The Old Course at St. Andrews originally had just twelve holes and the early Rules of Golf showed the teeing area within a club length of the hole. After completing the twelfth hole the golfers were at the furthest point from the Town and it became the norm for golfers to play the course in the reverse direction. Homeward bound players had the right of way and this allowed the twelve holes to be extended to twenty-two holes.

On 4th October 1764 the Captain and Gentleman Golfers of the Society approved changes to the first four holes, that were considered too short, reducing them to two holes and making the course eighteen holes which has since become standard.

The next major change to the Old Course occurred in 1832 when a member, the Chief of Clanranald, proposed cutting two holes in each green which explains the unique architecture of the Old Course.The course at this time was played in a clockwise direction and was considerably narrower with shared fairways.

The clubhouse had yet to be built and the first tee was situated further back up the hill. The first green was positioned where today the seventeenth green is situated. From the 1860's the course was played anti-clockwise and has remained essentially the same to this day.