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Iconic St Andrews golf shop raided by ‘professional gang’
By John Turnbull - Bunkered
The world-famous Auchterlonies of St Andrews golf shop was raided by a ‘professional gang’ in the early hours of Thursday morning.
As reported by The Courier, thousands of pounds worth of equipment was pinched from the store on Golf Place after thieves reportedly smashed their way in shortly before 1am.
It’s understood that four individuals were involved and a suspect said they were in the shop for around five minutes before fleeing the scene in a black Range Rover.
Putters, drivers, and fairway woods from the likes of Scotty Cameron, Ping, TaylorMade, Odyssey, and Callaway were stolen.
An Auchterlonies spokesman confirmed the business is assisting Police Scotland with their inquiries, while police confirmed they are probing the break-in.
“On Thursday, January 15, we received a report of a break-in at a premises on Golf Place in St Andrews that happened around 0.45am that day,” a police spokeswoman told the paper.
“Inquiries are ongoing.”
The much-loved store, less than 100 yards from the first tee of the iconic Old Course in the Home of Golf, was established in 1895 by former Open champion Willie Auchterlonie.
It’s one of the longest standing and largest high street golf retailers in the UK, stocking all of the game’s biggest brands.
Few golfers make the venture to St Andrews without stepping foot in the store, which spans 10,000-square feet. A few famous faces have also stopped by in recent years, including Formula 1 driver Charles Leclerc, who spent around half an hour in the shop during a visit in 2024. Singers Harry Styles and Lewis Capaldi have had a look inside, too.
Auchterlonies, meanwhile, has an online shop, which launched in 2020 to mark its 125th anniversary.
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Members snap up memorabilia before demolishment of historic Scottish clubhouse
By Martin Dempster - The Scotsman
Tables and chairs, curtains, shoe cleaner and even pots and pans were taken as souvenirs
Royal Dornoch general manager Neil Hampton welcomes members at the soon-to-be-demolished old clubhouse at the Sutherland club | Royal Dornoch
The old clubhouse at Royal Dornoch will be demolished next month after a new £13.9 million replacement at the world-renowned Sutherland opened its doors last month.
Before it disappears, though, members were offered the chance to see if there was anything they wanted to get their hands on from the old clubhouse, which dates back to 1909.
“It was especially busy for the first couple of hours as members snapped up everything from tables and chairs to curtains, shoe cleaners and pots and pans, in addition to pictures, signage and locker doors for souvenirs,” said secretary Neil Hampton.
Money raised is being donated to charity
“We have raised well over £3500 already in donations to the Captain’s Charity, which is supporting Mikey’s Line and the East Sutherland Rescue Association, and the club’s Heritage and Junior Foundations.
“By the time the dust settles, I suspect we might even double that figure because we have had an offer for all the kitchen equipment and clubs in the region will have the opportunity to snap up anything that they can make use of.”
The demolition process will begin on 2 February and Hampton added: “We have appointed Nairn specialists G.F. Job for the project, and it will take around eight to 10 weeks to level the site.
The impressive new clubhouse at Royal Dornoch opened last month | Matthew Harris / Golf Picture Agency
“It’s not about bringing in a wrecking ball and bulldozers nowadays. The internal work takes place first, with different materials going into separate skips for recycling.
“The future use of the site has yet to be decided but, in the short term, it will be landscaped and in good shape for the start of the golf season.”
The three-storey new clubhouse has been completed two years after the project was given the green light and will be used by visitors from all around the world.
“I’m delighted to say our new clubhouse is being warmly embraced by local members and townsfolk and we look forward to welcoming golfers from around the world to see it for themselves in the spring,” added Hampton.
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'Game is thriving' - Huge rise in scores registered by Scottish golfers in 2025
By Martin Dempster - The Scotsman
Increases across the board, including 14 per cent jump in scores posted by females
Golf in Scotland is “thriving”, according to the game’s governing body in its birthplace on the strength of 2025 having been a record year for golfers submitting scores through the World Handicap System™.
Scottish golfers submitted more WHS scores last year than ever before | Scottish Golf
Scottish Golf has revealed that over two millions scores were submitted through WHS last year, with “significant levels of growth” in all categories of play.
The total number of scores registered was 2,039,119, which represented an overall 14 per cent rise in the number of scores posted in 2025 compared to 2024.
The total number of scores posted by females shot up by 14 per cent, with 9-hole scores growing by 20 per cent and General Play scores 32 per cent up on the previous 12 months.
“These figures – across the board - are fantastic and show that golf in Scotland is thriving,” said Scottish Golf CEO Robbie Clyde. “It’s brilliant to have such momentum as we head into 2026.”
Competition scores totalled 1,422,435 (up 86,922) while General Play scores rose by more than 166,000 to 616,684. May was the busiest month for play with 353,667 rounds submitted while Saturday 3 May was the busiest single day with 27,795 scores submitted.
Golf now ‘more flexible and accessible than ever before’
“I firmly believe golf is Scotland’s national sport and the levels of play that we have seen in the past year clearly demonstrates that golf remains a passion – perhaps even an obsession - for many of us!” added Clyde.
“The growth of 9-hole golf, a healthy rise in scores submitted by female golfers and access to General Play scoring shows that golf is more flexible and accessible than ever before.”
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'Trailblazer' Sandy Lyle handed huge St Andrews honour as two-time major winner takes on new role
By Martin Dempster - The Scotsman
Scottish legend succeeds the late Sir Michael Bonallack in prestigious post
Sandy Lyle has been handed the honour of succeeding the late Sir Michael Bonallack as honorary president of a leading organisation in St Andrews.
The two-time major winner, who has a strong connection with the Fife town, has been appointed to the important post by the St Andrews Pilgrim Foundation.
Set up in 1999, the foundation’s purpose is to “conserve, improve, and develop the historic character of the town of St Andrews for the benefit of the public”.
Sandy Lyle pictured at St Andrews in 2022 playing in The R&A Celebration of Champions event in the build up to The 150th Open | Andy Buchanan/AFP via Getty Images
Funding comes from an annual auction of golf packages for four people and from the Alfred Dunhill Links Foundation, the charitable wing of the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship.
Each year an amateur place in the DP World Tour event is auctioned, the proceeds from which are awarded to the St Andrews Pilgrim Foundation.
Announcing Lyle’s appointment, a post read: “Sandy is one of the greatest golfers Scotland has ever produced, with a career full of historic achievements, including The Open and The Masters in 1988, when he became the first British golfer to win at Augusta, sealed with one of the most iconic bunker shots in golfing history.
Lyle hailed as ‘trailblazer and proud ambassador for Scottish golf’
“Sandy is a trailblazer and a proud ambassador for Scottish golf. We are delighted to welcome him to the foundation as our honorary president.”
Lyle is an honorary member of The Royal & Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews, having been granted that honour alongside Nick Faldo in 2015.
More recently, the World Golf Hall of Fame member attended the unveiling of a statue of his fellow Open champion, Old Tom Morris, in St Andrews in 2024.
“The main reason I’m here is for Tom Morris, who was a remarkable man, and this statue is going to be here for hundreds of years’ time, so it was nice to be part of it,” said Lyle.
“Even if I wasn’t an Open champion, knowing what he did in the game of golf - like a Jack Nicklaus - I’d like to have been here and it is probably long overdue.”
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Scottish Golf North Events 2026
Scottish Golf North Events 2026
Lots of great events taking place throughout the season with a new addition of the SG North Mixed Foursomes Championship.
Entries open on Sunday 1st February 2026 via our website
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Paul Lawrie Golf Centre back open for business
