New Course

The New Course at St Andrews isn't for mucking about on - it's the second oldest golf course in the world, opened in 1895, and it demands respect. You're playing on ground that's hosted Open Championships and shaped the modern game, which is both brilliant and slightly terrifying if you've got a dodgy handicap.

The layout sits right alongside the Old Course, so you get that same St Andrews atmosphere without quite the same queue or the eye-watering green fees of its famous neighbour. The course is proper testing: wind off the Eden Estuary can turn a decent drive into a nightmare, and the bunkers aren't there for decoration. Fairways are tight, greens are quick, and par is genuinely challenging.

Golfers of all abilities play here, though you'll need to book well ahead and prove you've got some form of handicap. Greens fees vary by season, so check their website before you plan the trip. Allow a full day if you're taking it seriously - four-and-a-half hours minimum for an eighteen-hole round.

If you're staying at one of the nearby holiday parks like Craigtoun Meadows or St Andrews Holiday Park, the New Course is within a few miles and makes for a genuine pilgrimage. Even non-golfers find the walk around the perimeter worthwhile - the views across the links are excellent, and you'll understand why people get properly obsessed with this place. Just don't expect it to be easy.