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ST ANDREWS, Scotland - It's a marriage that has been long overdue.
The St. Andrews Links Trust, which currently manages the seven public golf courses in St. Andrews, Scotland, including the famous Old Course, has reached an agreement with the Old Course Hotel to take over a long-term lease of The Duke’s Course starting January 5, 2026. Just like most marriages, there will be a name change involved.
The Duke's Course will be rebranded the Craigtoun Course, a name inspired by the site’s location near Craigtoun Country Park, three miles south of St. Andrews proper. The course's new logo represents its natural landscape, depicting the trees synonymous with the course and the surrounding area. The rebrand brings the course in line with sister courses Strathtyrum, Eden, Balgove and Castle being named after local places or landmarks.
The rebranding shouldn't come as a surprise, considering that the course was originally named after the former Prince Andrew, who attended its grand opening in 1995. He is now known as Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor after a falling out with the Royal family.
The Duke's Course, which sits three miles outside the town, is still owned by the Old Course Hotel's Kohler Co., but this new partnership should help both parties. The Duke's has operated as a semi-private club, attracting a solid local membership, but always struggled to attract visitors to the Home of Golf who want to play links golf only. Getting the Links Trust involved to sell tee times and include the Craigtoun Course in strategic packages and messaging should help grow business.
“Demand for golf in St Andrews has risen to unprecedented levels in recent years with more rounds played by ticketholders and visitors than ever before," noted Neil Coulson, chief executive of St Andrews Links Trust, in a statement. "The Craigtoun Course allows us to offer additional capacity and strategically invest in our facilities to offer more opportunities to play golf.”
I loved the Duke's when I played it for the first time several years ago. It was originally designed in 1995 by five-time Open Champion Peter Thomson before a 2006 redesign. Although our GolfPass Course Page and another publication note that Tim Liddy was in charge of the project, the press release from the Links Trust instead credits Pete Dye, whom Liddy worked for at the time.
On a clear day, the 7,512-yard course overlooks St Andrews Bay. A large-scale project to tinker with some holes and improve drainage has really enhanced its playability and presentation. So much so, I ranked the course No. 8 among the best courses in and around St Andrews in a recent article.
Its best attribute is its change of pace from every other game in town. Even though it is walkable, the Duke's gives golfers the chance to take a cart and get off their feet. Its wooded setting is very private and serene, a much different visual than the links courses in town. There are bunkers everywhere, so pick the proper tees to have a good experience. The clubhouse and facilities are first-class, as expected from a Kohler-owned facility.
Shuttles are available to pick golfers up in St Andrews for those who need a lift.
Would you play the newly rebranded Craigtoun Course on a links golf trip to the Home of Golf? Let us know in the comments below.
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