The search for a name for the seventh course at St Andrews Links has received another surge of interest, with the number of entries racing to more than 3,000.
The naming competition is being run by St Andrews Links Trust and gives people a unique opportunity to name its new seventh course which will become the youngest sister to the historic Old Course.
Entries have flowed in from all over the world for the competition which marks the first time in 600 years of history at the Home of Golf that the public has been invited to suggest a name for a course.
The competition began on 1st November and visitors to www.standrews.org.uk are being invited to email or send in suggestions. With just over one week to go before the deadline for entries at 12noon on 1st December golf fans are exercising their grey matter in impressive style to suggest a variety of colourful names.
Some of this week’s suggestions include Bonnie Crag, The Intrepid, the Legacy, the Featherie and Stairway to Heaven. Some popular choices have included variations based on Old Tom Morris, the location of the course at Kinkell, the fact that it is the Links Trust’s seventh course and the main geographical feature with The Braes.
Alan McGregor, general manager of the Links Trust, said, “The number of entries the competition has attracted is way beyond our expectations. We thought there would be interest from around the world in a new course at the Home of Golf but we didn’t appreciate the strength of the emotional bond that golfers feel toward St Andrews. We have been hugely impressed with the thought that has gone into some of the entries and it will clearly present our Trustees with a difficult decision in selecting the winning name. There is still just over a week to go so there is still plenty of time for people to send us their suggestions.”
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 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 VIPs from the world of golf.
The seventh course is under construction on a cliff top site to the south east of St Andrews centred on Kinkell Point and near Brownhills Farm. The 220 acre site features spectacular views over the town of St Andrews and out to the North Sea.
Full details for the competition and weekly information bulletins regarding the history and nature of the land at the seventh course are being provided at www.standrews.org.uk. Entries should be emailed to namecomp@standrews.org.uk. The deadline for entries is 12 noon on 1st December.
No. 7 naming competition attracts 3,000 entries so far
