The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews, Private golf club in St Andrews, Scotland
The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews is a private golf club in St Andrews, Scotland, that operates one of the most recognized golf courses in the world, measuring 6656 meters across 18 holes. The layout is shaped by 112 bunkers and includes features such as the Swilcan Bridge, a small stone crossing about 30 feet wide over the Swilcan Burn.
Established in 1754 under the name Society of St Andrews Golfers, the club gained its royal designation from King William IV in 1834. The institution later transferred its governing duties for international competition to a new organization called The R&A to separate club activities from sport administration.
When members shortened play from 22 holes to 18 in 1764, they set a standard every golf course around the world later followed. What seemed like a simple adjustment at the time became the blueprint for the sport and cemented this place as the reference point for golfers everywhere.
The course closes every Sunday for turf maintenance and becomes open parkland for anyone to walk across. The Swilcan Bridge is easy to spot along the route and serves as a helpful landmark for visitors walking around the grounds.
Since 2004, the club itself no longer handles international tournament functions and passed those responsibilities to a separate organization called The R&A. This split allows the club to focus solely on member activities while sport governance runs independently.
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