Old Course, New World

The Best of the Rest
You've come to hear Wagner and Mozart and Beethoven, but honestly, some relief, maybe Duke Ellington, would be nice. And there is more than mere fanfare in and around St. Andrews. The heathland course at Ladybank ($51-$59; 011-44-1337-830814) has tested the best in Open qualifying. Or drive south toward Lundin Links ($51-$66; 011-44-1333-320202), another qualifying course that is said by some to have the best putting surfaces in Fife. To the north, ten miles or so out of St. Andrews, there's Scotscraig ($51-$59; 011-44-1382-552515), a James Braid layout that shows what can be done in attempting to mix heath, parkland and links; it's likely to find you out if the turf down the coast has been overkind. The Scottish Golf Centre> at Drumoig ($41-$48; 011-44-1382-541800) is another new course; if its windy open landscape looks too bleak, there's always the indoor golf school. If you can't play without having the R&A in view or West Sands within distance, the Jubilee Course ($42-$59; 011-44-1334-466666) is always great fun. Parallel to the Old and New, the "Jube" opened in 1897 and is a 6,742-yard genuine test. Many locals love the Eden Course ($32-$44; 011-44-1334-466666), adjacent to the Old Course, making it difficult to get a tee time. Next to the Eden is the Strathtyrum Course (5,094 yards, par 69, $23-$29; 011-44-1334-466666), a short but enjoyable ego booster.

St. Andrews Plus
Orientation
St. Andrews is in the Kingdom of Fife, on the east coast of Scotland. Edinburgh Airport is fifty miles south; Glasgow Airport is ninety-five miles west. Dundee Airport, fourteen miles north and just over the Tay, takes domestic flights and private aircraft. Leuchars railway station is five miles away and has frequent service from London via Edinburgh. Pickup from airports and the railway station is offered by the leading hotels. In winter, the course can experience frost delays. Snow (though rare) will sometimes result in closure. But through spring, summer and autumn, through rain and shine, golf will be played at St. Andrews. The daily ballot for the precious tee times on the Old Course not booked in advance takes place at 2 p.m.--results are posted by 4 p.m. for the following day's play. In the packed summer months, the sheer demand leaves plenty disappointed. But in late autumn or early winter, success is pretty likely. But remember, the Old Course rests on Sunday.

Other Activities
BRITISH GOLF MUSEUM
Bruce Embankment, St. Andrews; 011-44-1334-478880, britishgolfmuseum.co.uk.
A journey through the origins of the game from fifteenth century Scotland, taken right up to date. These days some of its displays look a bit old-tech, but it's a fascinating, diverse collection.

BYRE THEATRE
Abbey Street, St. Andrews; 011-44-1334-475000, byretheatre.com.
Reopened just last year, this is Scotland's first new theater of the century. The influence of Sir Sean Connery, president of the Byre Theatre Patrons, helps bring serious professional companies to town.

CATHEDRAL BURIAL GROUND
The Pends, St. Andrews; 011-44-1334-472563.
Buy the map called "Graves of the Golfing Greats" (30p) from the Quarto bookshop in Golf Place. Old Tom Morris, the four-time Open champion (1821-1908), has his grave in the south of the cathedral grounds near his son, Young Tom (1851-75), also a four-time champion. The map also gives the "final lies" of Open champs Allan Robertson, Sandy Herd, Jock Hutchison, Tom Kidd and Hugh Kirkcaldy.

NEW PICTURE HOUSE
North Street, St. Andrews; 011-44-1334-474902, nphcinema.co.uk.
There is no Old Picture House, but the New, opened in 1931, still feels part of a lost era. The cinema features new releases, but late-night specials are the main attraction during term time. So queue up early.

ST. ANDREWS CASTLE
The Scores, St. Andrews; 011-44-1334-477196.
Although the ruins are mainly sixteenth century, the fortifications of the castle have been built and rebuilt through the historical traumas of the Wars of Independence, siege by soldiers of Henry VIII and the rest. Underground, there is the dungeon and medieval mines and countermines dug by generations of invaders and defenders during sieges.

ST. ANDREWS CATHEDRAL RUINS
The Pends, St. Andrews; 011-44-1334-472563.

A Greek monk, Regulus (or Rule), is said to have brought the bones of the martyred Saint Andrew to this part of Scotland, giving the town its name. Regulus gave his own name to St. Rule's Tower, a feature of the ruins of the Augustinian priory that once flourished here. The top of the tower at 108 feet is the best view over the town. The cathedral itself was started in 1160, completed in 1318 and was once the largest building in Scotland.

ST. ANDREWS UNIVERSITY
This is the oldest seat of learning in Scotland (and the third oldest in Britain, behind Oxford and Cambridge). The university dates back to 1411, when antipope Benedict XIII gave his papal authorization. Many original buildings have long gone, but the two surviving quads of St. Salvator's (North Street) and St. Mary's (South Street) are atmospheric. St. Salvator's collegiate church is a Gothic delight.

WEST SANDS
As the Kent coastline of England, the West Sands (parallel to the Jubilee) made a notable stand-in in the Oscar-winning Chariots of Fire.