“A Lot New in the Auld Toon”

Besides the Old Course being lengthened in preparation for future Open Championships, changes around St Andrews are impossible not to notice.

St Andrews Old Course Hotel & Spa…now in best shape ever!

Room 116 at the 5-star Rusacks is an exclusive, wood-panelled, private whisky lounge.

Overlooking the West Sands, the old Scores Hotel has made way for the sleek new Seaton House, while Rusacks St Andrews has expanded with a new 44-bedroom wing overlooking the Old Course.

Most striking of all is the evolution of the Old Course Hotel & Spa, which has undergone a major transformation with lighter interiors, refined rooms and upgraded dining spaces. And, of course, Kohler Waters Spa remains one of the finest in the UK.

Further along South Street, the long-standing Ardgowan Hotel is being reinvented as The Kithmore, a stylish new boutique hotel, while the old ‘New Picture House’ cinema has been rescued by Tiger Woods and Justin Timberlake as part of their T-Squared Social venture, bringing simulator golf, food and nightlife to the heart of town.

The restaurant scene has evolved just as assuredly. Places like Haar, 18 at Rusacks and the Swilcan Loft have helped transform St Andrews into a genuine foodie destination.

Yet for all the investment and modernisation, the soul of the Auld Grey Toon remains intact. Along South Street, Market Street and Golf Place, the pubs still crackle with students, caddies and golfers alike—a reminder that while St Andrews may evolve, its endearing spirit will never really change.