What To Do When You Visit The Home Of Golf: St Andrews In Scotland By Simon Haughtone At Isnare.com Ezine Articles

Situated close to Fife on the East coast of Scotland, St Andrews is famous for being the "home of golf".

The Royal and Ancient Golf club was founded in the town in 1754 and controls the game of golf everywhere except in America and Mexico.

There's a good chance that your visit to St Andrews will be to do with the links course, which often holds the annual Golf Open Championship, the longest established of golf's four major men's championships. Outside the time of the championship, you should be able to book a tee time and play the course yourself.

If you can't afford the fees to play on the most popular courses, don't panic. There are a total of 7 links courses in the St Andrews area, so you're sure to be able to find one that has an open slot and an affordable price.

Or you can just practice your shots at the local St Andrews Links golf driving range.

If you prefer a sport other than golf, St Andrews has plenty to offer as well:

You can keep fit at the East Sands Leisure Centre or take a swim in the pool or if you prefer to stay on dry land, they also have a number of pool tables.

Surfers will want to check out the surf on the nearby East Sands beach – the best surf is to be had in the winter months when the waves are bigger.

Kite flying is also a popular sport here. Most flyers will head towards the West Sands beach to indulge their hobby.

History fans can browse around the ruins of St Andrews cathedral. The cathedral was originally built starting in 1158. They fell into disuse at the time of the Reformation, during the mid 1500s but you can still get an idea of the scale of the building from the remains that are still standing on the original cathedral site.

These remains include St Rule's tower which is even older than the cathedral. If you have the energy and the weather is in your favour, make sure that you climb up the 156 steps of the tower so that you can admire the views of the town of St Andrews as well as its harbour, the North Sea and the Scottish countryside.

The other ruins to visit are those of St Andrews castle, which has been on the same site since the 12th century. There is a visitor centre to give you a flavour of what the castle used to be like in its prime.

St Andrews is also the site of Scotland's oldest university. The student population in the area ensures that there is plenty of life in the town if you want to venture outside your hotel.

One thing you should remember when you are visiting St Andrews is that if your visit coincides with a popular golf event, you will need to book your hotel accommodation in plenty of time to make sure that there is room for you to stay.

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