St Andrews course renovation compared to DIY patio

The Old Course successful St Andrews has defended renovation enactment astir the historical Swilken Bridge aft it was compared to a "DIY patio".

The iconic crossing, estimated to beryllium 700 years old, provides arguably the astir celebrated photograph accidental successful golf.

As a effect the St Andrews Links Trust said the attack country regularly falls into disrepair.

But its solution, a caller circular paved area, has been wide criticised connected societal media.

Commentator Ken Brown tweeted: "The Swilken Bridge present serving food. A array for Fore please."

Golf instrumentality Warren Allsworth reacted: "No. Just no. That's similar drafting a moustache connected the Mona Lisa."

Meanwhile, six-time large victor Sir Nick Faldo posed the question: "If you've travelled halfway astir the satellite for your bucket database circular astatine St Andrews, would you alternatively permission with a spot of historical ungraded connected your shoes oregon a fewer cement premix scraps?"

Others person mocked up the caller attack featuring everything from plot furnishings to a blistery tub.

Legends of the crippled traditionally usage the locomotion implicit the bridge, aft teeing disconnected connected the 18th hole, to bid farewell to the Open Championship, which is played astatine the Old Course each 5 years.

Those who person made the affectional locomotion up the last fairway see the precocious Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus and Tom Watson.

Tiger Woods famously failed to intermission connected the span during past summer's Open successful a motion helium inactive hopes to vie astatine the Home of Golf earlier helium retires.

On Sundays, erstwhile nary play is allowed connected the hallowed course, queues of locals and visitors signifier astatine the span to airs for a representation with the landmark Royal & Ancient clubhouse successful the background.

The St Andrews Links Trust, which manages the course, issued a statement connected Sunday to code "some concerns" that person been raised regarding the work.

It besides emphasised nary enactment had taken spot connected the span itself.

The connection said: "The ongoing works are solely focussed connected the turfed attack country to the bridge, which regularly falls into disrepair owed to the important ft postulation by tens of thousands of golfers and countless different visitors seeking to person their photograph taken astatine the landmark.

"In bid to debar having to adjacent the span to ft postulation during definite periods of the year, a fig of solutions person been attempted previously."

The spot said this included the installation of hybrid and synthetic artificial turf and the regular method - replacement, reseed and enactment of earthy turf.

But it said these solutions did not beryllium palmy successful "adequately protecting the country from the important deterioration and tear".

It added: "Historically the span has antecedently seen a chromatic pathway starring onto it and the existent works are designed to spot if we tin replicate this portion being acceptable for intent for the magnitude of ft postulation it has to endure.

"The signifier of the existent installation covers the crushed that receives the astir postulation arsenic the country wherever the bulk of photographs are taken of radical connected the bridge."

The connection concluded that the works were ongoing and said the last effect would beryllium "in keeping with its surroundings".