The Old Course in St. Andrews is the most important course on earth. Reserve tee times online (reservations@standrews.org.uk) or through the Old Course Hotel, but keep in mind the course is booked months in advance. The daily ballot, a tee-time lottery, is a better bet. Phone 01334-466666 the day before you want to play and cross your fingers. Golf travel firms can arrange tee times but may double the £125 greens fee (about $250). Your best chance to walk the hallowed turf? Arrive at sunup and be willing to split your foursome -- the starter can often get singles and twosomes out early. When you do get on, be prepared for the 17th hole, the best tee shot in golf: the feared Road Hole. This is no place to wuss out. Smack your drive over the corner of the Old Course Hotel. And if you make bogey, remember what Ben Crenshaw said: "The reason the Road Hole is the greatest par four in the world is because it's a par five." Lest you prove you're a dumb Yank who thinks there's only one course in Scotland, you also need to play the adjacent New Course, opened in 1895, which is slightly easier to get onto. Seven miles away is Kingsbarns, a Kyle Phillips design that may be the best Scottish course of the 21st century, and just across the Firth of Tay lies historic Carnoustie, site of this year's British Open.
The Old Course Hotel looms at the corner of the Road Hole (with shatterproof windows on that side), yet it's a bit of an eyesore. Save your pounds for homier Macdonald Rusacks (from $300), a Victorian throwback overlooking the 18th hole, or the delightfully tacky golf-mad Dunvegan on North Street (from $100).
One of the greatest things about Scotland is its pubs. Spot one that looks good, walk through the door and pull up a bar stool. You'll find a nice mix of men and women, old and young, whiskey and beer. Some tips to help you get around: Don't offend a Scottish bartender by tipping him; his tip is included in the price of your drink. If a guy in a kilt starts singing karaoke, sing along. The Barber's Pole on South Street offers a free whiskey with every haircut. The food at the Seafood Restaurant overlooking St. Andrews Bay is top-rank. Haggis (sheep's stomach stuffed with everything but the kitchen sink) isn't nearly as bad as it sounds. Try it. Hell, it was good enough for Old Tom.
-- Kevin Cook
