St Andrews Links (New Course)

Alongside the Old, Entirely Its Own

The New Course at St Andrews Links opened in 1895, created to ease pressure on the Old Course as rail travel brought growing numbers of golfers to the town. Old Tom Morris and engineer Benjamin Hall Blyth shaped a second full test on the neighbouring linksland.

Despite its name, the course now feels thoroughly established. Its outward-and-homeward routing follows more clearly separated corridors than the Old, with gorse and dune ridges framing many shots. The structure is more conventional, but the ground still influences how the ball reaches its target.

The strongest movement comes around the turn, where the routing enters deeper dunes. The long 10th plays through a narrow channel between raised ground, asking for a committed second shot when the wind is against. Elsewhere, tighter landing areas and well-placed bunkers make the safest route rarely the most rewarding.

The course has spent much of its life beside a more famous neighbour, yet that proximity has not erased its identity. It presents a distinct interpretation of St Andrews links golf: less eccentric, more defined, and still governed by firm turf, weather, and choice.