St. Andrews, The Home of Golf
On July 10, 2008, Thursday, our third day in Edinburgh, we did not get up that early. We decided not to play golf as it was drizzling. We ate our breakfast at the guest house, checked-out, then left and proceed to St. Andrews via Firth of Forth bridge between Queensferry and North Queensferry & Inverkeithing, then Aberdour, Kirkcaldy, Leven, Lundin Links, and Largoward. In the area of Firth of Forth bridge, you can actually take a boat from there but we opted to go by land.
We arrived in St. Andrews, Kingdom of Fife just after 3:00pm. Travel time from Edinburgh to St. Andrews by car was about 2 1/2 to 3 hours.
Welcome to St. Andrews! Welcome to the home of golf! Welcome to the Kingdom of Fife!
We went straight to the Tourist Information Centre. Instead of booking a room at a hotel, we decided to stay at the New Hall of the University of St. Andrews at the North Haugh even without seeing the place as it has a private car park. Most hotels at St. Andrews have limited parking space unless of course you want to stay at the very expensive hotels. Well, even some of the nicely located hotels and expensive at that, have side street parking, not really a private one. Aside from that, I also loved the idea of staying at the the oldest university in Scotland and the third oldest in Britain. And since it’s a university, I was also hoping for an internet connection.
When we arrived at the New Hall, it looked good. Then I asked the lady at the reception about the internet, and she told me that there was no internet connection. She was so apologetic about it. She asked us to fill out the evaluation form before we checkout on Monday so that the management will know that a university like St. Andrews should have an internet connection. Ok, it has but at the other buildings, but there was none at the New Hall.
We checked-in, rested for a while, then went around the area afterwards. We had our dinner at the Sands Restaurant at the Old Course Hotel, a Golf Resort and Spa in St. Andrews overlooking the 17th hole of the St. Andrews Links Old Course. I thought that the Old Course Hotel was part of the St. Andrews Links Trust. We were told later on that the Old Course Hotel was not part of St. Andrews Links Trust.
That was a great dinner! The beef was definitely so tender!
The next few days, Friday until Sunday, we played golf at St. Andrews Links. On Friday, we played 18 holes at the Strathtyrum Course. On Saturday, we played another 18 holes at the New Course. Then on Sunday we played another 18 holes at the Eden Course.
The Strathtyrum Course is not a difficult course, but still a little bit long for me. It is just a plain course with quite high rough grass. The Eden Course is not too difficult but not too easy too, but definitely difficult than the Strathtyrum Course, and still a long course for me. The New Course is definitely difficult, long with high rough grass and deep bunkers. Some golfers told us that it’s almost as difficult as the Old Course. Golfers, everyone, in any of those courses, be sure to place your golf ball on the fairways or else risk losing your ball.
Ok, we didn’t play at the Old Course. It was not easy booking for this course. I will not explain it anymore. If you are interested, you can read about it at the website of the course.
Every after a game of golf, we also went around the area. We just did not go to the other historic places, castles and museums except the British Golf Museum. It was just about playing golf in St. Andrews, as it is the home of golf. I think most of the golfers dream to be able to play golf in St. Andrews particularly at the Old Course. But even if we were not able to play at the Old Course, it was worth it. We have a very good reason then to go back to Scotland especially in St. Andrews.
Another thing, we were able to enter the St. Andrews Golf Club, exclusive for members only and take note for men only. There’s an area where women are allowed. 
The women’s golf club is separate from the men’s club. Crazy, huh! It so happened that we played with one of the members of the club so we got inside the clubhouse. This is not to be mistaken to The Royal And Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews which is definitely exclusive for special members, whoever they are. 
Not all members of even St. Andrews Golf Club can just enter The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews.
Actually, The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews has an open house once a year but most of the members of the club are not really telling everyone about it. But there’s one good thing too, the Old Course is closed on Sundays for playing golf so people have the chance to see the course. You can walk all day long at the Old Course even if you are not a golfer. You can see for yourself how deep the bunkers are. You’ll get crazy.
To give you an idea why we rave so much about St. Andrews, well, St. Andrews is just like a mecca for golfers. Now you know.
The building from a far is the Old Course hotel, Golf Resort and Spa
St. Andrews Golf Club for Men is in one of those buildings on the left
The Golf Club for Women is just beside the Men’s Club
The building at my back is The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews
Well, that’s it. I hope you enjoyed virtually travelling with us in St. Andrews, the home of golf! To know more about St. Andrews, just visit the related links. Join us in our next Scotland destination! Virtually travel with us in Inverness!
Updated on October 21, 2009
Links to Our Scotland Golf Vacation in Summer 2008
Scotland Golf Vacation in Summer 2008
Scottish Borders Tourist Route to Edinburgh
First Day, Edinburgh City, Scotland
Second Day, Edinburgh, Scotland
St. Andrews, The Home of Golf
Scotland’s Malt Whisky Trail
Inverness, the Mouth of the River Ness in Scotland
Scotland Lochs: Loch Ness, Loch Lochy, Loch Linnhe, Loch Creran
Oban, The Little Bay in Scotland Trip
Inveraray Castle, Inveraray, Scotland Side Trip
Hawick, Scottish Borders, Scotland Trip
Colchester, Essex, England Side Trip
Leeds Castle, Maidstone, Kent, England Side Trip
Related Links:
9. Kingdom of Fife
St. Andrews, Kingdom of Fife
University of St. Andrews
New Hall, University of St. Andrews, North Haugh
St. Andrews Links Trust
British Golf Museum, St. Andrews, Scotland
Old Course Hotel Golf Resort and Spa
wow, it looks like paradise. ang ganda ng mga scenery not to mention the food, mukhang ang sasarap….yikes, natakam tuloy ako sa salmon.
Hello Snow!
Ay grabe, di yata kami nagsawa sa salmon e. Basta kung meron, yan ang laging appetizer namin.
I am a member at Musselburgh Links , i read in you blog that you played Royal Musselburgh . I think that you would be very interested in this wedsite http://www.mocgc.com . it is the web site for Musselburgh Old Course Golf Club . we are the club at the worlds oldest golf club , where Royal Musselburgh was formed
Ruth
Hello Ruth,
I thought that the club is integrated with the Royal Musselburgh. We saw the 9-hole course but did not stop. We saw some people playing at the course too.
Thanks for the link to the website. I appreciate it.
Thank you too for visiting my site.
Ohnoes, everyone’s making me real hungry today. You’re the 3rd. I came from Dessert, Fajita with a homemade salsa, then your beefplate. Nagutom lalo ako (methinks: I only have an instant mami noodle in my kitchen)!
Hello K!
Ay grabe, super tender ng braised beef na yan. Even if I didn’t have a knife, I could have cut it using a fork. I was quite satisfied with the food. Ok na ok ang pagkaluto. Sarap!
sana makapunta ako dyan someday.
Hello don_Ser,
Malay mo naman di ba. Pag may ambisyon ka, siguradong matutupad yan.
Hi Sofie,
May I invite you to please joinFilipinos Unite!!!. You may do so by commenting on my blog or by sending an email at melalarilla@gmail.com stating your name, address, name of blog and its url. Thanks and God bless.
Hello Mel,
Thanks for the invitation and thanks for dropping by! Filipinos Unite!
God bless you on your project!
yum yum yum, penge! ganyan dati gawa ko kapag may golf tournament — kain lang ng kain before dumating yung mga scores, hehehe
happy nikolaus tag!
Hello Kengkay,
O ayan, saluhin mo na lang.
Uy dumaan na si Nikolaus sa inyo. Sa amin, noong 6 din. Kaya lang di na kami lumabas para manood. Lamig e.
Hmmmmmn, the hors d’oeuvre looks so delicious. Hehehe, tumulo laway ko…slurrfff. I luv Salmon kasi
. Sofie, next time pagnagbakasyon kayo isama mo ako. Piksman hindi ko kayo guguluhing mag-asawa. Payag na ako kahit gawin niyo kong caddy.
Hi Ate Beng,
Daming may gusto ng salmon a. Sarap naman talaga kasi e. Sama ka sa amin? Hmmm…
Anyway, have a great weekend!
feeling ko manay nakiki golf na rin ako sa mga nakikita ko sa pics:) Love the view! Really awesome! yung meat parang ang sarap may kanin na katabi hehe
have a great thursday mamuah!
Hello cheh,
Puro na lang nga golf tong entry ko e, papaano golf vacation talaga bakasyon namin.
Have a great weekend manay!
Wow ang ganda naman dyan Ma’am Sofie. parang wala akong makitang dumi na nakakalat. Take care!
Hello johnlazy,
Napansin ko rin nga na malinis rin sa Scotland. Well, seguro di ko lang nakita yong area na marumi. May mga pader na medyo vandalized pero di naman masyadong pangit tingnan.
Thanks for visiting, have a nice weekend!
wow one of the place that really catch my attention. pangarap ko talaga makapunta sa mga gaynag place. pero sana hindi hanggang pangarap lang hehehe.. anyhow.. totally different here, but still no one place like home ryt?
Hello jeniffer,
Pag masigasig naman ang tao, madaling matupad ang pangarap. Bata ka pa naman. Magagawa mo rin yan balang araw. Nasa sa yo naman yan e. Di ba?
Don’t stop dreaming! It’s free naman e, gasgas na kasabihan pero tutuo.
Anyway, thanks for visiting, and have a nice weekend!
pagkain, nasaan? ubos na ba? wala nang leftovers? *sigh. malamig na ba dyan? mukhang green na green pa ang mga lawn. just picture watching. see ya. God bless
Hello Mahalia,
Ubos na yong pagkain, nahuli ka e.
grabe ate sosyal naman lahat ng bagay jan.. pati mga pagkain Sands Classic Tiramisu mukang masarap. You really enjoy life kung ganyan ang buhay.. HAVE FUN ATE!!
Hello jeniffer,
Masarap talaga yong tiramisu na yan. Basta pagkain di ako umaayaw pero kailangan masarap talaga.
Mamuah,bati lang kita nga happy holidays! medyo bz bzihan ako! haay sarap pa rin pag bata tuwing ganitong pasko,noh?ala kang gagawin ,may matatanggap pa! heheheNgayon atin lahat ang preparation! haay
((besos))
Hello cheh,
Happy Holidays din sa inyong lahat!
hi! MERRY CHRISTMAS! a christmas greeting is awaiting for you in my blog. Pls. Take a look.
and also here’s my greeting card. click this ECARD
Hope you like it!!! More blogging year’s for us to come!! mwaaahh..
Hello jeniffer,
Salamat! Merry Christmas din sa yo!
Wwo St. Andrews, nice (but Decembrrrrr
As told (in my other email you will receive), I did not research this, kind of coincidence: St Andrews, the cradle of Golf, would be nice to have GreenTees for sustainable green fees 
.
Ps. I like Kinilaw or Kilawing Tanigue “more better” sorry…
Harm
Hello Harm,
Thanks for visiting. I’m not so fond of kinilaw but I can eat it. It all depends on who prepapred it.
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