South African golfer Louis Oosthuizen plays his tee shot on the 18th, on his way to winning the 139th British Open Golf Championship at St Andrews in Scotland, on July 18, 2010. He shot a final round of 71, 1 under par, on day four of the Championship gave him a final total of 272, 16 under par, 7 shots clear of English golfer Lee Westwood in second place. AFP PHOTO/PETER MUHLY
South African golfer Louis Oosthuizen plays his tee shot on the 18th, on his way to winning the 139th British Open Golf Championship at St Andrews in Scotland, on July 18, 2010. He shot a final round Show more

Get down to business at the first tee



Q&A: Relax, there’s a long day ahead

Why is St Andrews associated with golf? The Old Course in St Andrews is one of the oldest golf courses in the world, and certainly its most famous. It is the birthplace of Old Tom Morris, who developed golf as a professional sport in the 19th century.

What's special about playing golf at St Andrews? Besides its historic nature and stunning views, the principle advantages during summer are the long daylight hours. In June and July, the sun does not set until about 9pm, which allows a game to continue late into the evening.

How can I get to Scotland? Although Scottish politicians have called for the nearby air force base at Leuchars to be considered for a commercial airport when it ceases operations, there are no direct routes to St Andrews.

Sleepy St Andrews might not trip off the tongue of the business traveller, but it makes a unique destination for client outings, with fine dining, luxury hotels and vivid reminders of Scotland's medieval past.

And who can say no to a round of golf at the world's first golf course?

Donald Trump, the American billionaire, may have tried to rival St Andrews with a 5 square kilometre "golf resort" near Aberdeen, but the Scots will never tire of the town where the game of golf as we know it first began - and doubtless, nor will its visitors.

That makes St Andrews a perfect site for entertaining a client during the summer months, although its charm remains all year round.

The town is also home to Scotland's oldest university, which houses a world-class research department and business school.

Between September and June, the town becomes filled with university students, recognisable in some cases by their distinctive red gowns, in others by their tired and emotional state.

Prince William may have long since graduated, but the canny networker may still find the odd baronet or European princeling bustling about.

And such is the Old Course's reputation that it is not uncommon to find Hollywood celebrities or chief executives teeing off throughout the year.

St Andrews is small enough that you can walk across most of the town in about 10 minutes, although the golf course and some hotels, such as the Fairmont, are farther afield.

Its secluded location also allows travellers to enjoy a scenic tour of the kingdom of Fife, the ancestral home of the Scottish monarchs.

Types of accommodation range from scores of homely bed and breakfasts, to the Old Course Hotel, one of Scotland's most prestigious resorts, where rooms cost from £170 (Dh986) a night to more than £1,000.

Top 5: Tourist trips in Scotland last year and their spend

1 From within Scotland, 6.3m trips, £1bn

2 From England, 5.5m trips, £1.47bn

3 Northern Ireland, 277,000 trips, £111m

4 US, 275,000 trips, £185m

5 Germany, 253,000 trips, £134m

Source: VisitScotland

The Quote: I fell in love with it the first day I played it. There's just no other golf course that is even remotely close. - Jack Nicklaus, on St Andrews

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