St Andrews is a town of many and varied attractions. Scholars come from all over the world to study at its famous University. Pilgrims have for centuries journeyed across Europe to the Shrine of St Andrew. And more recently pilgrims of a different sort have travelled from far and wide to pay homage to what is now arguably St Andrews’ greatest attraction: the Royal and Ancient Golf Club. On 14th May 1754 ‘twenty-two Noblemen and Gentlemen being admirers of the ancient and healthfull exercise of The Golf’ met and drafted certain Articles and Laws and formed themselves into ‘The Society of St Andrews Golfers’. Little did they imagine that over two hundred and thirty years later the club they founded would be the most famous centre of the game in the world and universally acknowledged as the home of golf. From those early days Louis Stanley relates the history of the Club and describes the famous characters associated with it. He tells of the bestowing on the club the patronage of King William IV and the title Royal and Ancient; the development of the Old Course over the years; the early contributions of Allan Robertson and Tom Morris; and the hard-fought Walker Cup Matches between the United States and Europe which the Club has hosted.
