The Castle Course’s greens notwithstanding, the Jubilee Course—the third championship layout built in St. Andrews in 1897—is often considered to be the most challenging course among St. Andrews Links’ layouts. Originally, the course was intended for beginners, but a transformative redesign more than three decades ago converted the Jubilee Course into a remarkable test of golf.  

Plenty of exceptional golf destinations surround St. Andrews, too. Along the coast to the south, Kingsbarns Golf Links earned the distinction in 2009 of being the number one European course on Golf Magazine’s list of the 50 Greatest Courses Created in the Last 50 Years. 

The newest course in the region, however, is Dumbarnie Links, a layout that opened for play in early 2020. Covering 345 acres and spanning one and a half miles of coastline, the parcel of land that his home to Dumbarnie offers golfers numerous elevated tees with expansive, panoramic views across the Firth of Forth.

Those looking to play on other stretches of hallowed ground within an hour’s drive of St. Andrews can tee it up at Carnoustie Golf Links, a revered course on The Open rota that has witnessed major victories by Ben Hogan, Gary Player, and Tom Watson (among others); and Gleneagles, an exemplary golf resort that has hosted multiple Ryder Cup matches.