Old Course

The Old Course is widely regarded as the oldest golf course in the world. Golf was played on the St Andrews links from the early 15th century, and in 1552 Archbishop John Hamilton confirmed the townspeople's right to play there. It is still a public course: since 1975 it has been run by the St Andrews Links Trust, created by an Act of Parliament to manage the links for the public, and it remains the most frequent host of The Open. The neighbouring Royal & Ancient Golf Club counted among its members David Phiri of Zambia, the first African awarded an Oxford golf Blue and later Governor of the Bank of Zambia.