THE BIRDIE | Old Course Hotel | ISSUE 01

THE

NEWS, VIEWS, PEOPLE ... AND ALL THE TALK OF THE TOWN

PLAYTIME

GASTRONOMY

ST ANDREWS

From cold-water swimming to conquering The Duke’s

The finest seafood, ice cream and Lowlands whisky

Where to go and what to see

AUTUMN / WINTER 2024

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ICEBREAKERS Tasty titbits to get the conversation rolling.

Did you know ...

Welcome to The Birdie

Keys to the town

Apologies to any budding ornithologists who’ve picked up a copy of The Birdie under false pretences. Not that we’re immune to the delights of nature in this lovely corner of Fife (nor, for that matter, to the sublime pleasure of shooting under par – we’ve not forgotten where we are). But in putting together this first issue of the Old Course Hotel’s new magazine, we rather fancied ourselves as the wee birdie that tells you about the people, places and experiences that make the Auld Grey Toon such a magical place to be. In this first issue, for example, Olympic silver medallist Keri-anne Payne discusses the benefits of wild swimming (page 8), following the success of the first Cold Water Wellness Retreat held last April – another is planned for 2025.

We meet Scotland’s leading female golfer, Gemma Dryburgh, who competed at the AIG Women’s Open on the Old Course earlier this year (page 18). There’s plenty of news from the hotel itself, including the recent refurbishment of the Kohler Waters Spa (page 27) and the raw bar and chophouse concept at Swilcan Loft (see opposite). And, as always, St Andrews offers plenty of excellent things to see and do, from lip-smacking gelato (page 14) to – whisper it – English art (page 22).

Three Americans – Benjamin Franklin, Bobby Jones and Jack Nicklaus – have been granted honorary citizenship of the Burgh of St Andrews.

Strange bedfellows

Twelve miles up the coast at Tentsmuir beach, you might find Highland cattle sharing the sea view with hundreds of common and grey seals on a warm summer’s day.

If you’re a guest at the hotel, we wish you a wonderful stay. If not, we hope to see you soon.

Take cover

COVER ILLUSTRATION BY MARIE LARRIVÉ; MAP BY STEPHANIE GINGER

The roof of the Old Course Hotel is made of recycled rubber tyres, so any stray golf balls bounce off and we avoid broken tiles.

A man of many hats

St Andrew is the patron saint not only of Scotland, Russia, Romania, Amalfi and Barbados, but also of, among others, fishmongers, fishermen, singers, spinsters, sore throats and gout.

FOOD & DRINK

NATURE’S BOUNTY GLORIOUS VIEWS, CRAFTED COCKTAILS, SENSATIONAL SCOTTISH PRODUCE – SWILCAN LOFT HAS ALL THE INGREDIENTS FOR AN UNFORGETTABLE MEAL

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classic béarnaise sauce or a vibrant salsa verde.

Delicious meat-free dishes include grilled lion’s mane mushroom with truffle polenta and rock samphire.

The concept is good old-fashioned “surf and turf ”, but Swilcan Loft’s focus on provenance takes it to the next level, says Mario Rodrigues, the Old Course Hotel’s director of food and beverage. “This is a vibrant, informal place where people can celebrate – we have the best views St Andrews can offer, and the finest local produce.

You can enjoy champagne with your appetiser, then a fine wine with your main course.”

The cocktail menu will offer signature creations such as Flaming Drake, Malfy Coast, Asian Persuasion and The Last Whisper, as well as four low- or no-alcohol concoctions – welcome news for the discerning non-drinker.

And to wind up your indulgent meal, enjoy a strawberry cheesecake made with berries from Fife, a chocolate fudge cake or a gloriously nostalgic knickerbocker glory. Combining timehonoured traditions with a chic contemporary twist is Swilcan Loft’s speciality – and a sure-fire recipe for success.

Book a table online or call 01334 260300

FOOD & DRINK

For ultimate indulgence, team your chateaubriand for two with half a lobster or a seared scallop

FOR SHEER VISUAL IMPACT and delectable flavour, it’s hard to top a seafood platter – and Swilcan Loft serves a show-stopping version, presented as a tower on a hammered copper bowl and featuring a mouthwatering selection of the finest Scottish shellfish. It’s so spectacular, it might even draw your eyes away from the restaurant’s sweeping views of the Scottish coast and the 17th hole of the world’s most famous golf course.

Top-quality local produce is the hallmark of our petite seafood bar and chophouse, where the new raw bar showcases the best of the daily catch. The succulent lobster comes from beautiful St Andrews Bay. The langoustines are sourced from the Isle of Skye, the scallops from Orkney and the oysters from Cumbrae, on Scotland’s west coast.

When you move on to mains, steak takes centre stage: Swilcan Loft uses beef from local farms in Fife and Perthshire, supplied by John Gilmour, a long-established butcher that has won multiple medals at the World Steak Challenge. For ultimate indulgence, team your New York strip or chateaubriand for two with half a lobster or a seared scallop – and add a

Top, the view of the Old Course from Swilcan Loft. Above, the spectacular seafood platter. Right, Osetra caviar.

Previous page, Cumbrae oysters with Harris gin, sea buckthorn and rosemary

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The chefs at Swilcan Loft have scoured Scotland to find its finest seafood

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A SCOTS GUIDE TO SHELLFISH

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LOWLAND WHISKY with A HIGHLAND HEART FROM THE WEST DECK of the Old Course Hotel, looking back up the Eden estuary, you can just make out the new Eden Mill distillery.

Whisky has been made on that spot since 1655 – the Haig family made theirs there for much of the 19th century – but Eden Mill is looking to the future at its new premises, set to open early next year and designed with sustainability very much in mind.

“Our Bourbon Cask Single Malt is probably most indicative of the new house style,” says Euan Kinninmonth, brand manager for Eden Mill, which has been making whiskies and gins in St Andrews since 2012.

“We like to describe it as a Lowland whisky with a Highland heart, seamlessly combining a sweet, grassy and floral new make with a robust, spicy and fruity maturation style.”

This single malt is one of the highlights of the Eden Mill Single Malt Whisky Flight Tasting Experience, held twice a week in a private tasting room in the Old Course Hotel. Here, guests can enjoy four drams, accompanied by Euan’s silky tasting notes – the young Scot’s articulate flavour profiles help to explain why this tasting experience is so popular, not to mention worthwhile. After our guests have spent an hour with Euan, we often notice them reporting on subsequent drinks with added gusto.

The same goes for the Eden Mill Coastal Gin Flight Tasting Experience, which sees Euan expound on local coastal botanicals over a series of delicious G&Ts. “We’re also about to launch an exclusive experience based on our latest single malt, Art of St Andrews 2024,” he says. “It’s an opportunity for people to try some of the previous releases, which have sold out. We kept a little bit of that liquid back, and this is probably the only way you could get to try it.”

Meanwhile, the Old Course Hotel is delighted to have secured one of Eden Mill’s private casks. “It’s basically a piece of St Andrew’s history,” grins Euan. “When we fire up the new stills, there will be a limited number of private casks, and the first 300 of these will take pride of place in our distiller’s vault.

This whisky will be one of the only single malts to mature in St Andrews, and that in itself is a pretty big deal.”

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06 ‘WHAT HAPPENS IN THE JIGGER STAYS IN THE JIGGER’ NEXT TO THE FABLED OLD COURSE, THE JIGGER INN IS THE ULTIMATE 19TH HOLE, FREQUENTED BY GOLFING GREATS AND WORLD LEADERS. YET THE SECRET OF ITS SUCCESS IS MAKING EVERY GUEST FEEL SPECIAL

FOR HALF A CENTURY, the Jigger Inn has been regarded as the world’s most famous 19th hole – and rightly so. Few can boast such a prestigious setting, or such a venerated clientele, but the pub’s enduring popularity is due in large part to its lack of pretension. Despite its stature, the Jigger is incredibly low-key. There can’t be many other places in the world where local fishermen and students rub shoulders with world leaders and global sporting personalities.

“Most people who play the Old Course come for a drink here,” says Louise Dougall, the Jigger’s manager. “But there’s no special treatment. It doesn’t matter who you are or how many titles you’ve won, everyone has to queue.” Throughout the pub there are caps signed by majors winners, including Tiger Woods and Arnold Palmer: “Even they had to get in line.”

Louise has worked at the Jigger Inn since 2006, and assumed the role of lovable landlady in 2015, so she has seen plenty of changes. “We’ve just finished a birthday refurb, but you’d never know,” she grins. “It was very much our intention to keep things as they were. It was important for us that the couple who have been coming here for decades still have their chair in the window, for example, or that someone recognises where they had their first pint 20 years ago. The pub is built on emotional connections with the past.”

Over the past 50 years, one or two evenings have gone down in local folklore, with bands playing late into the night and everyone, staff included, dancing into the wee small hours.

Louise, however, remains tight-lipped. “What happens in the Jigger stays in the Jigger,” she says with a wink.

FOOD & DRINK

Clockwise from left: Louise, the manager, ringing the bell for last orders; the pub is next to the Old Course; William Lockie created a series of limited-edition Jigger jumpers in Geelon wool (£220) and cashmere (£900); movie star Bill Murray at the Jigger during the Alfred Dunhill Championship; and caps signed by golfing legends

DOG’S DINNERS HERE IN ST ANDREWS, our canine companions don’t know how good they’ve got it. They have miles and miles of beaches, dunes and rugged heathland to explore, and the good folks at the Old Course pause proceedings on Sundays so local dog walkers can let their furry friends stretch their legs on this esteemed links.

Needless to say, after a morning running up and down Hole O’Cross, Cartgate and Corner of the Dyke, or exploring the 47 glorious acres of Craigtoun Country Park, everyone will have built up quite the appetite. Fortunately, the Old Course Hotel can help with that. Hams Hame (pictured below) is a pooch-friendly pub and restaurant at the foot of the Old Course’s 18th hole, while The Duke’s Bar & Restaurant is perfect for a post-Craigtoun lunch with your canine companion.

The warmest of welcomes is guaranteed, as is a “hair of the dog”, should one be required. And a little birdie tells us that the chefs at Hams Hame are working on a new doggie menu...

One or two evenings have gone down in local folklore, with everyone dancing into the wee small hours

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Cold water QUEEN

OLYMPIC SILVER MEDALLIST KERI-ANNE PAYNE SPENT YEARS BRAVING THE ELEMENTS BEFORE TURNING HER HAND TO EXCLUSIVE WELLNESS RETREATS

INTERVIEW

Keri-anne Payne at the Old Course Hotel’s inaugural Cold Water Wellness Retreat in 2024

OUR FAVOURITE COLD-WATER HOT SPOTS

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of cold-water swimming is something called the cold shock response. It’s our body’s natural reaction to being immersed in cold water, or what some describe as the post-swim high.

“Just before you enter the water, anticipation or even dread of the cold means your body is filled with adrenaline. As you enter the water, your breathing rate increases and the conscious effort to reduce this triggers your parasympathetic nervous system – which essentially calms you down.” The burning sensation caused by the extreme cold, meanwhile, leads the body to release endorphins and dopamine – the body’s natural painkillers – “which is what makes people go, ‘Wow, that was amazing’”.

Cold-water swimming is also thought to boost the immune system, reduce stress and improve mental clarity. On the Cold Water Wellness Retreat, Keri-anne will offer advice on incorporating the practice into your daily routine through a series of guided dips at local beaches, lochs and tidal pools. “I want to help people feel confident and excited about implementing cold water and breath work, which can be really tricky,” she says. “It’s all well and good talking about it on a weekend retreat, but how do you do it back home? It might mean looking for lakes, buying an ice bath, having cold showers or finding a gym with a plunge pool.

Once people understand the science, they’re far more likely to keep going with it.”

What has been the biggest benefit for Keri-anne? “Easy,” she says. “The fact that my open-water sessions now take two or three minutes, rather than two or three hours!”

The date for the 2025 Cold Water Wellness Retreat will be announced in autumn; keep an eye on the What’s On page at oldcoursehotel.co.uk

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West Sands Beach Best known as the location for the opening scene of Chariots of Fire, this iconic stretch of sand stretches for almost two miles, which makes it great for longer swims, but also means it can be exposed to the elements.

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East Sands Beach Perhaps the default swimming spot in St Andrews. The short beach is east-facing and less exposed than West Sands, protected by the harbour wall and the natural coastline.

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Cellardyke Tidal Pool Ideal for families with young children, as there is a large main pool and another smaller, enclosed and relatively shallow pool. The old harbour might be a better option for more intrepid swimmers.

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Crail Harbour Beach There are several swimming spots in the ancient village of Crail. Roome Bay has a shallow tidal pool at the south end, with a sandy beach in the north. However, most people swim from the steps of the harbour walls or, at high tide, from the harbour beach.

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Loch Leven For a fabulous freshwater dip, Loch Leven is less than an hour’s drive from St Andrews. Enter the water in front of the Isles of Glencoe Hotel, which offers a good amount of shelter.

You’ll also get a great view of the Pap of Glencoe.

PHOTOGRAPHS OF KERI-ANNE PAYNE BY NATHAN BRAKE/VIM MEDIA

WHEN KERI-ANNE PAYNE retired from competitive swimming in 2017, she made a beeline for the Caribbean. After devoting the previous 11 years of her life to open-water swimming – she won a silver medal in the 10km marathon swim at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, and two golds in the same event at the World Championships in 2009 and 2011 – the chance to educate people on the safety aspects of the sport in the warm, tropical waters of St Lucia was hard to resist. It was a well-deserved change of scenery for an athlete who had spent her career in an inch-thick wetsuit, dodging jellyfish, seaweed and flotsam and jetsam.

Only, it was precisely that hardship that had made Keri-anne fall in love with open-water swimming in the first place, so it wasn’t long before she returned to the rather more bracing waters of the British Isles. “I’ve sort of evolved my offering,” she explains from her home in southwest London. “Partly for environmental reasons – it didn’t make a lot of sense to fly people out to St Lucia to learn to swim – and partly because, since the pandemic, cold-water swimming has become increasingly popular, and safety there is paramount.”

Following the success of the first Cold Water Wellness Retreat at the Old Course Hotel in 2024, Keri-anne will return for a second event in spring 2025, helping guests to “confidently and comfortably” explore the benefits of this “hugely restorative” pursuit. So what are those benefits?

“Much of what we know is still anecdotal, but a lot of physiological changes happen when we become very cold,” says Keri-anne, who recently returned from her fourth Olympic Games, this time as a sports engagement manager.

“The best – but also the most dangerous – part

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GOLF

ACE of CLUBS THE DUKE’S HAS LONG BEEN ONE OF SCOTLAND’S MOST LOVED GOLF COURSES. NOW, THANKS TO MAJOR INVESTMENT, IT’S PLAYING BETTER THAN EVER

PHOTOGRAPHS BY GRAEME M c CUBBIN, THE LINKS PROJECT

IN DECEMBER 2023, THE DUKE’S began the second phase of development to enhance its playability and conditioning. In order to make it a year-round course, special attention was paid to drainage, irrigation and aeration – a job for the agronomy team at the R&A. Thanks to a state-of-the-art system of pipes, slits and sand injected into the fairways and greens, the course is now firmer and plays much faster.

“The idea was for the course to be able to look after itself,” says Ayden Roberts-Jones, manager at The Duke’s. “In terms of playability we wanted it to be much firmer and faster – for it to really sparkle. It’s now more of a hybrid, somewhere between links and parkland – it has characteristics of both. But really we’re creating the ultimate heathland golf course.”

Find out about membership or playing a round at thedukescourse.co.uk

CADDIE’S TIP NO. 1 What to watch out for at Hole 3, Denhead …

“Both the tee and the pin at this par 3 are cocooned by trees, but there’s often a fairly strong prevailing wind blowing left to right.

Your ball position should be towards the back of your stance, delofting the club face and keeping the ball flight lower – thus avoiding the crosswind.”

Left, the view from the clubhouse balcony takes in the 9th hole, Craigtoun, and the 18th, Ice House. Above, from top, the 6th hole, Badgers, and the 12th, Double Dyke

THE ART of PLANTING A DEGREE IN ILLUSTRATION HELPS THE OLD COURSE HOTEL’S HEAD GARDENER, GERRY HOOD-LEEDER, BRING HER AMBITIOUS HORTICULTURAL IDEAS TO LIFE FROM CAMBO GARDENS and Kellie Castle to Falkland Palace and St Andrews Botanic Garden, Fife has long cultivated the notion that horticulture is an art form – and Gerry HoodLeeder, head gardener at the Old Course Hotel, would be the first to agree.

Gerry joined the team in 2023. Before that she had spent 13 years at Burncoose Nurseries in Cornwall, where she won a dozen gold and silver medals at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show.

Besides being well versed in rare and herbaceous

shrubs, Gerry has a degree in illustration, so can quickly bring her visions to life – an arts and crafts approach to gardening, you might say.

“Here in St Andrews, the climate is very different from Cornwall,” she says. “Burncoose is part of the Caerhays Estate, which is famed for its camellias, rhododendrons and National Magnolia Collection, but it’s hard to grow those plants here. Because of the dry weather, we’ve chosen drought-tolerant plants – Mediterranean shrubs with long flowering periods.” Expect

to see plenty of Gerry’s favourite, Eryngium bourgatii ‘Picos Blue’, or sea holly – not quite a Scottish thistle, but not a million miles away.

Gerry plans to create more diverse and sustainable gardens that are good for pollinators and other wildlife. A new polytunnel will be used to grow herbaceous perennials for pots, as well as herbs and vegetables for the hotel’s kitchens. Ambitious plans require detailed sketches and an ever-increasing team – Gerry has both in spades.

GARDENS

GERRY’S SKETCHES FOR THE OLD COURSE HOTEL

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1. “Here we created two borders at the first tee of The Duke’s. The mixed informal planting provides a photo opportunity alongside the sign for the first tee and the repositioned Rolex clock. The tapestry of heather, grass and shrubs leading down either side of the cart path doesn’t obscure the view down the fairway.”

2. “An island bed added interest to an informal seating area. It resembles a bunker, with raised areas and a central sandy section.”

3. “Improvements to the prominent lawned area outside the Eden Pavilion included a three-hole kidney-shaped putting green. The sketches suggested a long hedge of either a formal evergreen (escallonia, elaeagnus) or an informal deciduous flowering plant (Rosa rugosa, Fuchsia magellanica).

In the end we went for Escallonia ‘Iveyi’.”

Main picture, Gerry Hood-Leeder in the Old Course Hotel’s gardens.

Above, sea holly is one of Gerry’s favourite plants

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ICE CREAM

FROM LAZIO with LOVE Janettas through the ages: Benedito set up shop in St Andrews in 1908 (top and right).

His great-granddaughter Nicola Hazel, Lewis’s mother (top right), is carrying on the family tradition

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FAMILY-RUN FOR FIVE GENERATIONS, JANNETTAS GELATERIA IS A TRUE ST ANDREWS INSTITUTION, SERVING AUTHENTIC – AND DELICIOUS – ITALIAN ICE CREAM. SAMPLE IT ON OUR MENUS, OR HEAD INTO TOWN AND JOIN THE QUEUE IN THE MID-19TH CENTURY, despite its natural beauty, living conditions in much of Italy were harsh. Malaria was rife and, especially in the south, any industry was largely backbreaking agricultural work that offered little financial reward. And so Italians began heading to Britain in search of a better life.

The most entrepreneurial among them soon began selling gelato, which was a huge hit – especially in Scotland. Between 1870 and 1920, many of these itinerant salesmen went from pushing a cart to owning shops. Their cafés were an assertion of identity in a foreign land as well as a business, a way to integrate new arrivals.

Soon they were everywhere. Police statistics show that there were 89 ice cream shops in Glasgow alone in 1903; just two years later, that figure had risen to 336. Those numbers were unsustainable, but many of the best gelaterias have survived to this day. Crolla’s in Dundee, Giacopazzi’s of Eyemouth, Equi’s in Hamilton, Visocchi’s of Broughty Ferry and Luca’s and Di Rollo in Musselburgh are all cornerstones of their communities.

“My great-great-grandfather Benedito came to Scotland in the 1890s,” says Lewis Hazel, who, alongside his brother Ross is part of the fifth generation to run the world-famous Jannettas Gelateria in St Andrews. “Coming from Belmonte Castello in Lazio, he was one of a number of ice cream-makers from that region

to set up in Fife. He opened the first shop in 1908.

The next generation of the family expanded the business with a stall on the beach and sold gelato from a tricycle.”

These days, Jannettas is unmissable, thanks to its mint-green shopfront and the queue that snakes round the block come rain or shine. It serves 54 flavours – Lewis jokes that the number seems to go up with every generation – but actually makes more than 300. Can’t choose?

The online travel guide Taste Atlas recently named “Scottish tablet” in its list of The World’s 100 Most Iconic Ice Creams, much to Lewis’s delight: “That one has fudge rippled through the same vanilla ice cream we’ve served for 116 years.” The Old Course Hotel has worked with the Jannettas team to create three flavours of our own, served at restaurants throughout the hotel.

Where possible, Jannettas sources ingredients locally. Scottish dairy products are unbeatable, Lewis says, and the fruit and berries from Pittormie, a farm just up the road, are beautifully juicy and fresh. Pistachios, hazelnuts, coffee and lemons, however, are still sourced from Italy.

“When I see Benedito’s initials over the door, I’m always filled with pride,” says Lewis, who worked in data analytics before joining the family business. “It gives me a sense of purpose. They’re big boots to fill, but it really is a privilege. Ross and I are looking forward to building on that legacy.”

OUR FAVOURITE SCOOPS

Madagascan vanilla pod Made with vanilla pod casings kept aside by our chefs

Intense chocolate A blend of different grades of Italian chocolate, churned into a rich, dense gelato

Fife strawberry Made using only the best strawberries from Pittormie Fruit Farm

LIE of the LAND

GOLF

BACK ON HOME TURF

SUSIE LOWE STUDIO

SCOTLAND’S HIGHEST-RANKED FEMALE GOLFER, GEMMA DRYBURGH, RECENTLY TRIED HER HAND AT THE DUKE’S. EMMA BALLARD, EDITOR OF WOMEN & GOLF, FINDS OUT WHAT SHE MAKES OF THE NEWLY IMPROVED HEATHLAND COURSE AT THE AIG WOMEN’S OPEN at St Andrews in August, Gemma Dryburgh, Scotland’s leading female professional golfer and the first official brand ambassador for the Old Course Hotel, took some time to reflect on the partnership and the excitement generated by a women’s major coming to the Home of Golf.

Most of Gemma’s playing year is spent on the LPGA Tour in America, so it was a welcome break to return to Scotland, where the ISPS Handa Women’s Scottish Open and the AIG Women’s Open took place in back-to-back weeks.

These two big occasions for women’s professional golf followed on from the hugely successful Paris Olympics.

For Gemma, who has represented Europe in the Solheim Cup, the relationship with the Old Course Hotel is about more than just a sponsorship – it’s about carrying a piece of St Andrews with her wherever she competes. “My tour bag has the Old Course Hotel and The Duke’s Course name on it,” she says. “It’s just a really nice bag to carry around the world. It’s been great.”

Part of the Old Course Hotel, The Duke’s is a renowned championship heathland course

situated just outside St Andrews, offering a distinctive and challenging alternative to the traditional links courses for which the town is famous. Originally designed by five-time Open champion Peter Thomson, and revised and renovated by Tim Liddy in 2006, it is set in rolling hills and lush parkland, providing golfers with panoramic views of the surrounding countryside and the coastline. Known for its strategic layout, well-placed bunkers and undulating greens, The Duke’s demands precision and skill from players of all levels.

Playing the course at the beginning of August, Gemma had the opportunity to see all the recent investment and work that has gone into irrigation and drainage across the course (see page 11). “I really love it,” she says. “It has a very different feel to the links courses in St Andrews, due to the trees, different bunkering and green complexes.

It’s a typical heathland course, but with beautiful views of the town and down to the sea, which is beautiful.”

A real positive, in Gemma’s view, is the option to choose from five tees. “The course poses a really good challenge for any golfer,” she explains.

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GOLF

“Anyone can enjoy a good game and play the appropriate tees for them.” Her favourite hole is the 13th, Braw View, which offers “an amazing view of the sea and St Andrews” – a memorable part of her round.

Being the first professional golfer sponsored by the Old Course Hotel is a significant honour, Gemma says. “It’s a privilege to have such a prestigious brand behind me.” She participated in a Women in Golf panel discussion during the week of the AIG Women’s Open, a first for the Old Course Hotel. The aim was to spark conversations about the growing presence of women in golf, a topic close to Gemma’s heart.

“It was definitely a highlight of the week,” she recalls. “We had a great line-up and it generated some really interesting discussions.

Women’s golf is on the rise and events like these are crucial to keep the momentum going.”

Reflecting on the AIG Women’s Open being held at St Andrews, Gemma describes it as a monumental event for women’s golf. “I remember the last time it was here, and it was a big deal, but this year was just so much bigger and better. Playing at iconic venues like the Old Course helps elevate women’s golf, and I think the buzz around the event was fantastic.”

Gemma’s connection to St Andrews and her ambassadorial role made this year’s AIG Women’s Open especially meaningful for her, even though she didn’t make it into the weekend. After all, it’s not often that you get to return to your homeland and compete on one of the most prestigious courses in the world.

As Gemma looks ahead to the rest of the LPGA season, she does so with the backing of the Old Course Hotel, a partnership that highlights her status as a rising star in women’s golf, and her dedication to promoting the sport to the next generation and beyond.

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“It has a very different feel to the links courses in St Andrews, due to the trees, different bunkering and green complexes”

Left, Gemma Dryburgh is the first golfer to be sponsored by the Old Course Hotel. Above, the Clubhouse overlooks the 9th hole at The Duke’s.

Facing page, Gemma grabs a coffee at the Wee Bùth halfway house.

Previous spread, Gemma plays out of a bunker at The Duke’s

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CROSSING the BORDER

FAMOUS FOR SHOWCASING THE FINEST MODERN SCOTTISH PAINTERS, FRASER GALLERY IS SPRINGING A SURPRISE UNDER ITS NEW DIRECTOR – FOR THE FIRST TIME, ENGLISH ARTISTS ARE BEING ADDED TO ITS DISTINGUISHED ROSTER

ART

Clockwise from left, Loch Ken, October by Luci MacLaren; Solitary Lemon by Sarah Spackman; Breakthrough by Sophia Oshodin; and The Walk (edition 10/25)

by Jennifer Watt

ESTABLISHED IN 1862, Fraser Gallery has long been a tireless champion of contemporary Scottish art. And while it will continue to be so under the stewardship of its new director, Lesley Franklin, you can expect a few surprises too. “As much as I love the likes of Francis Boag, Dave Mackie Cook and Nael Hanna, artists whom the gallery has long represented, I think it’s important to bring in new artists too,” Lesley says. “Most Scottish galleries only show Scottish artists, so in order to distinguish us, a lot of the new artists I’m bringing in are English.”

Having spent 28 years as a headteacher at a school in Edinburgh, Lesley retired in 2021. Keen to embrace a fresh challenge, she took a masters in art history at the University of St Andrews before spending four months at Sotheby’s auction house in London.

Still, when asked how she plans to curate new works, Lesley laughs: “Basically, it’s whether I like it or not.

At this stage of my life, I want to enjoy what’s around me.”

So, what is that? “I love colour – oil paints, thick impasto and brush strokes you can really see.” She grins. “You won’t find any watercolours here.”

Sarah Spackman and Sophia Oshodin are new additions whose work certainly fits the brief, as do the portraits by the Edinburgh College Art graduate Katherine Wai, whose work was exhibited at Fraser Gallery in August.

“I’ve been puzzling over how to do more non-profit work and I’ve decided to dedicate one of our rooms to graduate exhibitions,” Lesley says. “We’ve shown enough misty Scottish landscapes over the years, so I’m quite excited to go down a more figurative route.”

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DESTINATION KOHLER

‘THERE IS A KIND OF artistic, architectural, EVEN sculptural PROPOSITION THAT’S INHERENT IN THE GAME OF GOLF’ IN A UNIQUE COLLABORATION, LEADING CONTEMPORARY ARTIST DANIEL ARSHAM HAS CREATED SIX STRIKING CONCEPTUAL SCULPTURES FOR OUR AMERICAN SISTER GOLFING RESORT, THE AWARD-WINNING KOHLER WISCONSIN GOLF AS ART? Some highbrow cultural types might scoff at the idea – but not the New York-based contemporary artist Daniel Arsham. “There is a kind of artistic, architectural, even sculptural proposition that’s inherent in the game of golf,” he says. “You end up playing against the creator of the course itself.”

Known for his collaborations with Dior Homme, Tiffany and the pioneering choreographer Merce Cunningham, Arsham

has now created six large-scale sculptures for Kohler Wisconsin, the luxury American golf resort that is home to the worldrenowned Whistling Straits and Blackwolf Run courses (and is the sister property to the Old Course Hotel).

Integrating sculptures into the golfing landscape was a vision shared by David Kohler, Chair and Chief Executive Officer of Kohler, and Arsham, who studied the design

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WELCOME TO WISCONSIN Kohler Wisconsin has hosted three PGA Championships, two US Women’s Opens and a US Senior Open. In 2021, it became the first public course in more than 25 years to host the Ryder Cup. WHISTLING STRAITS

‘Incorporating my sculptures into the golf landscape will hopefully spark conversation about creative expression and golf’

The Straits Host to major championships and the 43rd Ryder Cup, The Straits is defined by open, rugged and windswept terrain, sculpted along two miles of Lake Michigan shoreline.

The Irish Just inland from the lake, and interspersed by four meandering streams, the grassland and dunes of The Irish are deceivingly tranquil.

BLACKWOLF RUN

Above, Daniel Arsham. Right, his Bronze Eroded Trainer with Pikachu. Previous page, Unearthed Bronze Eroded Melpomene

of the courses to ensure that each of his works occupied an ideal strategic position.

Placed around Whistling Straits, Blackwolf Run, The American Club and Arsham Cabin, the pieces highlight Arsham and Kohler’s shared appreciation for beauty and nature while providing a dramatic introduction to the artist’s concept of “the confusion of time”. His “future relics of the present” showcase the power of nostalgia, often through references to the popular culture of the late 20th century.

The six works – Bronze Eroded Pentax Camera, Bronze Eroded Porsche 911, Bronze Eroded Trainer and Pikachu, Amalgamized Head of Hermes of Olympia, Unearthed Bronze Eroded Melpomene and Bronze Eroded Venus di Milo – offer a unique opportunity for golfers and

guests at the resort to immerse themselves in the artist’s perspective and to explore his belief in the “beauty of decay”. The placement of the sculptures considers how each would be viewed from various angles, and how they would best compliment the natural backdrop of Kohler Wisconsin’s glorious Midwest location and views of Lake Michigan.

Arsham also designed a cabin at Kohler Wisconsin and has created a beautiful bathroom collection, Landshapes, in collaboration with Kohler. “Incorporating my sculptures into the golf landscape will hopefully spark conversation about creative expression and golf in a whole new way,” the artist says. “We created an atmosphere where unexpected wonders emerge out of the blue, offering moments of surprise.”

The River A natural beauty, The River features target landing areas, large, undulating greens and water or gorges on 14 of the 18 holes for a challenging yet beautiful playing experience.

The Meadow Valleys Described as both subtle and devilish, The Meadow Valleys features rolling meadows and deep ravines, reflecting the natural features of the terrain. .

SPA

FEEL the HEAT

SAUNA BATHING CAN SLOW THE AGEING PROCESS AND LEAVE US FEELING REJUVENATED. IT’S AN ESSENTIAL PART OF THE ELEVATED WELLNESS EXPERIENCE AT OUR RECENTLY REFURBISHED KOHLER WATERS SPA

MOST PEOPLE WOULD AGREE that visiting a spa is beneficial for our wellbeing – and spending a whole day in a spa is one of life’s great pleasures. Swimming, steaming, pampering, relaxing: it’s an age-old formula, guaranteed to make you feel reinvigorated and recharged. Still, at the Old Course Hotel’s award-winning Kohler Waters Spa (the only one of its kind outside the US), we’re always looking for ways to elevate the experience.

The spa has recently undergone a substantial refurbishment, with particular attention paid to the hydrotherapy suite. Several state-ofthe-art KLAFS products have been installed, including the UK’s first Espuro foam steam bath, experience showers and an award-winning SANARIUM sauna.

Jelena Adahovska, manager at Kohler Waters Spa, argues that no spa day would be complete without time in the sauna. Moreover, we’re

28 only starting to understand the health benefits.

“After just a few weeks of regular bathing in a sauna, the body’s core temperature drops by about 0.5C, various ageing processes slow down and fewer free radicals are produced,” Jelena explains. “Sauna bathing increases the number of white blood cells, and by combining sauna with cold plunge, you ‘train’ your blood vessels, making them stronger and preventing cardiovascular disease.” Research suggests that those who visit saunas regularly from a young age can extend their life expectancy by at least five years. Even those who start in middle age can increase it by two or three years.

The spa refurbishment is part of a renewed focus on wellness at the Old Course Hotel.

The reinvigorated programme of workshops includes cold-water swimming retreats and Pilates. The spa also offers massage therapies, organic treatments, body wraps, facials and holistic rituals, available on their own or as part of our carefully curated spa packages. The hotel will also host the 2024 Global Wellness Summit (4th to 7th November), bringing together influential leaders and visionaries from across the sector – all of whom would doubtless reiterate Jelena’s observation that a spa day is a necessity rather than a luxury.

To find out more about the five-star Kohler Waters Spa at Kohler Wisconsin, visit kohlerwisconsin.com

KOHLER WATERS SPA LOCATIONS Wisconsin | llinois | St Andrews

Clockwise from top, the Kohler Waters Spa at the Old Course Hotel is home to the UK’s first Espuro Foam Experience steam room; as part of the spa’s extensive renovation, the interiors and finishes have all been upgraded, including the ladies’ changing room; the Himalayan salt stone massage; KLAFS’s award-winning SANARIUM sauna. Previous page, the refurbished Hydrotherapy Suite

Those who visit saunas regularly from a young age can extend their life expectancy by at least five years

TALK OF THE TOON

WHAT TO DO, SEE, BUY, READ AND ENJOY WHILE YOU’RE STAYING WITH US

WORDS ON THE STREET For our money, Topping & Company is one of the most charming bookshops you’re ever likely to step foot in. As well as an exquisite selection of page-turners, art books and signed copies, it hosts a delightful year-round Literary Festival, with in-store appearances from some of the UK’s most esteemed authors.

Broadcasting legend Sandi Toksvig will be in town to discuss her new novel, Friends of Dorothy, on 16th October, and award-winning food writer Tom Parker Bowles – the Queen’s son – will share some of the royals’ favourite dishes to launch his latest book, Cooking & the Crown, on 7th November. If you’re looking for a suggestion, the team will be happy to point you in a suitable direction – as they have done for us below.

FIVE OF THE BEST NOVELS SET IN ST ANDREWS

THE DISTANT ECHO

by Val McDermid Someone was found dead in a cemetery 25 years ago – the murderer has not been caught, and the case still haunts the people involved. Set in St Andrews and Fife, this psychological thriller is the first in the Karen Pirie series, now also a TV show. It is the perfect place to start if you want to read “tartan noir”.

A BLIND EYE

by Marion Todd A body is found in a car in Tentsmuir Forest, just outside St Andrews.

Detective Clare Mackay sets out to investigate a mystery that runs deeper than anyone first imagined. Todd takes the reader through the familiar streets of St Andrews to the roads of Fife.

ONLY HERE, ONLY NOW

by Tom Newlands Set in Fife, this coming-of-age story explores what it means to dream about what seems out of reach.

The protagonist has a restless mind and wants to escape, but struggles with family and self-belief. The world created by Newlands feels authentic and memorable.

EYE FOR AN EYE

by TF Muir The cobbled lanes and streets of St Andrews have become home to a serial killer – and the police are struggling to catch him. At a crucial point, our protagonist is taken off the case, but he is determined to solve it alone. What Rankin did for Edinburgh, Muir has done for St Andrews with his Gilchrist series.

ROSE NICOLSON Andrew Greig The 16th century comes alive in a novel narrated by a real historical figure, St Andrews student William Fowler. It is a dramatic time, with religious turmoil and martyrs’ pyres on the streets. The characters get involved in a conspiracy that could determine the future of Scotland.

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SPOILED FOR CHOICE

DIFFERENT STROKES

Spoiled Life is a beautifully curated lifestyle store stocking men’s and women’s clothing, homeware and speciality coffee roasted in Fife. “Season by season, we move closer to our goal,” say the founders, “bringing together a collection of brands and styles that give life to the wardrobe of the people closest to us – with minimal cost to the environment.

And as we have become so close to our community within St Andrews, we really are buying with them in mind.”

The immersive galleries at the R&A World Golf Museum bring to life the past, present and future of the sport. Until spring 2025, a fascinating exhibition – Pass It On: Women’s Experiences in Golf – focuses on the challenges female golfers have had to overcome and how they’ve gone from strength to strength. Angela Howe, Director of Museum and Heritage at The R&A, describes the exhibition as a celebration of women’s golf, with equipment, photographs, archive film, art, medals and clothing demonstrating their achievements. “The AIG Women’s Open came to St Andrews in August,” she says, “and we really wanted to take the opportunity to showcase and celebrate the collection of women’s golfing memorabilia that we’ve been accumulating since the R&A World Golf Museum opened in 1990.”

WHO DARES SWIMS Earlier this year, St Andrews residents Caroline Blair and Jamie Craig-Gentles received a commendation from the Scottish Parliament for their charitable work with a local sea-swimming group, Bob &

Blether. “During the pandemic, we enjoyed ‘dooking’ as a form of therapy,” Jamie recalls. “Two soon became six, and since our International Women’s Day fundraising swim, there are more than 100 of us.” Members

of the group swim at Castle Sands tidal pool several times a week. “The health benefits are huge,” Caroline says, “but it’s more about making connections, wearing your wee bobble hat and just being yourself.”

BOB & BLETHER PHOTOGRAPH BY MARC MILLAR; GOLF SHOES BY FRASER BAND PHOTOGRAPHY

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CALENDAR OCTOBER 2024 TO MARCH 2025

30TH NOVEMBER St Andrew’s Day Celebrations are unsurprisingly huge here, but the main event is the Big Hoolie – a street party held in the heart of the town, with live music, an outdoor ceilidh, food and craft stalls, and a torchlit procession.

Book a table at Swilcan Loft or the Road Hole Restaurant, where you’ll be guaranteed front-row seats for the fireworks on the beach.

23RD - 26TH DECEMBER Christmas Cracker Treat yourself to a two-night festive stay and enjoy a warm welcome with mince pies, mulled wine and dinner at the Road Hole Restaurant or Swilcan Loft. Wake up to a Scottish breakfast before tucking into Christmas lunch with all the trimmings.

31ST DECEMBER Hogmanay Ring in the new year with a magical Hogmanay Feast at the Old Course Hotel. After dinner, head to Swilcan Loft, where a DJ will be playing until midnight. Then it’s over to the St Andrews Piper, whose rendition

21ST - 27TH OCTOBER Global Champagne Day We’re celebrating Global Champagne Day for a whole week this year – yes, any excuse to pop a cork. We’ll be delving into our cellars and widening our “by the glass” range so you can try something new, special or just a bit different. Add a little luxury to your evening and sample our special caviar selection, the perfect accompaniment to your bubbles.

24TH OCTOBER Let’s Talk Menopause with Debra Hogan October is World Menopause Awareness Month, and this event will provide you with the tools and support to navigate this critical, and often misunderstood, life event.

Led by Debra Hogan of Templespa, the evening will focus on practical advice for tackling common menopause challenges, nutrition, sleep and much more.

of Auld Lang Syne will be the perfect soundtrack to the fireworks over West Sands beach.

25TH JANUARY, 2025 Burns Night We’ll be celebrating Scotland’s national bard in the customary way – expect haggis crumpets, a dram or two, and possibly a poetry recital.

14TH FEBRUARY Valentine’s Day Roses are red, violets are blue, spa treatments are great and dinner is too. Nothing says “I love you” like our Spa Escape Package: an overnight stay, a 50-minute treatment, lunch at the Spa Café and a two-course dinner in our signature restaurant.

14TH - 23RD MARCH St Andrews Cocktail Week St Andrews celebrates its vibrant cocktail scene in March, with more than 40 bars, pubs and restaurants offering their finest concoctions.

Hams Hame and the Spa Café will be taking part, while the team at Swilcan Loft will be crafting some special new creations.

24TH - 31ST OCTOBER Hallowe’en Afternoon Tea Deliver us from ghosties, ghoulies, lang-legged beasties and things that go bump in the night? Not at the Old Course Hotel – we’re celebrating all things terrifying with the return of our spooktacular Hallowe’en Afternoon Tea.

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LEGENDS OF THE LINKS Old Tom Morris and his son, Young Tom Morris, circa 1875

backpage/ backcover

“You ken a’ St Andrews bairns are born wi’ web feet an’ wi’ a golf-club in their hands” Affectionately known as “the Grand Old Man of Golf”, Old Tom Morris was many things: club-maker, ball-maker, competitor, Open champion, “Keeper of the Greens”, golf architect, coach and mentor – not least to his son, Young Tom Morris. Both were the best golfers of their respective eras, and the baton was passed on seamlessly.

Old Tom’s victory in the Open at Prestwick in 1867 was his fourth triumph in the tournament, at 46 years of age, and he remains the oldest Open winner to this day. The following year, he finished second to his 17-year-old son, heralding the start of Young Tom’s dominance – after that he went on to win four successive Opens. Old Tom also looked after (read: transformed) the links in St Andrews, not least the Old Course, where the 18th hole was named after the father and son.