Seventh Course at St. Andrews Named


After a naming competition which attracted more than 4,000 entries from around the world, the new, seventh 18-hole layout at the 600-year-old St. Andrews Links has been named the Castle Course. The moniker reflects the history of the headland to the southeast of St. Andrews where Kinkell Castle once stood in the Middle Ages.

The winner of the naming competition is American Edwin Burtnett, who was selected after a random draw of all those who had suggested the qualifying names. Burtnett will be invited to the opening ceremony of the new course next year and be given the opportunity to play one of the first rounds.

The decision on the new name was made at a meeting of the Trustees of St. Andrews Links Trust after a careful selection process. The trustees considered a short list of names compiled by the St. Andrews Links Course No. 7 Working Party. The trustees were seeking a name that is easy to understand, relevant to the course and St. Andrews, and that fit in with the Links Trust’s family of names.

Alastair Dempster, chairman of trustees, said, “In golfing terms this is a major decision and a historic announcement. It is not every day that a new course at St. Andrews is named. In reaching this decision we were acutely aware that the name of the new course would have to stand the test of time and remain appropriate to a world famous golfing destination.

“In selecting the Castle Course as the name, I think we have made an excellent choice. I am sure golf fans around the world, many of whom entered the naming competition, will have their own views and will debate its merits for years to come, but I am confident that people will appreciate the Castle Course as a fitting identity for a younger sister to the Old Course.”

The naming competition ran through the www.standrews.org.uk website and attracted thousands of entries from every continent, including countries as diverse as Australia, Argentina, Thailand, Canada and Iceland.

The Castle Course is designed by David McLay Kidd, a Scot who gained worldwide renown for his work at Bandon Dunes in Oregon, Nanea in Hawaii and Queenwood in Surrey. The 220-acre cliff-top course at St. Andrews is expected to open next spring. The par-71 layout will range in length from 5,600 to 7,200 yards. As with the existing six St. Andrews Links courses, the Castle Course will be public.

Alan McGregor, general manager of the Links Trust, said, “It has been an exciting process waiting to learn what the name for our seventh course would be. We were extremely pleased with the huge response we received for the naming competition and I would like to thank everyone who took the time to enter and play their part in the making of golf history.

“The Castle Course promises to be a wonderful course which we believe will attract golfers from all over the world with its quality and its spectacular views of St. Andrews Bay, the Grampian Mountains and out to the North Sea. We will begin taking bookings for play next year on the Castle Course and I am sure that, like me, many golfers will be looking forward to playing it for themselves.”

St. Andrews Links Trust is a charitable organization responsible for the management and maintenance of the links at St. Andrews, including the famous Old Course, host of the 2010 British Open. The Trust was established in 1974, employs more than 200 permanent staff and seasonal workers during the high season, and manages two clubhouses, a golf practice center and three pro shops.

More than 200,000 annual rounds are played over the six public courses, which include two other championship courses (the New and Jubilee), two 18-hole courses (Eden and Strathtyrum), and the nine-hole Balgove.