Golf Sports And Equipment

The St. Andrews Golf “Old ” Course can be indeed said to be one of the oldest and among the most revered golf courses worldwide. St. Andrew’s Golf Course itself is deservedly and with great merit referred to as the “home of golf and the sport of golfing”. It is the favorite course of many top golfing professionals and amateurs because it is by no means
”fearsome” in still air but always demands good strategy and shot making though some of the first ten holes are easy in the extreme ( well at least for some).

The first exciting hole is the 5th, where you need to be a little left because of the cluster of bunkers along the right. There is a steep upslope, set with more bunkers: on a hard ground with a following wind. The distance itself is approximately 430 yards. Amazingly even so, many golfing professionals see this as a clear birdie chance.

The 6th is a typical links hole. It is said that when you stand on the tee, you may well wonder, what indeed has happened to the golf course. Most players simply aim at the marker post, but even if you are skillful and lucky and all goes well that far, you may well find the second shot difficult. There is a rise before the green, and the putting surface then slopes away from the player or players. The 7th hole is the only dog leg on the course and even then only a slight one. It is often cautioned and advised, by senior golfers on St. Andrews that it is better to be on the right rather than on the left, because “Shell Bunker” is on line for an approach from the left, and the green itself slopes from left to right.

The real tests at St. Andrews come on the route back to the clubhouse. The 11′th for instance, is often regarded as one of the best par threes in world golf and the sport of golfing, feared greatly because of the “deep Hill” bunker to the left of the green and the Starth to the front on the right/ The 13′th hole at Andrews has been often ranked as one of the great par fours more than enhanced by the skyline of St. Andrews. The second shot is played over a heathery bank to a flag which seem to be perched on the top. Another great and famed hole is the 14′Th, where the tee shot has out of bounds to the right and bunkers known as the “Beardies’ to the left. If an avid golfer succeeds and successfully gets his shot down the middle, the large “Hell” bunker lies directly in the path to the green. For long hitters this 567 yard hole is a birdie opportunity, but few seem to manage to get the ball close to the hole and to “just short”, leaves an often difficult putt or chip.

Lastly by this time on course, many will begin to worry about the 17′Th “Road Hole”, a most devilish par four of a grueling 461 yards. The tee shot needs to be nearly out of bounds along the right because from the left is extremely difficult to hit and hold the narrow angled green behind which are the road and a boundary wall , both of which are potential card shredders.

All in all it can be said that the historic St. Andrews Golf Course of great fame well deserves its historic as well as golfing reputation today in 2009.