It seems strange in a country like Scotland where the game of golf began that there has never been a real celebration of the ancient club-and-ball game

Of course, there’s an abundance of golf courses and tournaments where the game is celebrated most year’s by the staging of The Open Championship at either St. Andrews, Royal Troon, Turnberry, Carnoustie or Muirfield.

Scotland also currently boasts some renowned world class golfers in former Open Champions, Paul Lawrie and eight-time European No.1 Colin Montgomerie.

However never has there been a golf festival as such celebrating virtually every aspect of the game.

Well the St. Andrews Golf Festival is set to change that with a five day celebration of golf taking place in St. Andrews from 28th March to 1st April.

Everything and anything you wanted to know about golf in St. Andrews including the development of the game, the great names that made St. Andrews famous, golf famous artists, golf designers, golf writers, other discussions, various walks and even whisky and real ale tasting will be available.

And there will be free entry to nearly all exhibitions, talks and events.   Those were you have to pay will honour the late great Seve Ballesteros by being donated to the Seve Ballesteros Foundation

And with thanks to www.sandrewsgolffestival.com activities during the Festival will include the following:  

Inventors Corner at Macdonald Rusacks Hotel
Daily. Wednesday 28th March to 1st April 2012.

See some of the greatest new golf inventions at this free exhibitions at the Macdonald Rusacks Hotel in the Joe Austen gallery.

Talk by David Joy on Old Tom Morris
8pm. Wednesday 28th March 2012. The St Andrews Golf Hotel, St Andrews.

David Joy is a golf historian, author, artist, actor and also a superb raconteur. On our opening night of the Festival, we are honoured to have David give a talk about Old Tom Morris and golfers of Old Tom’s era. 

Talk by Mungo Park 
7.30pm. Friday 30th March 2012. BEST WESTERN Scores Hotel, St Andrews.

Mungo Park is the great grandson of Willie Park Senior, who won the very first Open Championship in 1860. We are truly honoured to have Mungo give us a talk on his family history and to bring the dynamic relationship between Old Tom and Willie Park Snr to life. He will also reflect on the other Open Championship winners in his family both Willie Park Jnr and his namesake, Mungo Park.

Mungo is an architect and specialises in golf clubhouse design.  

Seve Ballesteros Exhibition
10am to 5pm. 28 March to 1 April 2012. BEST WESTERN Scores Hotel, St Andrews.

Golf One of the most exciting players every to strike a golf ball, Seve Ballesteros was one of the influential figures in European golf from the mid 1970’s to the early 1990’s.

Born in Pedreña, Spain on the 9th of April 1957, Seve played with panache and a passion that was a delight to witness. Learning golf from the age of 8 with an old 3 iron on the local beaches, Seve went on to win 5 majors including the Open in St Andrews. His reaction on holding his birdie putt to win on the 18th of the Old Course is one of the most viewed clips in golf.

One of the greatest impacts that Seve had was on the Ryder Cup both as a player and Captain. His competitiveness was inspirational. He scored 22½ points in 37 matches against the United States. His partnership with fellow Spaniard José María Olazábal was the most successful in the history of the competition with 11 wins and two halved matches out of 15 pairs matches.

Seve was the No 1 golfer in the world for many years and inspired a generation of young golfers. At his best, Seve made the game look like an art form.

Whisky tasting with the Bruichladdich Distillery Company
5.30pm. Thursday 29th March. BEST WESTERN Scores Hotel.

Join Craig Johnstone from Bruichladdich Distillery as he shares the forgotten history of our national drink. From humble beginnings to globalisation, Scotch Whisky has always had the ability to capture the imagination and ignite passionate conversation. Sit down for 4 Whiskies from Bruichladdich as we unveil the past through spirits produced today at Islay’s most Progressive distillery.

Doug Clement from the Kingsbarns Distillery will talk about the future of Whisky in Scotland and Fife in particular.

There’s free entry but spaces are limited, so to reserve your place, please email info@standrewsgolffestival.com or book a ticket at the BEST WESTERN Scores reception.

Book Signing by – David Purdie & Hugh Dodd 2pm. Sunday 1st April 2012. BEST WESTERN Scores Hotel, St Andrews.

Golf Family We are delighted to have David give a talk at the Festival. David is not only one of the finest and funniest golf writers, he is also a speech writer for some of the biggest names in golf including part Ryder Cup captains.

The book ‘ The Greatest Game’ is a lovely satirical take on the noble game of golf. Their talk will be set to the back drop of the cartoon artwork of Hugh Dodd.

Seve Film by BBC
3pm. Sunday 1st of April 2012. BEST WESTERN Scores Hotel, St Andrews

Jo McCusker produced and directed the emotive BBC documentary on Seve.

We will be showing the film on the large screen at the Scores Hotel, beside the Seve exhibition. This will be a unique setting to watch one of the greatest stars in golf from the highest moment in his career winning in St Andrews in 1984 through to his battle against his illness.

Bobby Jones Exhibition
10am – 5pm. 28 March to 1 April 2012. The Golf Hotel , St Andrews. 

Bobby Jones was one of the most elegant and dynamic golfers in history. In 1930 Jones completed the Grand Slam, winning all four majors of his era (the Open and amateur championships in both the U.S. & the U.K.)

However, shortly afterwards, at the peak of his game, he retired to concentrate on his ‘paid work’ which was as a lawyer. Between 1923 and 1930 Jones had won 13 majors in 20 attempts.

Jones remained strongly connected to golf throughout his life with his own brand of golf equipment and numerous instruction films and books. He co-designed Augusta National and in 1934 co-founded The Masters.

Talk by Lewine Mair on the History of Women’s Golf
6pm. Friday 30th March 2012. BEST WESTERN Scores Hotel, St Andrews.

Edinburgh-based Lewine Mair was the first woman to serve as the Daily Telegraph’s Golf correspondent – and the first to have been given a specialist position on the sports pages of a national paper.

After a very creditable golfing career she turned her hand to writing and is the author of several superb books, including 100 Years of Women’s Golf, Carefree Golf, Woman Golfer, the story of Scotland’s Belle Robertson, and The Real Monty, Colin Montgomerie’s biography.

Lewine is also the past former Chairperson of the Association of Golf Writers.

Old Tom Morris Photographic Collection
10am to 5pm. BEST WESTERN Scores Hotel, St Andrews.

The personal collection of the Grand Old Man of Scottish Golf himself and includes some of the rarest and most valuable golfing photographs ever seen. Dating back to the birth of the professional game in the 1850s, this historic archive offers a fascinating glimpse back in time.

Apart from Old Tom it features legendary players like First Open winner Willie Park, feather ball maker Allan Robertson, Andrew Strath and the Dunn brothers. It also includes rare snapshots of perhaps the greatest of them all – “Young” Tom Morris.

Lost for over half a century they were discovered gathering dust in a Scottish garden shed back in the 1990’s by two prominent golf collectors. Restored to their former glory over the next decade, some images are well-known, while others are simply unique.

Considered the finest collection of early golfing photographs still in private hands, this is the first time any of them have ever gone on public display.

Talk by David Hamilton on Artisan Golf
7pm. 29th March 2012. BEST WESTERN Scores Hotel, St Andrews.

David Hamilton is a prolific golf author with many titles including the Scottish Golf Guide. He is a golf historian and will be talking about the genesis of the game through the artisan players.

This topic is often over looked in the history of golf and it promises to be an entertaining evening indeed.

Talk by Ivan Morris
5pm. Sunday 1st April 2012. BEST WESTERN Scores Hotel.

Ivan Morris is the author of ‘Golf As A Way of Life’ and many other golf books. Respected as one of the best golf journalists, Ivan has many, many stories to tell.

Ivan has been a single-digit, category one golfer for over fifty years. Voted Golf Nut of the Year by the Golf Nut Society of America in 2002 (the first non-American to receive the dubious accolade), on the strength of his first book – Only Golf Spoken Here (2001), Ivan is also the author of The Life of O’Reilly (2002) and The Doonbeg Ghosts (2006).

Morris also co-authored Larry Lambrecht’s magnificent photographic coffee table book on Irish seaside golf, Emerald Gems (2003) and has been a contibuting editor to Golf Digest Ireland since 2003 as well as having articles published in Great Britain, the USA, Denmark and Sweden.

Talk by Kyle Phillips – Golf Course Architect of Kingsbarns Golf Club
1pm. Sunday 1st of April 2012. The Best Western Scores Hotel, St Andrews.

Kyle Phillips is one of the most respected golf course architects in the world and his designs include Kingsbarns, The Grove in England and more recently the much-acclaimed Yas Links Course in Abu Dhabi. 

Old Tom Morris Exhibition (The David Joy Collection)
10am to 5pm. 28 March to 1 April 2012. The Golf Hotel, St Andrews.

Born in St Andrews in 1821, Old Tom served as a caddy from a very young age and started working as an apprentice at the age of 14 with golf equipment maker Allan Robertson, who already had a reputation as the town’s best player, if not the world.

From the 1840’s Robertson chose Old Tom as his golf partner and legend suggests that they were never beaten.

Tom went on to win the Open four times and still holds the record as the oldest winner at age 46. His held the record winning margin in a major of 13 strokes until it was beaten by Tiger Woods in winning the 2000 U.S. Open by 15 shots.

Old Tom was a prolific course designer including Carnoustie (with Robertson), Muirfield and Lahinch. He introduced top dressing to greens and the reason we play 18 holes now is thanks to him reducing St Andrews from 22 (?) holes to 18.

Very few people have left such a legacy as Old Tom and the reason we have the game we love today is largely thanks to his love of golf.

Richard Chorley Art Exhibition
Wednesday 28th March to Sunday 1st of Apirl 2012. The Best Western Scores Hotel, St Andrews.

Talk by Dr Steven Reid on Bobby Jones
2pm. Saturday 31st March 2012. BEST WESTERN Scores Hotel, St Andsrews

Dr Steven Reid is a former captain of Royal Lytham Golf Club and is an expert and author on the life of Bobby Jones.

Dr Reid will be giving us an insight to the life of Jones and how he inspired millions but ultimately paid a high price for his success .

David Joy Guided Walk around St Andrews
Midday. 1st April 2012. Starting at St Andrews Cathedral.

One of the most knowledgeable and reputable golf historians has kindly agreed to give a guided walk around the top golf spots in St Andrews.

Guided Golf Walks Around St Andrews
Midday and 2pm. 28 March to 1st April 2012. BEST WESTERN Scores Hotel, St Andrews.

We are very fortunate to have a 5th generation St Andrean giving guided walks around St Andrews. Mr Jimmy Bone also plays Old Tom’s caddy in the Old Tom Morris theatre production.

Jimmy will be provide a unique walking tour around St Andrews that takes in the historic golfing locations including the 18th green of the Old course, Old Tom Morris’ home and newly refurbished shop and the town cathedral cemetery that has a number of Open champions including Young Tom and Willie Aucterlonie.

This walk is a must for every golf historian enthusiast. With St Andrews as the historic back drop, some of golf’s most influential moments will suddenly be right in front of you.

Tickets cost £5 and can be purchased at the BEST WESTERN Scores Hotel reception.

All money raised will go to the Keepers of the Green charity.

History of Golf in St Andrews exhibition
10am to 5pm. 28 March to 1 April 2012. The Golf Hotel, St Andrews.

Ladies Golf Exhibition
10am to 5pm. 28 March to 1 April 2012. BEST WESTERN Scores Hotel, St Andrews.

Open Champions Gallery
All year round. The Dunvegan Hotel, St Andrews.

Ryder Cup Exhibition
10am to 5pm. 28 March to 1 April 2012. BEST WESTERN Scores Hotel, St Andrews.

Keepers of the Green Display
10am-5pm. Wednesday 28th March to Sunday 1st April 2012. The Golf Hotel, St Andrews.

Meet the Artist – Richard Chorley
8.15pm. 29th March 2012. The Golf Hotel, St Andrews.

Book Signing – John Peter Hagen
Midday. Saturday 31st March 2012. BEST WESTERN Scores Hotel, St Andrews.

Joe Austen Gallery
All year round. Macdonald Rusacks Hotel, St Andrews.

Meet the Artist – David Joy
3.15pm. Saturday 31st March 2012. The Dunvegan Hotel, St Andrews.

Real ale tasting with St Andrews Brewing Co
Midday. 31st March and 1st April 2012. The Golf Hotel, St Andrews

Guided Walk – Historic St Andrews
28th March – 1st April at 11am, 2pm and 4pm (1st April, 2pm and 4pm only). St Andrews Golf Hotel

Legends of John Letters
All year round. John Letters workshop, North Street, St Andrews.

Openview Gallery
All year round. North Street, St Andrews.

History of St Andrews exhibition
All year round. St Andrews Museum, Kinburn Park, St Andrews.

Happy Hacker Golf Shop
All year round. South Street, St Andrews.

Again thanks to organisers for the privedge of helping promote to the St. Andrews Golf Festival.  As mentioned, all details on www.standrewsgolffestival.com