Be a part of golf history: Name the 7th course at St. Andrews Links

From November 1 to December 1, 2006, golfers all over the world will have the opportunity to do something that no one in the 600 years of golf in St. Andrews has been able to do: Name a course at the St. Andrews Links

According to the St. Andrews Links Trust, which operates the existing six courses, including The Old Course, and is building the much-anticipated seventh course a few miles outside of town, over 500 entries have been received in the first few days of the naming competition.

Mike Woodcock, Links Trust communications manager, says, “Some of the more interesting and imaginative names which have been suggested so far include ‘No 7 Cliffs of Heaven’, ‘the Human Peace Course’, ‘The Prince William Course’ in recognition of his time studying in St. Andrews, and ‘The Miracle.’

“Many people have been suggesting names focused on the location of the seventh course on a cliff-top site at Kinkell Ness and near Brownhills Farm to the south-east of St. Andrews,” explains Woodcock. “The course commands spectacular views out over St. Andrews Bay to the hills of Angus and of the cliffs and rock formations of the rugged coastline such as the Maiden Rock and the Rock and Spindle. It was also formerly the site of Kinkell Castle.”

The naming competition is open until December 1, at which time the Course No 7 Working party will choose their favorite. The lucky person who submits the winning name will have the opportunity to play one of the first rounds on the new course when it opens in 2008 and will be a guest at the official opening ceremony along with VIPs from the world of golf.

I must warn all of you, however, that I submitted what I believed the be the best name way back in 2002, when I was one of the first journalists to report on the plans for the 7th course.

That name, my stroke of genius: The Newest Course at St. Andrews.

Simple. Thematic. Pithy. Perfect. (Unless they open an 8th, at which time the name would turn into a lie.)

So, if you want a stab at golf history immortality, you can enter by sending an e-mail to:

namecomp@standrews.org.uk

The Newest Course at St. Andrews (as I like to call it) has the most spectacular views of the sea of any of the Links Trust links.