Latest news with #St.AndrewsLinksTrust
USA Today
22-04-2025
- Business
- USA Today
Playing St. Andrews' Old Course for less than $50? It's possible, but there's a hitch
Playing St. Andrews' Old Course for less than $50? It's possible, but there's a hitch Golfers are being given the chance to play the famous Old Course at St. Andrews for less than $50, rather than the usual fees of around $400, but there is a hitch. The move is part of a new initiative by St. Andrews Links Trust, named 'Drive,' to widen access to its courses. St. Andrews Links Trust has revealed that, between May and October, 179 tee times will be made available at a reduced price for 'golf enthusiasts who live in Scotland.' International players are not eligible for the reduced rate. It added that, as a result, 716 golfers will have the opportunity to access tee times across the Old, Castle, Jubilee and Eden courses at an 87.5% reduction on the 'regular high season' green fees. St. Andrews Links Trust said: 'This means that a round on the Old Course will be available for £42.50 rather than £340, while on The Castle Course a round will cost £22.50, down from £180.' The initiative is aimed at people who 'love golf, play golf and haven't had the chance to play golf in St. Andrews'. Applicants must be residents of Scotland. St. Andrews Links Trust said: 'Across the world, green fees have been increasing, with some courses in the UK now charging £1,000 for a round. As a charity, the Links Trust has a responsibility to grow the sport and wants to buck this global trend by finding ways to make golf more accessible for all.' It added that all tee times in the initiative will be from existing visitor allocations, and offered at the reduced green fee rate 'to offer the opportunity for those who may not normally be able to experience the Home of Golf.' The first stage of the project to widen access to what St. Andrews Links Trust described as 'some of the world's most iconic golf courses' will see 11 tee times made available on the Old Course on May 21. The trust said that players keen to participate will be encouraged to sign up in a two-ball ballot, and successful applicants will then be paired up and allocated a tee time. It added: 'Over the last six years, the Links Trust has seen unprecedented demand from ticket holders and visitors as golf has enjoyed a surge in popularity. 'However, as a charitable trust, part of the organisation's mission is to ensure the advancement of public participation in sport - a goal this new initiative will help support.' The trust revealed that, should the initiative prove successful, it intends to 'further increase opportunities in 2026 and beyond.' Neil Coulson, chief executive of St. Andrews Links Trust, said: 'As the Home of Golf, St. Andrews Links Trust takes its responsibility to the sport incredibly seriously. That is why we are so excited to launch a new initiative offering golfers across Scotland the opportunity to play our historic and iconic courses at a lower price. 'Widening access to golf is a key objective for us, and over the coming years we hope we can continue to provide opportunities to golfers of all ages and abilities.' He added: 'Golf has become increasingly popular in recent years and, with this, demand for our courses has surged to unprecedented levels. We will continue to ensure that our ticket holders and visitors have the best experience possible, while ensuring that one of the country's most precious golfing assets is available for the public too.'
Yahoo
31-03-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Rare-breed sheep, sand, Christmas trees are protecting St. Andrews from coastal erosion
St. Andrews is to use a mix of rare-breed sheep, more than 31,000 tons of sand and 6,500 Christmas trees to protect the Home of Golf from coastal erosion. The work is being done as part of its ongoing coastal management activity with its defence retreating in recent years. The sand will be used to rebuild dunes that protect the famous golf courses. It is part of restoration work by St. Andrews Links Trust, which has seen a range of steps taken to safeguard the courses and surrounding area. It is keen to protect link golf courses from climate-driven impacts and the trust employs a team to monitor change and delivery solutions across the coast, including the West Sands beach. The new plan is nature-based solutions and includes reviewing options and taking direct action to strengthen sand dunes at earliest risk of erosion, restoring coastal grasslands to maximum natural health, deploying Hebridean sheep to support coastal biodiversity, raise land for future protection and actively engage with St. Andrews and Fife residents to bring their old Christmas trees to be thatched into support for vulnerable dunes. The dunes along the estuary side of the Outhead peninsula and Jubilee course were restored in 2008 but have become unstable in recent years, particularly following storms in the winter of 2023 and 2024. Work began in February this year to stabilize defenses and is scheduled for completion in early April. The sand is being used to build a new 650-foot dune, which is already the biggest and longest-running dune project in Scotland. Although this work will stabilize the sand dunes, it is accepted that this will require repetition to hold the shoreline in the future, given this project is within an active erosion zone. This project is designed to give the Links Trust time to take adaptive measures and to define a long term strategy. Neil Coulson, chief executive of St. Andrews Links Trust, said: 'At the Home of Golf we take our responsibility as the custodians of not just the Old Course, but our other world famous courses extremely seriously. 'That's why we are proactively working to ensure we find solutions for problems that links courses around the world may face in the not too distant future. 'We know that coastal erosion is a challenge, but from employing our team of rangers to implementing our plan and working with others to find solutions, we are leading the way in ensuring a future for links golf.' Ranald Strachan, Lead West Sands Ranger, said: 'Our coastal management activity is about being proactive in ensuring a sustainable future for our world famous golf courses, but also for the surrounding communities too. 'When it comes to coastal erosion, it's not just links courses at risk. That is why it's important that we lead the way in St. Andrews and support others to get ahead of issues which could cause serious problems in years to come. 'By taking a range of nature-based solutions and working with agencies in Scotland and beyond, we are using traditional and innovative approaches to safeguard this historic venue and prepare it for the future.' This article originally appeared on Golfweek: St. Andrews protected from coastal erosion by sheep, Christmas trees
