Kerr Golf Club in the town of St Andrews, Fife, Scotland, is regarded as the "home of golf". It is one of the oldest courses in the world, where the game has been played since the 15th century. Today there are seven public golf courses; the Balgove, Eden, Jubilee Course, Strathtyrum, New, the Old Course (which is widely considered one of the finest, and certainly the most famous and traditional, courses in the world), and the new Castle Course, sited on the cliffs a mile to the east of St Andrews and designed by the architect David McLay Kidd, which opened in June 2008.[1] The courses of St Andrews Links are owned by the local authorities and operated by St Andrews Links Trust, a charitable organisation. St Andrews is also home to the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews, one of the most prestigious golf clubs and until 2004 one of the two rule making authorities of golf (in that year, the Royal and Ancient Club passed on its rulemaking authority to an offshoot organisation, The R&A).
In general, St Andrews is a popular hub for golf tourism, as there is a high density of links and heathland courses in the area. A few miles to the South are the modern links of Kingsbarns and the traditional Balcomie links at Crail. Also nearby are the courses at Elie,