When the Open Championship returns to golf’s ancestral home in 2027, the Old Course at St. Andrews won’t look the same.
The course’s management firm, the St. Andrews Links Trust, and the R&A, in charge of the Open Championship, announced a number of pending changes Tuesday.
Holes Nos. 5, 6, 7, 10, 11 and 16 will be lengthened, bumping the overall tournament length from 7,313 yards to 7,445 yards. Much of the changes will come from moving the tee boxes.
Playing area will be added at No. 16 to the left of the Principal’s Nose and Deacon Sime bunkers, and two more bunkers will be added on that side.
Bunkers will be moved on No. 2, and additional bunkers are coming to Nos. 6, 9 and 10.
“Every generation has played a part in shaping the Old Course, and this latest program continues that long tradition,” St. Andrews Links Trust chief executive Neil Coulson said in the media release. “The work will restore features that have changed subtly over time and refine others to preserve the course’s unique character.
“Our guiding principle is simple: to protect what makes the Old Course so special while ensuring it continues to offer a fair, challenging and enjoyable experience for golfers of every level. The Old Course has never stood still. Its enduring greatness lies in its ability to adapt while retaining its soul.”
The Old Course was established in 1552 and has played host to the Open Championship 30 times, dating back to 1873, when Scotland’s Tom Kidd was the victor after a two-round event. Most recently, Australia’s Cameron Smith earned a one-stroke win over Cameron Young in 2022. Smith’s score of 20-under-par 268 matched the event’s record in relation to par.
