Scotland 2012 - Photos - St. Andrews New Course - Front Nine

This is a set of photos taken during the 2012 trip to Scotland.
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Visitor's Clubhouse as Viewed From The New Course 18th Fairway
The Starter's Area (check in) is in the lower-right part of the building as viewed from here.
During much of the day, The New Course offers a chance for "walk-ups" to fit into the day's play - as openings come about.
This especially fits those of you who are on the 3-day or 7-day ticket for play on the Links Trust - managed courses.
If a tee-time is not available in the near-timeframe: The clubhouse is a perfect place to relax and take photos before your arranged tee-time.
The 1st tee of The New Course is to the right as viewed from where this photo was taken.


St. Andrews The New Course - Front Nine

Distances are from the Yellow Tee markers; "Regular" tees and (Red) "Forward" Tees


1st Tee - 299 Yards (282 Yards), Par 4

A short opening hole with a rough-area in the middle of the fairway just over 200 yards out.
The Old Course is across the gorse of the left side of the fairways as you play out The New Course front nine.
That is the 18th green of The New seen to the right of this tee shot; you will be returning there in (probably...) about 3-hours.
There probably is a group waiting for you to play off this tee -- and watching you; the first Gallery Shot of the day!

1st - Second Shot
This is a "cropped" photo from a tee-shot photo. Someday I take a second-shot photo and a green-area photo on #1! Someday...


2nd Tee - 367 Yards (356 Yards), Par 4

No complications - other than reachable bunkers on both sides of the fairway.
If you pull your shot left onto the Old Course, your ball is in play...
Yell "fore" if you are headed that direction off this tee!

2nd - Second Shot
From 170 yards.

2nd - Second Shot Area
The town-views are great from the second fairway of the New.
The renovation of Hamilton Hall will be finished soon... and the cranes will be removed. This view was from May, 2012.

2nd - Green Area
That's the third tee just behind the green. The New is a GREAT walking-golf-course; never much "green-to-tee" walking.


3rd Tee - 511 Yards (500 Yards), Par 5
A fine driving hole - and a not-complicated second shot.
Left is not fun on the 3rd - for any shot.

3rd Fairway
This is from about 145 yards, after a second shot.
The large green is elevated after the false front. Hit enough club - but: Long in the gorse is not fun....
This is the first of the shared-greens at the New Course; the left-part of the green is the 3rd, shared with the 15th on the right-part.

3rd Fairway...
Not sure the distance - However, I suspect this is from about 100 yards, after a second shot.

3rd Green Area
Often, on the 3rd at the New Course, our long-second shot or short-of-the-green third shot, will be in the "hallow" short of the green.
Don't be long, though... The gorse behind this green are ready for any-such shot.

3rd Green Area - Shared with the 15th
The inward player has priority, if there is an "in my line" situation.
It works out, fine!

3rd Green Area - Sometimes, Sleet Arrives With You
This was April 14, 2012 - taken 12 minutes after the following photo.
Ok - Hold on ten minutes and it will be gone.

3rd - Looking to Town From the 3rd Green Area
I love looking back down the holes...
Looking forward to returning here the next time we play the golf hole.
This was April 14, 2012 - taken 12 minutes before the above photo.


4th Tee - 351 Yards (351 Yards), Par 4
A very nice par-4, played "through the gorse" all along the way to the green.
The tee shot, favoring the right side of the fairway is a FUN shot; slightly right-to-left is fine --
but, there is a mound in the fairway on the left side that, if found, can affect the second shot.
Some players will no doubt hit 3-wood off the tee to ensure a from-the fairway second shot.

4th - Second Shot
This is from 160 yards.
Long, as on many shots on the New Course, may find the gorse - so: Take care!

4th - Second Shot...
A long, perfect drive may have this from about 100 yards.

4th - Green Area
Little harm by being short on your second. The green is very approachable once you get close.


5th Tee - 167 Yards (158 Yards), Par 3
Miss the bunkers left and right that protect the green - and, don't go long... to the elevated green.

5th Tee...

5th - Green Area


6th Tee - 433 Yards (401 Yards), Par 4 (5)
A terrific par-4 - especially if you enjoy difficult golf holes!
Players long off the tee - who end in the fairway - will love this hole and will "win" most of the time in match play.
However, the green is protected by mounding and shorter-off-the-tee players will have a chance to be on the green in three
and "match" the longer-hitters who miss this green on their second shot.
Off the tee - both left and right are "not fun" -- but, those players disciplined enough to "get back to the fairway"
will win a lot of times with a bogie on this wonderful par 4.
Front tee players, playing this hole as a par-5, will enjoy the challenge while having a chance for a win over the regular tee player.

6th - Second Shot
This is from 195 yards.
If you have this as your second shot - don't worry if your shot is short of the green;
a longer-driving opponent in match play will have a difficult second shot from wherever he/she is.

6th - Second Shot...
A long, perfect drive may have this from about 120 yards.
Some of us will have this as our third shot to this par-4.

6th - Green Area
For any player - the mounding / false-front make this a difficult green to hit.
Five is fine!!


7th Tee - 336 Yards (320 Yards), Par 4
A short par-4 - and, some players will play a 3-wood or iron off the tee to miss the fairway bunkers.
The fairway bunkers definitely come into play on the second shot for front tee players.

7th - Second Shot
This is from 150 yards.

7th - Second Shot...
Players who have a nice drive - or, short-hitting players who lay up short of the fairway bunkers - will love this approach shot.

7th - Green Area
All greens at The New are fine. This green is near-perfect.
The Links Trust course rangers are sometimes watching this green and the 8th tee; assisting players when necessary with any problems.
I sometimes have appreciated their keen eyes when they find my ball in the gorse...


To Your Left of the 8th Tee: The Old Course

8th Tee - 472 Yards (464 Yards), Par 5
A very nice par-5, played again alongside the Old Course to the player's left.
A great driving hole.
Long hitters will have no problem with this golf hole -
assuming their shots are quite straight and the tee shot and second shot escape the well-bunkered fairway.
At the end of the hole is a green "hidden" between two large mounds.

8th - If you miss the Fairway
Well.... Chip it out.

8th - Second Shot
After a drive of about 200 yards, this will be your second shot.
The fairway bunkers, for the regular tee player (probably) are not a concern off the tee -
and the second shot is also (probably) not a problem for the immediate bunkers.
There IS a set of fairway bunkers afterwards, right side of the fairway, that CAN be a concern from here.
The fairway bunkers are (normally) in-play for the forward tee player's second shot.

8th - Second Shot...
A long drive may have this from about 200 yards to the green.
From here, the mounds and their bunkers are clearly visible.
It is only a few yards to the green from the mounds - and, the ball rolls well "up there".
The result is, often, a shot long over this green and the player chips back to the green.

8th - Approach Shot
This is from about 50 yards. If you are here in two: Great.
Just don't go long on this approach shot - and, then, One putt. Nice birdie!

8th - Approach Shot...
You will (probably) not have this shot; the photo is taken from way-over on the 12th fairway.
However, the photo's zooming shows nicely the well-protected 8th green area.

8th - Green Area
This photo is actually taken from the 9th tee -
but, it shows nicely the large 8th green and the views back to town.


9th Tee - 225 Yards (204 Yards), Par 3
The green is slightly hidden on the 9th.
We have reached the Eden Estuary - and, if the tide is in: A nice view.
Whether in-or-out: It is Out Of Bounds left.
This photo is from the "upper" tee area; Often, the Forward tee and the Championship Tee are located on this upper tee.
Over the years, the Links Trust has "cleaned out" some of the gorse on the right. Before that... a lot of lost balls.
Now: Going right simply leads to a bogie or so.

9th Tee...
This photo is from the "lower" tee area; Often, the Regular tee is located on this lower tee.

9th - Green Area
Protected by mounds - once you reach the green: Two putts are a challenge on this large green.


If you have not been there yet, and you wish to - click on:
St. Andrews Links - New Course - Back Nine, April 2012

To return to the main page of this series - click on:
Scotland 2012 - St. Andrews Links - - Mid-April/Early-May 2012

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