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At this year's Open Championship, the golf course seems to be getting more love than any of the golfers, including Tiger Woods.
The question is WHY?
Fanhouse.com describes the course as flat, treeless, wide open and brown. Hardly the traits we think of when it comes to today's well manicured golf courses.
"If you, as an architect, had to build one like that today, it would probably be the last job you ever did," observed former British Open winner Nick Price.
The fondness for St. Andrews comes from its history. This is, after all, the birthplace of the British Open.
The right to play golf on the links was officially proclaimed in 1552, and in 1691 St. Andrews was described as a "metropolis of golfing."
No sport holds its history more sacred than golf, and there is no place in golf's past more important than St. Andrews and its many quirks, Mike Elliot of Fanhouse explains.
"If you're a golfer, how could you not be a little bit in awe when you get to the first tee, with the R&A building, the 18th green, all the things that have happened over the last 400 or so years?" Scott Verplank said.
According to ESPN.com, St. Andrews tops the list of Open courses.
St. Andrews is considered the home of golf, the Old Course its jewel. Not everyone likes the layout, but its uniqueness makes it special and it is virtually the same as the one taken care of by Old Tom Morris in the late 19th century. The course has also seemingly produced some of the biggest winners of their generation. Tiger Woods this week will attempt to become just the fifth person to win a major at the same venue three times (excluding Augusta National) and the first since Harry Vardon won at Prestwick for the third time in 1914.
And it's not just the history of the course but the history of play that has occurred here.
The BBC makes mention of recent history surrounding Tiger Woods:
The figure of Tiger Woods looms large over the Old Course these days, after winning the last two Opens to be staged at St Andrews in 2005 and 2000.
The world number one's star has since lost some of its sheen because of off-course shenanigans, but Woods has a liking for the Old Course and three wins there in 10 years to take him to 15 majors is a distinct possibility.
Tiger Woods comes into St. Andrews as a 5/1 favorite at Sportsbetting.com.
Perhaps no memory is sweeter than 18-time major champion Jack Nicklaus, inextricably linked to St Andrews, waving an emotional goodbye to the tournament on the Swilcan Bridge, the BBC suggests.
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