Four of St Andrews Links’ seven courses have been listed in the Golf Digest Top 100 Courses ranking for the first time prompting the magazine to name the town as the world’s ‘pre-eminent destination’ for golf.
After only four months in operation The Castle Course has been listed at number 65 in the list, two places behind the New Course. The Jubilee Course has moved into the top 100 at number 92, while the Old Course is in second position overall.
Golf Digest is one of the leading golf publications in America. Its authoritative biannual ranking of the top 100 courses outside the US is compiled by more than 900 golf course panellists, the editors of its 23 editions around the world and a range of golf experts.
The poll appears in the May edition of the magazine which describes St Andrews as “the game’s pre-eminent destination”. The magazine praises David Kidd for his work on The Castle Course and suggests it demonstrates the “continuing evolution at the Home of Golf”.
Alan McGregor, chief executive of St Andrews Links Trust, which manages and maintains the seven public courses in St Andrews, said, “It is a wonderful achievement to have four courses recognised in such a definitive ranking. For The Castle Course to be included so soon after it opened is remarkable. It is also pleasing to see some well deserved recognition for the Jubilee Course. This is no mean feat when you see the calibre of the courses from around the world included in the ranking.
“A great deal of hard work goes into maintaining the courses at St Andrews Links in top condition and recognition such as this from one of the world’s leading golf publications is something of which St Andrews and Scotland as a whole should be proud.”
The recognition for The Castle Course follows hard on the heels of several awards. It was recognised by Travel & Leisure Golf magazine in America as the New Course of the Year and was named International Development of the Year by Golf Inc magazine in America pipping the Els Club in Dubai to the title.
The Castle Course was named as the 2008 Turf Professional Project of the Year by the Institute of Groundsmanship, the British and International Golf Greenkeepers Association (BIGGA) and some leading turfcare journalists. Golf World magazine in the UK included the course in its top 100 ranking almost as soon as it had opened.
The Old Course was once again the top course in Scotland according to the ranking, finishing ahead of Muirfield in third position, Turnberry at number five, Carnoustie at number eight, Royal Troon at fifteen and Kingsbarns at eighteen. The poll was topped by Royal County Down in Northern Ireland.
St Andrews Links Trust www.standrews.org.uk