TOC and St Andrews as they once were - lots of photos

[Ally Mcintosh]

I wonder if there might ever be an appetite to blow up those pasture-land new holes on The Eden and try again?


Clearly the old holes are gone for good but even reworking the current holes in-situ could help considerably.


The land ain’t great but what is there is very poor, even more so with today’s resurgent tastes. A bold approach by one of today’s top builders could make a difference. Of course, they’d probably pick the wrong design firm anyway.

[Tom_Doak]

Thanks for posting these pics David.


It's interesting how much deeper Cockle Bunker is today. I wonder if that was to hold sand in from wind erosion? They've lost the cool fold on the left entrance at some point.

Or maybe it's deeper because a bunch of sand has blown out of it over time?


Every time I see an old photograph of Hell, I think of what an awful-looking mess they've made of it.  It used to be a beauty.

[Clyde Johnson]

Or maybe it's deeper because a bunch of sand has blown out of it over time?

Yes, or that!! Not to mention that the floor of the bunker no longer climbs up against the face/revetted wall, through regular maintenance.

[Clyde Johnson]

I wonder if there might ever be an appetite to blow up those pasture-land new holes on The Eden and try again?


Clearly the old holes are gone for good but even reworking the current holes in-situ could help considerably.


The land ain’t great but what is there is very poor, even more so with today’s resurgent tastes. A bold approach by one of today’s top builders could make a difference. Of course, they’d probably pick the wrong design firm anyway.

I understand that Martin Ebert will be doing some work to those at some points over the next couple of years! 

[Mitch Hantman]

I am under the impression that Ebert and/or Mackenzie have been consulted to do a complete redo of the Eden, commencing right after the Open championship (now pushed back a year, so perhaps things have changed).

[Peter Flory]

Incredible pics.  The colorization really works well with golf photos, just to set the atmosphere.  There are still some people alive today who were born before Old Tom's death- so it really wasn't as long ago as black and white photos can make it feel.

[Ally Mcintosh]

I am under the impression that Ebert and/or Mackenzie have been consulted to do a complete redo of the Eden, commencing right after the Open championship (now pushed back a year, so perhaps things have changed).

Surely they won’t go anywhere near the original Colt holes?


After all, they don’t need to make it “Championship Ready”, the usual excuse for taking a knife to many of our more esteemed links.

[Richard Fisher]

These are all fascinating - and the railway complex shown is I think the old goods depot, and not the station itself, located much more centrally within the town (and closed in 1969). Discussions about whether to reopen the line from Leuchars (and to replace the former bridge at Guardbridge) have rumbled along for some years now, although I suspect that current events may, sadly, have ended the discussion, certainly for the time being.
Thanks so much for loading these, anyway, ditto the latest batch of equally fabulous colourised clubhouse shots.

[Thomas Dai]

Somehow I omitted to post thus one of OTM within yesterdays batch of now coloured old b&w photos. Note the wording at the bottom.
atb

[Thomas Dai]

Some more old b&w photos of StA now with colour added.
Enjoy.
atb

[Thomas Dai]

A few more ...
Enjoy.
atb

[Thomas Dai]

Below (date unknown) - "I hear the train a'coming, it's rolling round the bend,......."

Below - a very old photo taken before the sea defences along the today called Bruce Embankment and some of the these days distinctive buildings behind the 18th green of TOC were built -

Both are old b&w photos with some colour now added.
Enjoy.
atb

[Thomas Dai]

Here are two aerial photos of St Andrews, TOC and the R&A Clubhouse taken in the late 1940's. Not the easiest to convert into colour but never mind as they seem to highlight a few features.
Enjoy.
atb

[Thomas Dai]

Bumping this to add-in some additional colourisations of b&w photos.
atb

[Colin Macqueen]

Thomas,
I have already replied when you offered this up in the first instance but once again it does stir the cockles of my heart. Perusing the photos for a second time I was chuckling away at the snapshot where some scallywag, guttersnipe or urchin (maybe even a wayward caddy!) is scaling the sod wall of (I think) the Road Hole bunker! The other one that took my fancy is the green-keeper being faithfully assisted by a flock of sheep!
Wonderful photos so thanks once again,


Cheers Colin