St. Andrews Jubilee Course

Home Scottish Links Golf The Basics AFSD - how to determine the real length of a golf course Helpful Websites Platinum Page Upscale golfing products & services Aberdeen & Grampian Highlands Royal Aberdeen, Cruden Bay... Ayrshire Royal Troon, Turnberry, Prestwick... Scotland's Golf Coast Edinburgh area, Muirfield, North Berwick... Northern Highlands Royal Dornoch, Brora, Nairn... St. Andrews area Carnoustie Charleton Crail - Balcomie Crail - Craighead Drumoig Duke's Course Elie Kingsbarns Ladybank Leven Lundin Scotscraig St. Andrews Bay St. Andrews Old Course St. Andrews New Course St. Andrews Jubilee Course LINKS LITE... Great links golf for the not-so-great golfer

St. Andrews Jubilee Course © 2006, Richard & Mary-Alice Jafolla Bring Your "A" Game Talk to any golfer who's played The Jubilee Course and you're liable to get an opinion that spans everything from "highly overrated, I didn't like it" to "formidable, I loved it." Like its sister, The New Course, The Jubilee, too, suffers from comparison to the granddaddy of them all--The Old Course. Trust me, the Jubilee is neither easy nor overrated. For those who feel it is, talk to those who play the British Mid-Amateur Championship on it or the British Amateur Championship or the Scottish Amateur Stroke Play Championship. Or, how about this?--these championships are played on both the Jubilee Course and the venerable Old Course and the scores on the Jubilee Course are consistently a few strokes higher than the Old Course!. So much for being overrated or an easy course. Built on the same seaside land as the Old Course and sandwiched in between the sea and the New Course, it shares the same challenges as both of them. Tucked up next to the Old Course, the Jubilee shares the same topography--and difficulty! At 6,805 yards off the Medal tees, Jubilee is the longest of the St. Andrews links courses. And, as I said, it shares the same topography as the other two--same deep bunkers and undulating fairways and fast greens. It's pretty much an out and back layout except for holes 8 through 13, which cut back and forth like a confused rabbit. Fairways are tight and the bunkers and rough (with the ever-present gorse) are punishing. Bring plenty of balls because chances are, if you have not brought your "A" game, you'll lose a few on the narrow fairways. Gorse, bunkers, bumpy fairways, tricky greens...oh, and by the way, add in some wind and you have yourself a pretty good test of golf. Be sure to purchase a yardage book. The Jubilee has a terrific one. There are actual aerial photos of each hole along with advice on how to play it. Pay attention. There will probably be lots of wind and so you won't always be able to come into the hole high with spin to stop your ball. The greens are difficult to hold so you want to make sure you have a suitable approach shot and not have to always come in over a deep bunker. The yardage book will tell you the best line off the tee and the best place to land on the green. For example, on the 4th hole the advice for placement of the tee shot is: Placement of the drive is much more important than length. Ideally, put the ball right of the line of the pin and short of the bunker. And for the approach: Before striking the ball, have a good look at where the pin is positioned. If it is at the back of the green an extra club will be required. Not a bad thing to know, wouldn't you agree! The 5th hole write-up warns There is a hidden bunker behind the green. Another good fact to know before you choose your club. And on the hardest hole on the course, the 538 yard number 12, called "The Butts," (probably because that's what it kicks!) the yardage book tells you …the placing of the second shot is critical The green is long, narrow and two tiered. The only way to attack the pin is by approaching it head on. That's something you would have no way of knowing if you weren't warned in advance. As I said, pay attention to the yardage book. Without a doubt, it can easily save you 4 or 5 strokes a round. You'll be making decisions off of every tee as to where to aim your shot. Position is important for your approach. A long drive is not necessarily better than a well positioned shorter drive. Just take a look at what happens if you miss the green!! That's why putting yourself in position off the tee for a good approach is critical on this golf course. A long par 4 with lots of fairway bunkers on the 18th just to make sure you've earned your score. I like The Jubilee Course a lot. I could play it every day for a week and not get tired of it. It's links golf at its finest. The Old Course has the reputation, but at less than half the price Jubilee will give you all you can handle. Golf Nook Scotland rating - BIRDIE Green Fees April thru October (check the St. Andrews website for the latest prices) 18 holes - around £45 November thru March 18 holes - around £30 You can obtain 3, 7, and 14 day tickets which can be used as often as possible on any of the St. Andrew courses except The Old Course. Check the St. Andrews web site for the latest prices. Scorecard Hole Hole Name Medal Par SI Ladies Par SI 1 Willie Auchterlonie 454 4 6 405 5 8 2 Whinny Knowe 336 4 11 271 4 14 3 The Skelp 546 5 2 506 5 2 4 Crossgate 371 4 13 332 4 12 5 Hackie's Barra' 162 3 18 132 3 17 6 Playfair 498 5 3 422 5 3 7 Ayton 373 4 10 329 4 6 8 Eden's Edge 369 4 8 326 4 10 9 Windy Tap 192 3 15 143 3 15 Out 3301 36 2866 37 10 Spires 411 4 5 387 4 5 11 Treble-One 497 5 9 470 5 11 12 The Butts 538 5 1 479 5 1 13 Hale Bopp 188 3 17 124 3 18 14 Willie Whitelaw 438 4 14 415 5 13 15 Steel's Gem 356 4 4 341 4 4 16 Freddie Tait 428 4 7 409 5 9 17 Ladyhead 211 3 16 180 3 16 18 Honeyman's Howe 437 4 12 372 4 7 In 3504 36 3177 38 Out 3301 36 2866 37 Total 6805 72 6043 75 SSS 73 -- LGUSS 75 St. Andrews Links Trust St. Andrews KY16 9SF Scotland Tel: 01334 466666 Fax: 01334 477036 Email: reservations@standrews.org.uk Web: www.standrews.org.uk *For WHAT TO DO ALL DAY, please see St. Andrews area