Links Classic

St Andrews — The Jubilee Course

St Andrews, Fife · Designed by Created 1897; redesigned by Donald Steel (1989) · Est. 1897

The Jubilee is the toughest of the St Andrews Links Trust's public courses — the links the locals will tell you plays hardest into a stiff wind. Laid out in 1897 to mark Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee, originally as a beginners' course, it was progressively toughened and, after a major Donald Steel redesign completed in 1989, emerged as a full championship links running along the coast beyond the New Course, closest to the sea of all the St Andrews links.

At par 72 over around 6,700 yards, it is more undulating and exposed than its illustrious neighbours, with big dunes, humps and hollows and a genuine premium on driving. It has hosted Open Final Qualifying and is used for the St Andrews Links Trophy — a serious test that many good players rate the most demanding round in town after the Old Course itself.

Playing it is also far easier to arrange than the Old Course, making the Jubilee an essential and accessible part of any St Andrews pilgrimage.

Holes worth knowing

1The exposed dune holes — closest to the sea of all the St Andrews links, the Jubilee catches the wind hardest and demands the best of your driving.
2The Steel-era finishing stretch — toughened in the 1989 redesign into a genuine championship test that has staged Open Final Qualifying.

Highlights

The toughest of the St Andrews public links
Full championship redesign by Donald Steel (1989)
The most exposed St Andrews course, closest to the sea
Far easier to book than the Old Course

Good to know

→Locals rate the Jubilee the hardest of the St Andrews Links courses in a wind — do not be fooled by its beginners'-course origins.
→It is one of seven courses on the St Andrews Links single ticket area, and far easier to book than the Old Course — a great way to play championship links in the Home of Golf.
→Play it off a sensible tee: exposed to the sea, it is a stern driving test when the wind gets up.
→The whole St Andrews Links complex — Old, New, Jubilee, Castle, Eden — plus the town's pubs, R&A and university, is on the doorstep.
→Combine it with the New Course (right alongside) for a two-round St Andrews day without the Old Course ballot.