During last week’s Alfred Dunhill Links Championship I was fortunate along with other members of the media to visit Hamilton Grand, St. Andrews.

Hamilton Grand has just been restored by the Kohler Company who have brought this most photographed building back to its Victorian grandeur.

The building had been first commissioned by Thomas Hamilton after the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews (R & A) rejected his membership application.

His Grand Hotel opened in 1895 with £80,000 invested in construction and £20,000 on furnishings and decor.

Over the nearly four decades the hotel played host to Royalty, movie stars and famous golfers until World War 2 when it was requisitioned by the Air Ministry, transforming the landmark into training headquarters for the Royal Air Force.

After the War, the University of St. Andrews acquired the building turning it into student apartments until 2005 when the University closed the Hall.

With the building falling into disrepair the Kohler Company, that also owns the Old Course Golf Resort and Spa Hotel, stepped in to save the red sandstone building.u

Over the past four years it has been wonderfully transformed into a collection of 26 homes of distinction including a range of two, three and four bedroom apartments.

There’s a ‘member’s lounge area, a stylish Ham and Hames Pub Bar and restaurant as well as the spectacular open deck on the 6th floor with panoramic views over the Old Course and the R & A building.

Here is a selection of photographs from my visit to Hamilton Grand and with special thanks to Simon Baldwin, Director Destination 66 and Allan Paterson, Assistant Marketing and PR Manager, Old Course Hotel Golf Resort and Spa for the opportunity to inspect first hand the rebirth of his wonderful building to the Home of Golf.

* Click on photograph to enlarge