Scorecard and course guide
The St Andrews Links The Castle Course scorecard for every tee, with ratings and slope, and how it plays hole by hole, with a plan for every tee shot.
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St Andrews Links The Castle Course is an 18-hole, par 71 golf course in Scotland. From the black tees it measures 6,749 yards; the green tees are 5,470 yards.
There are five par 3s, nine par 4s and four par 5s. The longest hole is the 15th, a 581-yard par 5, and the shortest is the 8th at 138 yards. By stroke index the hardest holes are the 5th (SI 1), 15th (SI 2) and 2nd (SI 3).
On the planned lines, bunkers guard the green on 11 of the 18 holes.
For a typical 15 handicap from the blue tees, our plan hits driver from every par 4 and 5. The holes it finds hardest against par are the 7th, 12th and 11th; the best scoring chances are the 1st, 8th and 3rd.
Yards per hole from every tee. Tap a hole number for its plan.
| Front nine | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Out |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Black | 336 | 403 | 206 | 535 | 536 | 424 | 456 | 138 | 377 | 3,411 |
| Blue | 326 | 394 | 185 | 513 | 498 | 404 | 429 | 127 | 351 | 3,227 |
| Grey | 326 | 373 | 150 | 490 | 498 | 399 | 395 | 122 | 335 | 3,088 |
| Green | 297 | 345 | 149 | 470 | 445 | 359 | 343 | 118 | 312 | 2,838 |
| Par | 4 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 36 |
| Stroke index | 9 | 3 | 15 | 7 | 1 | 13 | 5 | 17 | 11 | |
| 15 hcp expects | 4.8 | 5.1 | 3.9 | 6.1 | 6.0 | 5.1 | 5.5 | 3.8 | 5.2 | 45.5 |
| Back nine | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | In | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Black | 171 | 404 | 449 | 182 | 407 | 581 | 408 | 189 | 547 | 3,338 | 6,749 |
| Blue | 160 | 387 | 419 | 155 | 380 | 551 | 392 | 177 | 525 | 3,146 | 6,373 |
| Grey | 147 | 345 | 387 | 146 | 339 | 524 | 362 | 177 | 485 | 2,912 | 6,000 |
| Green | 135 | 291 | 341 | 122 | 316 | 508 | 347 | 145 | 427 | 2,632 | 5,470 |
| Par | 3 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 35 | 71 |
| Stroke index | 12 | 4 | 8 | 18 | 14 | 2 | 16 | 6 | 10 | ||
| 15 hcp expects | 3.9 | 5.3 | 5.4 | 3.9 | 5.0 | 6.3 | 5.2 | 4.0 | 6.3 | 45.3 | 90.8 |
| Hole | Par | SI | Black | Blue | Grey | Green |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 | 9 | 336 | 326 | 326 | 297 |
| 2 | 4 | 3 | 403 | 394 | 373 | 345 |
| 3 | 3 | 15 | 206 | 185 | 150 | 149 |
| 4 | 5 | 7 | 535 | 513 | 490 | 470 |
| 5 | 5 | 1 | 536 | 498 | 498 | 445 |
| 6 | 4 | 13 | 424 | 404 | 399 | 359 |
| 7 | 4 | 5 | 456 | 429 | 395 | 343 |
| 8 | 3 | 17 | 138 | 127 | 122 | 118 |
| 9 | 4 | 11 | 377 | 351 | 335 | 312 |
| Out | 36 | 3,411 | 3,227 | 3,088 | 2,838 | |
| 10 | 3 | 12 | 171 | 160 | 147 | 135 |
| 11 | 4 | 4 | 404 | 387 | 345 | 291 |
| 12 | 4 | 8 | 449 | 419 | 387 | 341 |
| 13 | 3 | 18 | 182 | 155 | 146 | 122 |
| 14 | 4 | 14 | 407 | 380 | 339 | 316 |
| 15 | 5 | 2 | 581 | 551 | 524 | 508 |
| 16 | 4 | 16 | 408 | 392 | 362 | 347 |
| 17 | 3 | 6 | 189 | 177 | 177 | 145 |
| 18 | 5 | 10 | 547 | 525 | 485 | 427 |
| In | 35 | 3,338 | 3,146 | 2,912 | 2,632 | |
| Total | 71 | 6,749 | 6,373 | 6,000 | 5,470 |
| Tee | Length | Par | Course rating | Slope |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Black | 6,749 yds | 71 | – | – |
| Blue | 6,373 yds | 71 | – | – |
| Grey | 6,000 yds | 71 | – | – |
| Green | 5,470 yds | 71 | – | – |
Plans are the app's own, for a typical 15 handicap from the blue tees: calm, 18°C, medium ground, middle pins.
Par 4 · 326 yards from the blue tees
The plan for a 15 handicap, blue tees
Driver 227 yds, aim 9 yds left of the line to the corner.
Approach: 9 Iron from the rough, about 120 yds (plays like 124), aim 9 yds left of the pin.
Finds the fairway about 4 in 10. Rarely finds trouble.
Green 11 m above the tee.
Par 4 · 394 yards from the blue tees
The plan for a 15 handicap, blue tees
Driver 234 yds, aim 9 yds right of the line to the corner.
Approach: 5 Iron from the rough, about 167 yds, aim 6 yds left of the pin.
Finds the fairway about 4 in 10. Rarely finds trouble.
In play off the tee: Bunker right, 224–232 yds; Bunker right, 231–240 yds.
Par 3 · 185 yards from the blue tees
The plan for a 15 handicap, blue tees
4 Hybrid, aim 6 yds left of the pin, 8 yds long.
Finds the green about 3 in 10. Trouble about 1 in 10.
In play off the tee: Bunker right, 126–142 yds; Bunker right, 135–145 yds; Bunker left of the green, 146–158 yds; Bunker left of the green, 196–203 yds.
Par 5 · 513 yards from the blue tees
The plan for a 15 handicap, blue tees
Driver 233 yds, aim 38 yds left of the line to the corner.
Second shot: 3 Wood from the rough, about 293 yds out. The green’s out of reach, so lay up to the fairway and leave about 87 yds in.
Finds the fairway about 2 in 10. Rarely finds trouble.
Par 5 · 498 yards from the blue tees
The plan for a 15 handicap, blue tees
Driver 229 yds, aim 6 yds left of the line to the corner.
Second shot: 3 Wood from the fairway, about 279 yds out. The green’s out of reach, so lay up to the fairway and leave about 65 yds in.
Finds the fairway about half the time. Rarely finds trouble.
In play off the tee: Bunker right, 118–131 yds; Bunker centre, 162–170 yds; Bunker left, 204–216 yds.
Green 10 m above the tee.
Par 4 · 404 yards from the blue tees
The plan for a 15 handicap, blue tees
Driver 245 yds, aim 15 yds left of the line to the corner.
Approach: 6 Iron from the fairway, about 167 yds (plays like 158), aim 3 yds left of the pin, 8 yds short.
Finds the fairway about half the time. Rarely finds trouble.
In play off the tee: Bunker left, 200–212 yds.
Green 17 m below the tee.
Par 4 · 429 yards from the blue tees
The plan for a 15 handicap, blue tees
Driver 238 yds, aim 18 yds left of the line to the corner.
Approach: 4 Hybrid from the fairway, about 205 yds (plays like 198), aim 3 yds right of the pin.
Finds the fairway about 4 in 10. Trouble about 1 in 10.
In play off the tee: Bunker centre, 215–221 yds; Bunker right, 223–229 yds; Bunker centre, 223–230 yds.
Green 9 m below the tee.
Par 3 · 127 yards from the blue tees
The plan for a 15 handicap, blue tees
Pitching W (plays like 120), aim 6 yds left of the pin.
Finds the green about 3 in 10. Trouble about 1 in 10.
In play off the tee: Bunker centre of the green, 88–93 yds; Bunker right of the green, 100–106 yds; Bunker right of the green, 106–111 yds; Bunker centre of the green, 137–144 yds.
Green 9 m below the tee.
Par 4 · 351 yards from the blue tees
The plan for a 15 handicap, blue tees
Driver 244 yds, aim 12 yds right of centre.
Approach: 7 Iron from the fairway, about 159 yds, aim 12 yds left of the pin.
Finds the fairway about 4 in 10. Trouble about 1 in 10.
In play off the tee: Bunker right, 214–221 yds; Bunker right, 218–231 yds; Bunker right, 219–226 yds; Bunker right, 268–276 yds.
Green 9 m below the tee.
Par 3 · 160 yards from the blue tees
The plan for a 15 handicap, blue tees
6 Iron (plays like 167), aim 6 yds left of the pin.
Finds the green about 2 in 10. Rarely finds trouble.
Green 5 m above the tee.
Par 4 · 387 yards from the blue tees
The plan for a 15 handicap, blue tees
Driver 230 yds, aim 15 yds left of the line to the corner.
Approach: 4 Hybrid from the fairway, about 179 yds (plays like 186), aim 3 yds left of the pin.
Finds the fairway about 3 in 10. Rarely finds trouble.
In play off the tee: Bunker right, 228–235 yds; Bunker right, 241–251 yds; Bunker right, 253–259 yds.
Green 11 m above the tee.
Par 4 · 419 yards from the blue tees
The plan for a 15 handicap, blue tees
Driver 234 yds, aim 44 yds left of the line to the corner.
Approach: 3 Wood from the rough, about 195 yds (plays like 198), aim 9 yds left of the pin.
Finds the fairway about 3 in 10. Rarely finds trouble.
In play off the tee: Bunker right, 134–150 yds; Bunker right, 151–156 yds; Bunker right, 154–165 yds; Bunker right, 163–172 yds.
Green 4 m above the tee.
Par 3 · 155 yards from the blue tees
The plan for a 15 handicap, blue tees
7 Iron, aim 6 yds left of the pin, 5 yds long.
Finds the green about 3 in 10. Trouble about 1 in 10.
In play off the tee: Bunker left, 83–93 yds; Bunker left, 95–101 yds; Bunker right of the green, 129–138 yds; Bunker right of the green, 137–145 yds.
Par 4 · 380 yards from the blue tees
The plan for a 15 handicap, blue tees
Driver 241 yds, aim 12 yds right of the line to the corner.
Approach: 8 Iron from the fairway, about 147 yds (plays like 144), aim 9 yds left of the pin.
Finds the fairway about half the time. Rarely finds trouble.
Green 8 m below the tee.
Par 5 · 551 yards from the blue tees
The plan for a 15 handicap, blue tees
Driver 244 yds, aim 44 yds left of the line to the corner.
Second shot: 3 Wood from the rough, about 315 yds out. The green’s out of reach, so lay up to the fairway and leave about 101 yds in.
Finds the fairway about 2 in 10. Rarely finds trouble.
In play off the tee: Bunker right, 234–246 yds.
Green 19 m below the tee.
Par 4 · 392 yards from the blue tees
The plan for a 15 handicap, blue tees
Driver 236 yds, aim 44 yds left of the line to the corner.
Approach: 7 Iron from the fairway, about 169 yds (plays like 157), aim 15 yds left of the pin, 8 yds short.
Finds the fairway about 3 in 10. Rarely finds trouble.
In play off the tee: Bunker right, 130–139 yds; Bunker right, 188–194 yds.
Green 11 m below the tee.
Par 3 · 177 yards from the blue tees
The plan for a 15 handicap, blue tees
6 Iron (plays like 168), aim 24 yds left of the pin, 4 yds short.
Finds the green about 1 in 10. Rarely finds trouble.
In play off the tee: Bunker left, 150–159 yds.
Par 5 · 525 yards from the blue tees
The plan for a 15 handicap, blue tees
Driver 235 yds, aim 12 yds right of the line to the corner.
Second shot: 3 Wood from the fairway, about 312 yds out. The green’s out of reach, so lay up to the fairway and leave about 90 yds in.
Finds the fairway about 4 in 10. Rarely finds trouble.
From the black tees St Andrews Links The Castle Course plays 6,749 yards. The other tees are the blue 6,373, the Grey 6,000 and the green 5,470 yards. It is par 71 from every tee.
Par is 71: 36 out and 35 in, with five par 3s, nine par 4s and four par 5s.
The 5th is stroke index 1, a par 5 of 536 yards from the black tees. For a typical 15 handicap, our plans make the 7th the hardest against par.
Straight-line distance
Course map © OpenStreetMap contributors. Pars, stroke indexes, yardages and ratings from the club's scorecard. Plans are simulations for a typical 15 handicap, not a guarantee. Spotted something wrong? Improve this course map.