St Andrews Links Trust will break the ground this winter with a £10.5 million multi-year irrigation project that will optimize water usage and improve the player experience on the golf course.
Work plans to install 1,500 new sprinklers in the historic old course are planned to begin in the winter of 2025-26, more than double the current number.
The change will provide a more targeted approach to course management at the Golf House, allowing for more efficient use of water, and will also use a “hidden” pop-up sprinkler to provide better irrigation for the massive green green of the old course without damaging the game surface.
155th Open
Over the next five years, hundreds of sprinklers will be added to the remaining courses, allowing green staff to control the water in more detail and reduce running time.
In addition to this, Links Trust has increased the use of rainwater and drilling that it collects to ensure that the water used for course irrigation across courses comes from a sustainable source.
Work on the old course will be held in July 2027 Open 155 and will begin in November 2025 and is scheduled to be completed in March 2026 before the main competition season.
The irrigation system currently installed in 2000-01 has reached the end of its lifespan. In addition to using more efficient water use, the new system will open new pin positions throughout the course and install a “hidden” pop-up sprinkler on some push rod surfaces.
Other jobs
Once the old course is completed, the new and Jubilee courses will be second, followed by Eden, Strathtyrum and Balgove courses. Each stage is planned for winter over the next five years to minimize impact and damage
The installation will be completed in phases to allow the course to remain open and minimize interference as much as possible.
To recognize this, the old courses will not be sold as part of this winter’s traditional three-round package, St Andrews Links, and will only be available by voting and offer reduced green fees.
