No 2 - St Andrews Old Course
2. ST ANDREWS OLD COURSE
2004 position - 1
6721 yards; Par 72; SSS 73
Green fees £59-£120
Tel: 01334 466666
www.standrews.org.uk
Those who have had the pleasure of walking this hallowed golfing turf will probably concede that it pales in comparison to other Open venues as a test of accuracy – hit the ball left off the tee and you should be able to find it. But the Old course has its own rather unique defence. There are seven enormous double greens that swamp the flags and regularly leave you facing putts of over 50ft. Beginning and ending in the Auld Grey Toon, playing the Old course left me with images that will live forever in my mind – the white picket fence and red brick building behind the 18th green, the road hole bunker, and driving past the edge of the hotel at 17. Just thinking about it makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. That is why the Old course features so highly on this list.
