St Andrews (Eden)

The Eden Course is somewhat of a hidden gem in the St Andrews Links selection, as the fourth oldest course on the property. 

 

Most will know about the Old Course, New Course and Jubilee Course, but if you are taking a trip to St Andrews, then the Eden Course should definitely be added to your itinerary. 

 

The course, opened in 1914 and designed by Harry Colt, runs alongside the Old Course and the Eden Estuary at times, but plays shorter than its siblings, at just over 6,100 yards.  

 

  

Visit the Eden Course page on the St Andrews' website here.
Go back to the NCG Top 100s Homepage.

 

Despite having 110 years of history behind it, the Eden Course is not even in the top three in terms of oldest courses at St Andrews Links. 

 

It followed the Old Course, New Course and Jubilee Course in becoming the fourth 18-hole layout in the St Andrews portfolio. 

 

Harry Colt – a legend of golf course design – was the man behind the layout, which features some severe bunkering to penalise wayward shots.

 

There are golf courses with more famous siblings, and then there is the Eden at St Andrews. Overshadowed not just by the most famous course in golf but three other more prominent tracks as well, the Eden sits away from the town and, for the most part, away from the spotlight. The course briefly runs parallel and adjacent to the Old on its first few holes as a sea of caddies and pilgrims tackle the storied links to the right. The Eden is one of the shorter courses in the St Andrews Links portfolio, pushing only just past 6,100 yards on this Par 70 layout. 

 

The green on this short par 4 1st features plenty of slopes and hollows to either help your short pitch find its target, or trickle back to the front edge of the green. Colt's personal stamp at the Eden is perhaps nowhere more evident than at the par 4 2nd, where players fortunate or skilled enough to drive up the right side will be rewarded with a narrow strip of green to run into. Those who play up the left side, away from the trouble of the Old Course on the right, will be faced with an even more visually daunting proposition. The green drastically falls away on all sides and leaves the impression of a landing area for your 200-yard shot that is no bigger than a sixpence. 

 

Once you reach the 3rd green and 4th tee however, with the Eden Estuary in view, you get to what the Eden does best. The 3rd has OOB right off the tee, and then left at the green. The Eden Estuary then flanks the right side of the 4th. At only 272 yards from the tips, some will take on the green, but beware of the slice off this tee! The opening par 3 comes at the 5th, and it is a short one at just 146. The green is long and two-tiered, so club selection is vital to find the right part of the surface. 

 

The 6th is a straight-away, 400-yarder, before you come to the tricky dog-leg 7th. There is a ridge in the fairway around the 250-yard mark, as the hole winds its way to the left around the water’s edge. The green on the 8th is an incredible sight. 45 yards long, three tiers and bunkers on either side. It is a par 3 that can be anywhere between 155 to 190 yards long, depending on the flag position. The 9th is the opening par 5 on the course, and the hardest hole on the Eden as well. It is only 500 yards from the tips, but gorse bushes line the right side of the landing zone from the tee. A large circular green awaits those going for it in two, but beware of the large hollow on the right side. 

 

The back nine begins with the longest par 3 on the course. The 10th on the Eden can hit more than 210 yards with a back flag, on a green that pushes 50 yards in length. 11 and 12 are relatively simple par 4s with wide fairways, but if you’re offline then there is trouble to be found. The old railway line runs down the left side of the 13th, while out of bounds comes into play on the right of the green, as well as around the back. Water comes back into play on 14, around 250 yards from the tee. There is also OOB down the right, so your drive has to find the fairway. From there, a wedge should be enough to find a green that has no protection. 

 

The closing stretch begins with the par 3 15th. Playing back over the same water hazard that accompanies 14, the green is also guarded by four pot bunkers. It is 163 yards from the back, but the tee box is large, so check your distance before hitting your approach. The 16th is an otherwise fairly easy par 5 is protected by a wonderful green. The slopes can be quite severe and pace control becomes an issue, but conquering its challenges is deeply gratifying. 

 

Three bunkers sit in the middle of the 17th fairway, while there is also out of bounds down the entirety of the right side of the hole. The finishing hole on the Eden is a gentle par 4, and one final birdie opportunity at just 335 yards. However, your drive must find the right side of the fairway for you to be able to see the green. Find it, knock your birdie putt in, and go for a well-earned rest! 
 

Where is St Andrews Links located?
St Andrews Golf Links is situated in the town of St Andrews, which sits on the eastern coastline of Fife in Scotland. The Eden Course is a couple of miles south of this, neighbouring the Fairmont St Andrews resort. Leuchars is around seven miles to the north, with Cupar ten miles to the west. The Eden Course is 50 miles northeast of the Scottish capital city, Edinburgh.

Leuchars Station is the closest rail stop to the town, and there are then local bus services from Leuchars to St Andrews and vice versa. The station sits on the London-Aberdeen line with LNER, and there are also Cross Country trains all the way down to Penzance in Cornwall. For those travelling from further afield, Edinburgh Airport - Scotland's biggest and busiest airport - is less than an hour from St Andrews. Glasgow Airport is slightly further away, but also offers international travellers with a landing spot on their way to the 'Home of Golf'.

 

Are there any other NCG Top 100s: Scotland venues nearby?  
The Eden Course is one of several venues in the St Andrews Links portfolio that occupies a place on the NCG Top 100s: Scotland list. The Old Course, New Course, Jubilee Course and Castle Course are also on the list, while the Eden Course neighbours the Torrance Course at Fairmont St Andrews.

What golf facilities does St Andrews Links offer?  
There's plenty to do while you're at the 'Home of Golf'. Along with the Eden Course, there are seven other layouts in the St Andrews Links portfolio, while there is also a Golf Academy on site with practice facilities and the option to receive tuition as well.
 

What are the green fees at St Andrews Links?
The price of a green fee on the Eden Course at St Andrews Golf Links changes throughout the year, depending on the season. It is also different depending on whether it is a weekday or weekend. 

 

For more information on current green fees at St Andrews Links, visit their website here. 

Visit the Eden Course page on the St Andrews' website here.
Go back to the NCG Top 100s Homepage.