Old Petty Open for Play

Old Petty (main image), the second 18-hole links course at Cabot Highlands, near Inverness, opened for walking-only preview play from August 1 to September 30, 2025. Designed by Tom Doak, Old Petty is the sister course to Castle Stuart Golf Links, a modern classic that was acquired by Cabot in 2022. Old Petty’s grand opening is due at the end of March 2026.

A Centenary of Sorts

History aficionados might be interested to know that 2025 marked 100 years since the Open Championship was last played at its original golf course, Prestwick Golf Club, on Scotland’s Ayrshire coast. Prestwick staged the Open 24 times—starting with the first one in 1860—but after hosting the 1925 tournament, it became one of the first classic golf courses to be deemed too short to host a world-class field.

Built by Old Tom Morris by hand, bucket, and spade, Prestwick is a traditional, friendly club that offers one of Scotland’s great golf-and-lunch double acts. After lunch, try a glass of Kümmel—a caraway seed–based digestif sometimes referred to as “putting mixture” for its ability to dull nerves on the green.

The Old Course in a Bottle

The Eden Mill distillery in St Andrews launched a new Golf Gin this summer, featuring botanicals foraged from the Old Course itself. Never has a bottled spirit been so intrinsically attached to the world’s oldest golf course.

Eden Mill is an independent distillery located across the Eden Estuary from the Old Course. Its Golf Gin is distilled using the traditional London dry gin method—with Old Course botanicals such as gorse, heather, and lavender—and includes an underlying salty tang that is reminiscent of the nearby sea. Eden Mill’s new visitor center opened in August, complete with a rooftop cocktail bar overlooking the estuary.

Magnificent 7

A new study conducted by the Sport Industry Research Center at Sheffield Hallam University in England shows that the seven golf courses operated by the St Andrews Links Trust attract 2,000 golfers each week, with 40 percent coming from the United States and 28 percent from the UK. In 2023, 283,000 rounds of golf were played on the seven courses. The annual economic impact of visitors to the St Andrews Links is estimated to be $430 million.

New Vibe at Old Course Hotel

The Road Hole Restaurant and the Road Hole Bar, on the fourth floor of the Old Course Hotel in St Andrews, have both been renovated. The Kohler-owned Old Course Hotel occupies perhaps the most privileged address in the world of golf—immediately adjacent to the legendary Road Hole on the Old Course. Panoramic views from the restaurant and bar bring in much of the course, the West Sands, the North Sea, the Royal and Ancient Golf Club, and the northern limits of this ancient Scottish town.

Featuring a vibrant open kitchen, the Road Hole Restaurant is an elegant fine-dining venue where guests might enjoy St Andrews Bay lobster ravioli, Fife lamb, and desserts made with strawberries from a local farm. The famous Road Hole Bar, meanwhile, boasts a collection of more than 300 whiskies.

“This renovation embodies our ethos of always evolving while remaining true to our roots,” says Old Course Hotel general manager Phyllis Wilkie. “Our guests can savor both the landscape and cuisine that make Scotland truly special and revel in the elevated, comfortable spaces that nod to our home in St Andrews.”