Eighteen Holes At St Andrews

My parents first took me to Scotland when I was seven years old.  Sister Kay fell out of the top bunk and broke her collar bone but I didn't wake up.  What I want to know is, why, for so many years, did my Dad not take me putting on this unbelievable green at St Andrews?


It's called the Himalayas and is owned by St Andrews Ladies Putting Club.  The course is bonkers, with more undulations than you'd think sensible. Most surprising of all, a round costs just £2 for an adult and £1 for juniors. This makes it easily the cheapest attraction in Scotland and far and away the best value for money.  The first picture shows Samuel chilling next to the eighteenth green of the Old Course, shortly after we'd had a picnic and a seagull pinched my sandwich out of my hand!  All good fun.


Subsequent pictures show each hole, to try to give you an impression of this loony-tunes putting green.  For the record, Dad completed in 53 strokes.  And there can't be many ten year olds who have completed eighteen holes on the Old Course in 67!  When I win the lottery I am shipping the whole family to St Andrews for a two day Family Putting Open Championship. In the afternoons we shall play on the beach and watch the Eurofighters from Leuchars circling overhead.

The eighteenth at St Andrews, on a beautiful day in bonny Scotland.

Hole 1. A gentle starter. Nearly flat.

Hole 2. There's a ridge halfway, another near the cup, and it looks miles away!

The third. Big hill on the right means a big break from that side, hard to get anywhere near the flag.

Hole 4 is not too scary, aim straight for the flag and you have a chance.

Hole 5 is over a tall ridge, and there's another ridge behind the hole to stop your shot running too far.

The sixth is deceptively dodgy, it looks like you just have one slope to negotiate but the whole thing is angles and ridges.

Hole 7 is a loooooong one. The flag is miles away, AND tucked behind two ridges which are very hard to read. Go straight for the hole!  I hope the photos give some impression of the lumpiness of this Most Excellent putting green.

The eighth is a brilliant challenge. Huge hill to the right, steep slope on the left. Do you try to run down from the left of scale the heights on the right?  The answer is that both approaches are doomed to failure. If you can get within three metres you've done well! Great hole.

Number 9 is another very long shot, not made any easier by the hill in front of the hole. There's also a wicked slope away from the hole behind it, which will drag your ball into the rough if you go a centimetre too far. Brilliant, and testing.

Hole 10. The road shot. It is not only a long way to hit the ball but the hole is just over the top of a crown. The biggest problem is the tarmac, which diverts your shot in random directions, leaving you with really weird second shots.

Hole 11.  Over the path again, with the same random bounce off the asphalt. The hole is almost flat for a change, but you don't know where your ricochet off the pathway will leave you.

Hole 12 is really tough. You putt off the top of a hill, over another hill, which is at a much weirder angle than it looks. Plus it's a lot steeper than you think.

This isn't a hole on the putting green, it's a picture of Sam, club in hand, with the eighteenth fairway and green behind him, plus the famous St Andrews clubhouse (the lower building on the left). A constant hazard on The Himalayas is from wayward shots by players negotiating the first hole of the Old Course. Every now and then you hear "FORE, RIGHT", and then it's time to turn away and hope you don't get whacked.

Unlucky 13. The flag is half hidden by the monstrous hump in front of it. It's nearly impossible to just creep over the crest and trickle down anywhere near the hole.

Hole 14. A very long shot that this picture shows as flat, but there's a huge break from the right. Which is probably why both Sam and Dad's shots ended up out of shot on the left!

Hole 15. It's a kind of valley that you have to zig-zag along. Devious.

Hole 16. The final three holes definitely give you a little break from the madness. 16 is a long hole but you're safe if you charge at the flag.

Seventeen is one of the flattest holes on the course.

Just when you think it's over the final hole is a real beauty. The pin is atop a plateau with steep sides and a small surface area. It's a great way to remember The Himalayas, our new favourite place in Scotland.

The rules and regulations.

Playing times.

We cannot recommend The Himalayas highly enough. What a fabulous place. We WILL be returning and we hope to take the whole family with us!