Opinion & Analysis

10 reasons you must make a golf trip to St. Andrews

Published

8 years ago

Jul 10, 2016

There are literally dozens — perhaps even hundreds — of reasons to travel to Scotland and experience St. Andrews. You could write a book about them. Some people already have. So when GolfWRX asked Golfbreaks.com to come up with a few, we took a deep breath and tried to condense the Auld Grey Toon, which could be considered a country within a small town, into just 10 memorable soundbites that encapsulate what the hype is all about.

Kate, Wills and The Tingle…

St. Andrews University.

St Andrews town is a living, breathing monument. Its revered university (yes, the one where Prince William and Kate met) is the third oldest in the English-speaking world, while the striking castle and cathedral date back to medieval times. There is a tangible sense of period to St. Andrews, contrasting with the youthful and vibrant population during the academic year and summer, which provides the town with a unique feeling and atmosphere that visitors find extremely alluring.

The Old Course and Walking in the Footsteps of Legends

When the words history and St. Andrews are mentioned in the same breath, most knowledgeable students of the game don’t immediately think of those old buildings with a violent past. They conjure up thoughts of the Old Course, Tom Morris, and all of those Open Championships.

Golf’s oldest major has been played at the legendary venue on a record 29 occasions, with the likes of Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus, Seve Ballesteros, Sam Snead, and Bobby Jones all lifting the Claret Jug on that most hallowed of turf. When playing the Old Lady, you are literally walking in the footsteps of those legends and all of those that have come since. It really is quite special.

With the Royal and Ancient Clubhouse situated behind the first tee, and Old Tom Morris’ original golf store still open for business across from the 18^th tee, you are surrounded by the origins of the game. This is where golf, as we know it to be now, was born. Why does your standard course comprise of 18 holes? That is what the Old Course has. Just imagine how long a round would take if the original 22-hole layout remained intact?

Champions, the game, memories… were, and still are, created here. Now, THAT is history worth celebrating.

That Moment… On The 1^st Tee

No. 1 at St. Andrews (Old Course).

Oh, yes, standing on the first tee waiting to begin your walk with destiny is more excruciating than preparing to enter your dream job interview, or in the minutes leading up to your wedding. The anticipation and nervous excitement is palpable, but that energy is released with a crushing drive down the gigantic fairway, beginning your stroll with the legends, the most memorable round of your life. Just to experience this moment justifies making the trip to St Andrews.

The Links Trust… and In Golf We Trust!

Eden Course, St. Andrews.

Don’t forget that there are six other fantastic courses (apart from the Old Course) in the town under the Links Trust umbrella, with the New, adjacent to the Old, being the best known of the lot. The course was designed by that bearded doyen of St. Andrews, Old Tom, in the late 19^th century, and although the name does seem a little ironic these days, The New remains a fresh and thoroughly satisfying test. It is also frequently cited as a favorite of the locals.

The Jubilee, whose 18-hole layout was remodeled only a few decades ago, is to be found next to the New and runs alongside the dunes to the edge of the West Sands beach, where a famous scene from the 1981 British movie Chariots of Fire was filmed. It’s also, if you believe him, where nine-time major champion Gary Player slept during the 1957 Open Championship.

The Eden, arguably the most testing of the Trust’s courses along with the Jubilee, can be found on the other side of the Old. Although shorter than its sibling, it’s a thrillingly enjoyable challenge and its imaginative Harry Colt-designed greens require you to have a sharp short game.

Just outside of the town, you’ll discover the modern Castle Course, an undulating and craftily envisaged layout that boasts stunning views and some crazily fun holes. It can be just a little infuriating to play with a card in your hand, though!

10 Courses in One Small Town

No. 17 at the Torrence Course.

In total, there are 10 18-hole courses within a mile of the town, none of which can be sniffed at. Outside of the seven at the Links Trust, the Kohler-owned Dukes, a heathland layout, provides the only alternative to the seaside fare on offer elsewhere. And remember not to overlook the two top-class links courses, the Torrance and Kittocks, on the town’s boundaries at the Fairmont Hotel.

In fact, staying in St Andrews is like being in a multiplex cinema that is only showing classic movies. The town breathes golf and the game has largely defined its worldwide identity. It’s a intoxicating atmosphere for any lover of the game.

Test Yourself Against the Very Best

No. 11 at St. Andrews (Old Course).

For serious golfers, the chance to experience links golf at its purest should be an absolute thrill. Demanding the ability to create shots for each situation on the course, having to judge the bounce and roll on those firm fairways, and to play for the wind, there is never a dull moment.

The key to success on a seaside layout is to ultimately accept those conditions as your friend, rather than as something to fear. There are enough individual elements to St. Andrews that are intimidating, not the least the fearsome Road Hole, which is likely the best known in the game, and certainly among the most enduringly challenging.

On the Old Course, the par-three 11^th and par-five 14^th, which features the ominous Hell Bunker, are also among the highlights. Additionally, both the ninth and 10th holes of the New Course are equally as formidable. Playing these holes well, and escaping the innumerable traps, could be considered as an achievement in itself.

Lifetime Bragging Rights

No. 9 at St. Andrews (New Course).

We all like to impress (and annoy) our golfing friends with tales of success or grandeur. We regale them with tales of the great five-iron you played to the last hole, or the 40-foot eagle putt on a par-five that is unreachable for most. Spending time in St. Andrews and playing the Old Course is just about the ultimate thing to brag about for a golfer.

Enthral (and bore) your buddies with a shot-by-shot recount of your round, that adrenaline boosted drive down the first fairway, or the extraordinary par you made on the Road Hole, before striding up the last to hole a sweeping putt for birdie… sending the on-looking, fish-and-chip munching crowd into rapturous applause. Tell them how great the beer was at the Jigger Inn, how it surprisingly didn’t rain once, and how beautiful the sunset was every evening. Although we can’t guarantee that last bit, sadly.

And finally, show them the obligatory Swilcan Bridge picture.

Get that Priceless Picture on the Swilcan Bridge

The Swilcan Bridge.

Everyone has done it. The key is trying to make that most famous image in golf as unique for you as possible. Will you go for the Nicklaus pose? Or the Arnold Palmer wave? Or perhaps something of your own. The possibilities are endless. Just keep your clothes on. Trust me.

With the most photographed skyline in the game right behind you, the centuries old bridge has been crossed by all the greats, so stopping time for that brief moment is the perfect way to close out a round on the most iconic of courses. Capturing that treasured picture is worth the trip alone.

Experience the Pubs (…and pub golf)

Once you’ve taken that iconic photo, holed the final putt, and shook hands, it’s probably time for a pint or whiskey to help loosen the tongue for a post-round discussion. The obvious haunts are the famous Jigger Inn, situated alongside the Road Hole, or the popular and welcoming Dunvegan Hotel, which is one of the most revered 19-holes to be found anywhere in the world.

If pub golf is your agenda, then other watering holes include the Keys, or even Rascals, situated next to the cinema, which younger visitors in particular will enjoy. The good news is that there are more than enough pubs to satisfy the most seasoned of drinkers…. and a full 18, if you have the stamina!

The Gateway to Great Golf and More…

No. 18 at Kingsbarns.

Situated only 50 miles from Scotland’s historic capital of Edinburgh, St. Andrews is easy to reach and an ideal base for embarking on a golfing and cultural expedition of your own. The great city is among the most picturesque in Europe, with enough attractions to satisfy a trip of its own.

From a golf perspective, Kingsbarns, the breath-taking modern classic now considered to be one of the world’s finest courses, is only a short drive from the town, while the likes of Crail and Scotscraig are also within the surrounding area.

However, it is slightly farther afield where you will discover the ultimate gems. Carnoustie, the famed Open Championship venue, is just a 40-minute drive away, while East Lothian (Scotland’s Golf Coast) is less than two hours to the south, where Muirfield, Gullane, North Berwick and Kilspindie can all be ticked off the proverbial bucket list.

If you travel a similar distance north you’ll come to the city of Aberdeen, which boasts some of the country’s best on its doorstep, including the Balgownie Links of Royal Aberdeen, Murcar, and the enchanting Cruden Bay; now a cult favourite with visitors worldwide.

St. Andrews is not only the ultimate destination, but also the perfect gateway to Scotland’s other world class golf destinations.

By now we should have convinced you that St. Andrews is a golfing mecca to which every golfer must come at least once in their lifetime. Just one trip won’t however be enough, but every golfer deserves to have at least a taste. So, if it is not already on your bucket list… then stop, pull out a pen and ink it in!

Fortunately Golfbreaks.com is at hand to make that trip a reality, and, we’ll do all the work for you as well as save you time and money! Simply send us an inquiry by contacting our Golf Vacation Specialists at usa.golfbreaks.com or by calling (+1) 855.699.5853 Toll Free. Golfbreaks.com’s UK and Irish 4-night, 4-round golf tours start from just $640 pp.

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Opinion & Analysis

The Wedge Guy: What really makes a wedge work? Part 1

Published

1 day ago

Apr 18, 2024

Terry Koehler

Of all the clubs in our bags, wedges are almost always the simplest in construction and, therefore, the easiest to analyze what might make one work differently from another if you know what to look for.

Wedges are a lot less mysterious than drivers, of course, as the major brands are working with a lot of “pixie dust” inside these modern marvels. That’s carrying over more to irons now, with so many new models featuring internal multi-material technologies, and almost all of them having a “badge” or insert in the back to allow more complex graphics while hiding the actual distribution of mass.

But when it comes to wedges, most on the market today are still single pieces of molded steel, either cast or forged into that shape. So, if you look closely at where the mass is distributed, it’s pretty clear how that wedge is going to perform.

To start, because of their wider soles, the majority of the mass of almost any wedge is along the bottom third of the clubhead. So, the best wedge shots are always those hit between the 2nd and 5th grooves so that more mass is directly behind that impact. Elite tour professionals practice incessantly to learn to do that consistently, wearing out a spot about the size of a penny right there. If impact moves higher than that, the face is dramatically thinner, so smash factor is compromised significantly, which reduces the overall distance the ball will fly.

Every one of us, tour players included, knows that maddening shot that we feel a bit high on the face and it doesn’t go anywhere, it’s not your fault.

If your wedges show a wear pattern the size of a silver dollar, and centered above the 3rd or 4th groove, you are not getting anywhere near the same performance from shot to shot. Robot testing proves impact even two to three grooves higher in the face can cause distance loss of up to 35 to 55 feet with modern ‘tour design’ wedges.

In addition, as impact moves above the center of mass, the golf club principle of gear effect causes the ball to fly higher with less spin. Think of modern drivers for a minute. The “holy grail” of driving is high launch and low spin, and the driver engineers are pulling out all stops to get the mass as low in the clubhead as possible to optimize this combination.

Where is all the mass in your wedges? Low. So, disregarding the higher lofts, wedges “want” to launch the ball high with low spin – exactly the opposite of what good wedge play requires penetrating ball flight with high spin.

While almost all major brand wedges have begun putting a tiny bit more thickness in the top portion of the clubhead, conventional and modern ‘tour design’ wedges perform pretty much like they always have. Elite players learn to hit those crisp, spinny penetrating wedge shots by spending lots of practice time learning to consistently make contact low in the face.

So, what about grooves and face texture?

Grooves on any club can only do so much, and no one has any material advantage here. The USGA tightly defines what we manufacturers can do with grooves and face texture, and modern manufacturing techniques allow all of us to push those limits ever closer. And we all do. End of story.

Then there’s the topic of bounce and grinds, the most complex and confusing part of the wedge formula. Many top brands offer a complex array of sole configurations, all of them admittedly specialized to a particular kind of lie or turf conditions, and/or a particular divot pattern.

But if you don’t play the same turf all the time, and make the same size divot on every swing, how would you ever figure this out?

The only way is to take any wedge you are considering and play it a few rounds, hitting all the shots you face and observing the results. There’s simply no other way.

So, hopefully this will inspire a lively conversation in our comments section, and I’ll chime in to answer any questions you might have.

And next week, I’ll dive into the rest of the wedge formula. Yes, shafts, grips and specifications are essential, too.

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Golf's Perfect Imperfections

Golf’s Perfect Imperfections: Amazing Session with Performance Coach Savannah Meyer-Clement

Published

1 day ago

Apr 18, 2024

GolfWRX Staff

In this week’s episode, we spent some time with performance coach Savannah Meyer-Clement who provides many useful insights that you’ll be able to implement on the golf course.

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19th Hole

Vincenzi’s 2024 RBC Heritage betting preview: Patrick Cantlay ready to get back inside winner’s circle

Published

4 days ago

Apr 15, 2024

Matt Vincenzi

Just a two-hour drive from Augusta National, the PGA TOUR heads to Harbour Town Golf Links in Hilton Head Island, S.C. Hilton Head Island is a golfer’s paradise and Harbour Town is one of the most beautiful and scenic courses on the PGA TOUR.

Harbour Town Golf Links is a par-71 that measures 7,121 yards and features Bermuda grass greens. A Pete Dye design, the course is heavily tree lined and features small greens and many dog legs, protecting it from “bomb-and-gauge” type golfers.

The field is loaded this week with 69 golfers with no cut. Last year was quite possibly the best field in RBC Heritage history and the event this week is yet another designated event, meaning there is a $20 million prize pool.

Most of the big names on the PGA Tour will be in attendance this week with the exceptions of Hideki Matsuyama and Viktor Hovland. Additionally, Webb Simpson, Shane Lowry, Gary Woodland and Kevin Kisner have been granted sponsors exemptions.

Past Winners at Harbour Town

2023: Matt Fitzpatrick (-17)
2022: Jordan Spieth (-13)
2021: Stewart Cink (-19)
2020: Webb Simpson (-22)
2019: CT Pan (-12)
2018: Sotoshi Kodaira (-12)
2017: Wesley Bryan (-13)
2016: Branden Grace (-9)
2015: Jim Furyk (-18)

In this article and going forward, I’ll be using the Rabbit Hole by Betsperts Golf data engine to develop my custom model. If you want to build your own model or check out all of the detailed stats, you can sign up using promo code: MATTVIN for 25% off any subscription package (yearly is best value).

Key Stats For Harbour Town

Let’s take a look at key metrics for Harbour Town Golf Links to determine which golfers boast top marks in each category over their past 24 rounds.

Strokes Gained: Approach

Strokes Gained: Approach is exceedingly important this week. The greens at Harbour Town are about half the size of PGA TOUR average and feature the second-smallest greens on the tour. Typical of a Pete Dye design, golfers will pay the price for missed greens.

Total SG: Approach Over Past 24 Rounds

Scottie Scheffler (+1.27)
Tom Hoge (+1.27)
Corey Conners (+1.16)
Austin Eckroat (+0.95)
Cameron Young (+0.93)

Good Drive %

The fairways at Harbour Town are tree lined and feature many dog legs. Bombers tend to struggle at the course because it forces layups and doesn’t allow long drivers to overpower it. Accuracy is far more important than power.

Good Drive % Over Past 24 Rounds

Brice Garnett (88.8%)
Shane Lowry (+87.2%)
Akshay Bhatia (+86.0%)
Si Woo Kim (+85.8%)
Sepp Straka (+85.1%)

Strokes Gained: Total at Pete Dye Designs

Pete Dye specialists tend to play very well at Harbour Town. Si Woo Kim, Matt Kuchar, Jim Furyk and Webb Simpson are all Pete Dye specialists who have had great success here. It is likely we see some more specialists near the top of the leaderboard this week.

SG: TOT Pete Dye per round over past 36 rounds:

Xander Schauffele (+2.27)
Scottie Scheffler (+2.24)
Ludvig Aberg (+2.11)
Brian Harman (+1.89)
Sungjae Im (+1.58)

4. Strokes Gained: Short Game (Bermuda)

Strokes Gained: Short Game factors in both around the green and putting. With many green-side bunkers and tricky green complexes, both statistics will be important. Past winners — such as Jim Furyk, Wes Bryan and Webb Simpson — highlight how crucial the short game skill set is around Harbour Town.

SG: SG Over Past 24 Rounds

Jordan Spieth (+1.11)
Taylor Moore (+1.02)
Wyndham Clark (+0.98)
Mackenzie Hughes (+0.86)
Andrew Putnam (+0.83)

5. Greens in Regulation %

The recipe for success at Harbour Town Golf Links is hitting fairways and greens. Missing either will prove to be consequential — golfers must be in total control of the ball to win.

Greens in Regulation % over past 24 rounds:

Brice Garnett (+75.0%)
Scottie Scheffler (+69.9%)
Corey Conners (+69.0%)
Shane Lowry (+68.3%)
Patrick Rodgers (+67.6%)

6. Course History

Harbour Town is a course where players who have strong past results at the course always tend to pop up.

Course History over past 24 rounds:

Patrick Cantlay (+2.34)
Cam Davis (+2.05)
J.T. Poston (+1.69)
Justin Rose (+1.68)
Tommy Fleetwood (+1.59)

The RBC Heritage Model Rankings

Below, I’ve compiled overall model rankings using a combination of the five key statistical categories previously discussed — SG: Approach (24%), Good Drives (20%), SG: SG (14%), SG: Pete Dye (14%), GIR (14%), and Course History (14%)

Shane Lowry
Russell Henley
Scottie Scheffler
Xander Schauffele
Corey Conners
Wyndham Clark
Christiaan Bezuidenhout
Matt Fitzpatrick
Cameron Young
Ludvig Aberg

2024 RBC Heritage Picks

Patrick Cantlay +2000 (FanDuel)

With the exception of Scottie Scheffler, the PGA Tour has yet to have any of their star players show peak form during the 2024 season. Last week, Patrick Cantlay, who I believe is a top-5 players on the PGA Tour, took one step closer to regaining the form that’s helped him win eight events on Tour since 2017.

Cantlay limped into the Masters in poor form, but figured it out at Augusta National, finishing in a tie for 20th and ranking 17th for the week in Strokes Gained: Ball Striking. The former FedEx Cup champion will now head to one of his favorite golf courses in Harbour Town, where he’s had immaculate results over the years. In his six trips to the course, he’s only finished worse than 7th one time. The other finishes include three third places (2017, 2019, 2023) and one runner-up finish (2022). In his past 36 rounds at Harbour Town, Cantlay ranks 1st in Strokes Gained: Total per round at the course by a wide margin (+2.36).

Cantlay is winless since the 2022 BMW Championship, which is far too long for a player of his caliber. With signs pointing to the 32-year-old returning to form, a “signature event” at Harbour Town is just what he needs to get back on the winning track.

Tommy Fleetwood +3000 (FanDuel)

I truly believe Tommy Fleetwood will figure out a way to win on American soil in 2024. It’s certainly been a bugaboo for him throughout his career, but he is simply too talented to go another season without winning a PGA Tour event.

At last week’s Masters Tournament, Fleetwood made a Sunday charge and ended up finishing T3 in the event, which was his best ever finish at The Masters. For the week, the Englishman ranked 8th in the field in Strokes Gained: Approach, 10th in Strokes Gained: Ball Striking and 16th in Strokes Gained: Putting.

Harbour Town is a perfect layout for Fleetwood, and he’s had relative success at this Pete Dye design in the past. In his four trips to the course, he’s finished inside of the top 25 three times, with his best finish, T10, coming in 2022. The course is pretty short and can’t be overpowered, which gives an advantage to more accurate players such as Fleetwood. Tommy ranks 8th in the field in Good Drive % and should be able to plot his way along this golf course.

The win is coming for Tommy lad. I believe there’s a chance this treasure of a golf course may be the perfect one for him to finally break through on Tour.

Cameron Young +3300 (FanDuel)

Cameron Young had a solid Masters Tournament last week, which is exactly what I’m looking for in players who I anticipate playing well this week at the RBC Heritage. He finished in a tie for 9th, but never felt the pressure of contending in the event. For the week, Young ranked 6th in Strokes Gained: Off the Tee and 6th in Strokes Gained: Ball Striking.

Despite being one of the longest players off the tee on the PGA Tour, Young has actually played some really good golf on shorter tracks. He finished T3 at Harbour Town in 2023 and ranks 20th in the field in Good Drive% and 16th in Greens in Regulation in his past 24 rounds. He also has strong finishes at other shorter courses that can take driver out of a players hand such as Copperhead and PGA National.

Young is simply one of the best players on the PGA Tour in 2024, and I strongly believe has what it takes to win a PGA Tour event in the very near future.

Corey Conners +5500 (FanDuel)

Corey Conners has had a disappointing year thus far on the PGA Tour, but absolutely loves Harbour Town.

At last week’s Masters Tournament, the Canadian finished T30 but ranked 20th in the field in Strokes Gained: Approach. In his past 24 rounds, Conners ranks 3rd in the field in Strokes Gained: Approach, 3rd in Greens in Regulation % and 24th in Good Drive %.

In Conners’ last four trips to Harbour Town, his worst finish was T31, last season. He finished T4 in 2021, T12 in 2022 and ranks 8th in Strokes Gained: Total at the course over his past 36 rounds.

Conners hasn’t been contending, but his recent finishes have been encouraging as he has finished in the top-25 in each of his past three starts prior to The Masters, including an impressive T13 at The PLAYERS. His recent improvement in ball striking as well as his suitability for Harbour Town makes Conners a high upside bet this week.

Shane Lowry (+7500) (FanDuel)

When these odds were posted after Lowry was announced in the field, I have to admit I was pretty stunned. Despite not offering much win equity on the PGA Tour over the last handful of years, Shane Lowry is still a top caliber player who has the ability to rise to the top of a signature event.

Lowry struggled to score at The Masters last week, but he actually hit the ball really well. The Irishman ranked 1st for Strokes Gained: Approach on the week and 7th in Strokes Gained: Ball Striking. As usual, it was the putter that let him down, as he ranked 60th in the field in Strokes Gained: Putting.

Harbour Town is most definitely one of Lowry’s favorite courses on the PGA Tour. In his six starts there, he’s finished in the top 10 three times, including third twice. Lowry is sensational at Pete Dye designs and ranks 7th in Strokes Gained: Total in his past 36 rounds on Dye tracks.

Lowry is perfect for Harbour Town. In his past 24 rounds, he ranks 5th in Strokes Gained: Approach, 2nd in Good Drive% and 5th in Green in Regulation %. If he figures it out on the greens, Shane could have his first win in America since 2015.

Lucas Glover +12000 (FanDuel)

This is one of my weekly “bet the number” plays as I strongly believe the odds are just too long for a player of Glover’s caliber. The odds have been too long on Glover for a few weeks now, but this is the first event that I can get behind the veteran being able to actually contend at.

Glover is quietly playing good golf and returning to the form he had after the understandable regression after his two massive victories at the end of 2023. He finished T20 at The Masters, which was his best ever finish at Augusta National. For the week, Lucas ranked 18th for Strokes Gained: Approach and 20th in Strokes Gained: Ball Striking.

Over his past 24 rounds, Glover ranks 9th in Strokes Gained: Approach and 13th in Good Drive %. Harbour Town is a short course that the 44-year-old will be able to keep up with the top players on Tour off the tee. He’s played the course more than 20 times, with mixed results. His best finishes at Harbour Town include a T7 in 2008, but recently has a finish of T21 in 2020.

Glover has proven he can contend with the stars of the Tour on any given week, and this number is flat out disrespectful.

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