The Old Course at St Andrews

There are some places you visit because they are on your list, and there are others you visit because they are on someone else’s. This stop was definitely for Marty.

I’ve never been a golfer, so I probably could have skipped this photograph altogether. But Marty has always enjoyed the game, and I knew that standing beside the Old Course at St Andrews was something special for him. So, I happily became the photographer while he took his place beside one of the most famous golf courses in the world.

Known as the “Home of Golf,” the Old Course has been played for more than 600 years. The game evolved on these coastal links, where the natural dunes, winds, and rugged terrain created challenges unlike any purpose-built course. Over the centuries, St Andrews became the standard by which golf courses around the world would be measured.

What makes the Old Course remarkable is that it is not simply a historic site. it is still very much alive. Golfers from around the world dream of playing these fairways, crossing the famous Swilcan Bridge, and putting on the legendary eighteenth green. The same landscape that challenged players centuries ago continues to test the best golfers today.

As I watched Marty take in the view, I was reminded that travel isn’t always about checking items off our own bucket lists. Sometimes the greatest joy comes from sharing in someone else’s excitement. While I may not have understood every nuance of the game, I certainly understood why this place mattered to him.

That is one of the gifts of traveling together. We discover places we might never have chosen on our own, yet those unexpected stops often become some of the memories we treasure most.