Fairmont St Andrews — The Torrance Course
Sam Torrance’s par-72 championship course at Fairmont St Andrews, blending traditional Scottish links ideas with a modern resort layout above St Andrews Bay.
Traditional links cues, modern championship scale
The Torrance uses revetted bunkers, run-off areas and undulating fairways to create a more classical links feel within the resort setting. Fairmont describes it as the friendlier of the two courses, but its tournament history and exposed terrain mean accuracy and imagination still matter.
Play for the miss you can manage
Avoid the revetted faces
Position from the tee so the deepest bunkers do not dictate the next shot. A conservative line can be worth more than extra length.
Use the ground
Run-offs and firm contours reward lower approaches when conditions allow rather than forcing every shot through the air.
Read the exposed holes
The elevated setting means wind can alter both line and club. Reassess conditions rather than carrying one yardage plan through the round.
Build a two-course Fairmont stay
The Torrance and Kittocks sit within the same 520-acre resort, alongside accommodation, coaching and practice facilities, dining and Fairmont Spa. For mixed groups, that concentration makes the resort especially easy to structure around golf and recovery.