St. Andrews Links Trust was able to reverse its course quickly. In the next few days, the stonework that was added to the Swilcan Bridge at Old Course will be taken down. After golf fans vented their frustrations on social media, the pivot was made.
Officials at St. Andrews explained that the addition of stone “patios”, on both ends of the bridge, was made to reduce the damage to the turf caused by the tens to thousands of visitors each annual.
The statement stated that stonework was one option for a long-term solution. We believe that this would have been a good option for protection but in this case, we feel we cannot create an appearance that is consistent with the iconic setting of the bridge and have decided to take it down.
“We also took on feedback from many stakeholders and partners as well as the golfing community. We would like to thank everybody who reached out for their contributions to the issue.”
What a front page by @thecourieruk today… pic.twitter.com/RFsI9dL7wj
Michael McEwan (@MMcEwanGolf February 6, 2023
This decision follows a St. Andrews statement that day explaining why they decided to add the stones.
Would you prefer to leave St Andrews with some cement mix scraps or historic dirt?
pic.twitter.com/O1NWIHbIKt
— Sir Nick Faldo (@NickFaldo006) February 5, 20,23
It is believed that the bridge is 700-800 years old.
We have updated the statement below in response to recent communications regarding works in the area surrounding the Swilcan bridge.
The full statement can also be found on our website here: https://t.co/Xo3TXjBD3r pic.twitter.com/ZKCY2qty1j
— St Andrews Links (@TheHomeofGolf February 6, 2023
