St Andrews Links Golf Academy

The St Andrews Links Golf Academy sits right in the heart of the world's most famous golf destination, and it's where you go if you want proper coaching rather than just hacking around the Old Course. You'll find it in St Andrews itself - impossible to miss given the town revolves around golf - and it's the place serious players book lessons, while curious beginners can get a feel for what all the fuss is about.

What you're paying for is access to instructors who know every grain of these fairways. They'll film your swing, dissect your technique, and probably tell you things about your grip that your mates have been too polite to mention. It's not a casual walk-around experience - this is coaching, focused and deliberate, usually in hour-long blocks. The academy uses the practice facilities around the Links, so you're working on the same turf where centuries of golfers have sweated over their short game.

If you're staying at one of the nearby caravan parks - Craigtoun Meadows, Cairnsmill, or St Andrews Holiday Park are all within easy reach - and you've got a golfer in the family, this saves them from a week of frustration on the course. Non-golfers might find it dull to watch, admittedly, but the town itself more than compensates with its medieval streets and decent chip shops. Worth booking ahead if you're serious about lessons. Check their website or ring ahead for rates and availability - it's not the sort of place that works on a casual drop-in basis.