St Andrews’ Old Course may well be the most desirable course in golf, and any course sitting next to it faces a tough task not to be completely overshadowed as a result.

RELATED: St Andrews (Old Course) review

Increasingly St Andrews New is emerging from that shadow. It has always been an oft-repeated suggestion that the locals deem the New a better course, but that is now becoming increasingly widely mooted – or at least that the New Course warrants your attention on a trip to Fife.

There could be something in the fact the Scots (included this golfer) simply tend not to embrace anything extensively hyped, preferring the quietly talented underdog. That description certainly fits the New neatly.

There is an effortless quality to it, although it must also be noted that expectations differ decidedly when one tees it up on the respective courses. While The Old must live up to unrealistic hopes, the quality of its sibling is often probably a pleasant surprise.

RELATED: St Andrews (Castle Course) review

Created by Old Tom at the end of the 1800s to cope with the growing desire to golf in St Andrews, it remains very much as he left it.

Tighter than its neighbour, it benefits from more definition by virtue of its gorse and natural topography. It is hard not to be charmed by its humps and hollows, even if they are awkward obstacles to a tidy short game.

RELATED: Golf World Top 100 Courses in Scotland

The start is low key but afterwards you get extraordinary value for money (see green fees). It is especially good around the turn, with a terrific par 5 at the 8th played to a green wedged between two dunes of the size not seen on the Old Course.

Two outstanding par 3s follow at the 9th – with the Out of Bounds beach on the left and gorse to the right – and then at the 13th.

This is Top 100 golf of GB&I calibre – witness the last two of our rankings.

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Golf World Top 100 Links Courses in Great Britain and Ireland

• Course has: Bar
• Course has: Buggy Hire
• Course has: Driving Range
• Course has: Practice Green
• Course has: Pro Shop
• Course has: Restaurant
• Course has: Trolley Hire
• Course does not have: Dress Code
• Course has: Club Hire
• Course does not have: Handicap

• 4.5 out of 5 Immaculate 22 June 2009

  By gdjohnson

  As part of a three day pass we played the new course over the Easter period. We had already played the Eden course the day before.and had booked for 18 holes on the Jubilee in the afternoon so turned up early to play. We got straight on and after the first three holes it was clear that this course was much tougher than the Eden that we'd played the day before. The greens also seemed even quicker. ! The holes seemed to be cut out of the heather and were unforgiving. The condition of the course was again first class and tees and greens were immaculate. The facilities in the clubhouse was again first class and the views again stunning. We were starting to get used the the immaculate condition of the greens and looked forward to our afternoon round on the Jubilee  

• 4 out of 5 Better than the old 01 February 2007

  By Anonymous

  I play in St Andrews 8 months of the year and the New is by far my favourite course. It is a much harder test of golf than the Old (though not quite as hard as the Jubilee). If you're looking for history pick the Old, but if you want a challenge pick the New