Potential names for the seventh course at St Andrews Links are flooding in from around the world. The naming competition for the seventh course was launched last Wednesday on the internet and entries have poured in from golf fans and members of the public throughout America, Asia, Africa, Europe and the UK.
It is the first time in more than 600 years of history at the Home of Golf that people have been invited to suggest names for a golf course at the Links. The competition, run through the official www.standrews.org.uk website, has attracted nearly 500 entries in the last few days.
Some of the many interesting and imaginative names which have been suggested so far include “No 7 Cliffs of Heaven”, “the Human Peace Course”, “The Prince William Course” – in recognition of his time studying in St Andrews – and “The Miracle.”
Many people have been suggesting names focused on the location of the seventh course – on a cliff top site at Kinkell Ness and near Brownhills Farm to the south-east of St Andrews. The course commands spectacular views over St Andrews Bay to the hills of Angus and of the cliffs and rock formations of the rugged coastline such as the Maiden Rock and the Rock and Spindle. It was also formerly the site of Kinkell Castle.
Alan McGregor, general manager of St Andrews Links Trust which is running the competition said, “We were expecting a great deal of interest in the competition but we have been surprised by the sheer number of entries and the imagination and thought which has gone into them.
“It is quite clear that people from all over the world feel an emotional attachment to the cradle of golf and we have been very pleased to receive entries from far-flung parts of the world as well as much closer to home. I would urge people to keep their thinking caps on and send in their own suggestions. There is still plenty of time to do so.”
The competition runs until 1st December. The best names will be submitted to the Course No 7 Working Party to select the winning name. The name of the new course will then be announced in January. The competition winner will have the opportunity to play one of the first rounds on the new course when it opens in 2008 and will be a guest at the official opening ceremony along with VIP’s from the world of golf.
Course No 7, designed by David McLay Kidd, is currently under construction and is due to open in 2008. Full details for the competition and weekly information bulletins regarding the history and nature of the land at Course No 7 are being provided at www.standrews.org.uk. To send in an entry please email namecomp@standrews.org.uk. The deadline for entries is 12noon on 1st December
St Andrews Links Trust www.standrews.org.uk
David McLay Kidd www.dmkgolfdesign.com
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