St Andrews Old Course History Tour
- 1h 15m
- Free cancellation up to 24h before
- Guided in English
- Instant confirmation
Highlights
These are bucket list award-winning tours with professional local guides. Aimed primarily at those with a more in-depth interest in golf, you will learn about the origins and the development of both the game and the Old Course through a timeline spanning the 13th to 20th century, plus Open and Dunhill history, finishing with a photo shoot on the iconic Swilkan Bridge (excludes tournament days). Hear memorable Road Hole moments and gain recommendations for a few more things on the bucket list to do while here, including the Himalayas and the Jigger Inn. Round off your tour by the Old Course Jigger Inn. Sundays - Walk on the Old Course fairway - excludes championship/tournament days) *Check the booking calendar for availability Tours endorsed by famed Golf historian David Joy and RIck Steves.
Inclusions
What's included
- Professional local guide
- Professionally taken photos on the Swilkan Bridge (excludes tournament days)
What's not
- We also have a private tour on Viator: Private St Andrews Old Course History Tour
Itinerary
Meet your guide outside front of hotel for the start of your shared tour. Please don't be late as these public tours will not wait. Tour start: Gain an overview of town history leading to 1123 Links charter.
Discover the origins and early development of the game of golf, from 13th-century stick and ball in the Low Countries to Edinburgh in 1744 and why St Andrews is the Home of Golf.
Learn about how Old Course development also developed the game of golf, where fairways and bunkers come from, golfing moments, Old Tom and the old Caddie Shack!
The Open Championship, Dunhill Cup, further course development from 12, 10 to 18 holes and important sites around the 18th.
The 1st/18th fairway and farmers, Rusacks Hotel, the Mannings, original 1st tee and 18th hole, how early caddies and ladies caused Old Tom to create the world's first putting green!
Photos on one of the most iconic landmarks in the game of golf, and one of the most photographed bridges in the world. Excludes tournament days - Dunhill, Open etc and busy days.
Hear about some of the jaw-dropping golfing moments at the Road Hole - the 17th green of the Old Course, then finish the tour near the famed Old Course Jigger Inn for refreshments (not included).
Cancellation
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the experience starts, for a full refund.
Reviews
4.7
- 5181
- 419
- 312
- 23
- 13
Ratings come from 218 reviews collected by our booking partner. They are travellers' own words, in the order they were written — never reordered to flatter the experience.
Showing reviews written in English.
5The Old Course
Morgan was a great guide. Knowledgeable and entertaining
5Very enjoyable
Mike was an excellent guide. Very knowledgeable about the history and the present day course
5Mike was very...
Mike was very knowledgeable and funny, he gave us a great tour of The Old Course and had recommendations for lunch afterward. A great experience overall!
4Great info but a tad short
Our tour guide, Ken, had a lot of great information and trivia to share. He was also very friendly and accommodating, snapping photos for us through the tour. It was just a tad short - getting to see other parts of the course would have been nice.
5Yes worth seeing on Sunday
We went to St Andrews on a Sunday and didn’t know that we could walk the whole course even picnic on the fairways! Lol The course has its church rest day and it’s also considered a local park, so go figure the propaganda and compromises made over scotch.
5Book this tour!
Ed was wonderful! We were able to customize our itinerary mainly focusing on The Old Course and he gave us some great suggestions. He also gave us a tour of the town with a lot of history. And he gave us a list of must-see places for the rest of our time in Scotland. Highly recommend!
Know before you go
- Meeting point
- Meeting point: Hotel du Vin, 40 The Scores, St Andrews. Richard will see you outside the front of the Hotel for your shared tour. Please be on time as these public tours will not wait. The hotel is also open to the public for refreshments (not included).
- Pickup
- Everyone meets at the starting point; there is no pickup.
- Ticket type
- Mobile or paper ticket accepted
- Group size
- Up to 15 travellers
- Operated by
- St Andrews Tours
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
- Tours not suitable for under 5s
- A fluent command of English is essential for all participants. Speaking slowly or translating does not work.
How it compares in St. Andrews
- Its from-price is 93% below the median of the 46 experiences we list in St. Andrews.
- It is shorter than most of them.
- By number of reviews it ranks 2 of 46.
- The operator lists free cancellation on it.
About St. Andrews
St Andrews is a medieval coastal town in Fife, the home of golf, with Scotland's oldest university, a ruined cathedral and castle, and long sandy beaches.
St Andrews stands on the east coast of Fife, on a rocky shore beside the North Sea, and is known throughout the world as the home of golf, which has been played on the Old Course since the fifteenth century. The University of St Andrews, founded in 1413, is the oldest in Scotland and among the oldest in the English-speaking world, and students in red gowns are a familiar sight in the stone streets.
Top-ranked sights in St. Andrews: University of St. Andrews.
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