Having worked at the property since 2002, Ayden Roberts-Jones knows The Craigtoun Course – formerly The Duke’s – better than most. Now, as General Manager, he finds himself at the helm of the course as it enters a new chapter as part of the St Andrews Links portfolio, joining earlier this year and bringing a distinctive heathland experience to one of the world’s most celebrated golfing destinations.
On a recent trip to St Andrews, GBN Associate Editor Nick Bayly sat down with Ayden to discuss the course’s new chapter, his ambitions for its future and what being part of St Andrews Links could mean for Craigtoun.
You’ve been working in St Andrews and at Craigtoun since 2002. How did a young man from Shrewsbury come to be attracted to working at a heathland course at the home of links golf and, secondly, what has driven you to stay here for nearly 25 years?
ARJ: Golfing life for me started out of Shrewsbury Golf Club. I was a member at Oswestry Golf Club as well, which you may remember Ian Woosnam came from. Golf was a passion and route I wanted to take. I moved to North Wales and started my PGA training at Northop Country Park Golf Club. I turned professional when I was 18, and moved to St Andrews in 2002.
I had visited as a good friend had moved up to do his training – originally working at The Duke’s. I got in conversation with Ron Walker, the head professional at the time. I rolled the dice, took a seasonal job and moved up. I just absolutely loved it.
Craigtoun is the first course to join the St Andrews Links portfolio in 18 years. What do you think it brings that wasn’t already provided by the other seven courses?
Craigtoun adds something genuinely different to the St Andrews Links portfolio. It’s a heathland golf course with a distinct personality that contrasts the links experience the town is famous for. That variety strengthens the offering for the golfer, giving them a new style of challenge and landscape.
It also brings a strong membership community and a course that sits beautiful within the local countryside. Craigtoun compliments the existing seven courses rather than competing.
Demand for golf in St Andrews is at unprecedented levels, with over 290,000 rounds played across St Andrews Links’ seven courses in 2025. What role can Craigtoun play in providing more opportunities not just for overseas visitors, but also for local ticketholders and Scottish golfers?
Demand has never been higher for St Andrews. Craigtoun plays a vital role in broadening the access, not just to visitors but to ticket holders and members. Craigtoun relieves some pressure other courses in the portfolio face – but it also offers a different style and adds to the portfolio’s fantastic variety. Sitting as a links ticket member, you have a beautiful selection of top courses that showcase how golf was played, the new wave of links courses and Scottish heathland golf.
What has been the reaction from the membership and from local golfers to the change of management?
The reaction has been overwhelmingly positive. Members and local golfers care deeply about the course, and they’ve welcomed the stability, investment and long-term vision and plan that comes with this move.
All of our courses have evolved, and Craigtoun’s not going to be any different. There is a real sense of excitement around what Craigtoun can become. That enthusiasm has been reflected within conversations I’ve had on the course with members and ticket holders, in the clubhouse and throughout the community.
Having spent many years working at the course before its transition from The Duke’s to Craigtoun, you know the property extremely well. What opportunities do you now see that perhaps weren’t possible under the previous ownership and operating model?
I think there’s a huge opportunity to raise awareness of the property and, in turn, create bigger opportunities for the golf course. Being part of the St Andrews Links portfolio puts Craigtoun on a completely different platform.
Not only does it give access to an additional golf course for our ticket holders, it gives golfers visiting St Andrews another course to enjoy as part of the wider Links experience, while the increased footfall and exposure will help introduce Craigtoun to a much wider audience. For the course, that’s a really exciting opportunity.
What are your immediate priorities, both in terms of managing the golf course, the membership and the development of the course and wider facilities offered at the club?
Our first priority is ensuring the course is presented to the highest possible standard every day. That means supporting the greenkeeping team, investing in maintenance and focusing on playability and consistency.
For the membership and our local ticket holders it is all about the stability and communication, making sure they feel valued and informed throughout this year. I want them to feel at home when they come up here – it is their course at the end of the day.
In terms of the facility, we’re looking at how Craigtoun can evolve from the clubhouse to the practice area and the wider amenities. On the course, the goal is to build a course that feels natural to its heathland character. It is important that the bones of the course and set up as well as guest arrival and first steps into the clubhouse reflects the brand’s standard of what the St Andrews Links is all about.
Craigtoun already has a wonderful heathland identity and any course changes will enhance that and not replace it. There are areas where investment in turf quality and overall presentation can elevate the course even further.
Ultimately, we want returning golfers to recognise the course they love, but experience it at its absolute best. We really want to be exceeding that expectation when it comes to conditioning.
Green fee inflation is a major issue in the industry right now, especially at the very top courses. What are your thoughts on this issue and how important is it to strike the right balance in terms of profitability and affordability?
Green fee inflation is a challenge across the industry, especially at high-profile destinations. The key is finding a balance that protects the long-term sustainability of the course while ensuring golf remains accessible and fair.
At Craigtoun, we have introduced a Scottish resident rate. It’s a good example of how we can look at different ways to make golf more accessible to local golfers, while still recognising the commercial realities of operating a high-quality golf course.
It’s also something the St Andrews Links Trust is aware of, with initiatives such as The Drive helping to widen access to golf across our courses. This year, almost 2,000 golfers were offered the opportunity to play discounted rounds at St Andrews Links through The Drive, including the Old Course. The Drive offered tee times across six courses, with discounts of up to 88 per cent on regular green fees and successful Old Course applicants paying just £45.
St Andrews has an extraordinary golf ecosystem encompassing the Links Trust courses, private clubs, hotels, golf tourism businesses and The R&A. Where do you see Craigtoun fitting into that wider picture of the town?
St Andrews is unique, a town where golf is woven into every part of life. Craigotun fits into its ecosystem as a complimentary venue that supports the Links Trust mission, all while offering something distinct. We’re part of a network that includes world famous courses. Craigtoun strengthens that network by providing additional capacity and a different style of golf for members, locals and visitors alike.
The Old Course will once again be hosting the Open Championship next year. What will Craigtoun’s role be during championship week? Will any of your team be drafted in to help with operations associated with the championship?
We’re really excited to be part of that, but number one priority is ensuring our avid golfers can come along and get a game of golf. Given the impact, we only have two courses open that week.
We will also be looking after any other visitor golfers who may want to come and enjoy a game of golf later on in the day after they’ve been down to watch the wonderful golf in St Andrews, as well as supporting some of our commercial and corporate partner activity during the week.
Do you see Craigtoun hosting a tournament of its own somewhere down the line? Perhaps a Hotelplanner or Legends Tour event? What are the aspirations in that regard?
The course set up can certainly deliver a challenging tournament. It has the length and style that would lend itself to that. Craigtoun has been fantastic as a golf course in past tournaments, and a great spectator course with a lot of vantage points.
As a group, we host everything from high-end amateur events to The Open Championship. We would absolutely relish the opportunity to do something. If and when those opportunities arise, we will absolutely embrace it at whatever level.
If we return to Craigtoun five years from now, what would success look like to you? What would you like golfers in St Andrews – whether local residents or international visitors – to be saying about the course by then?
I’d love to think that, in five years’ time, Craigtoun will be recognised as a fantastic heathland venue and somewhere golfers genuinely want to come and play, while remaining a place where our members continue to feel at home.
For those visiting St Andrews for the first time, I’d like Craigtoun to become part of the experience. Ultimately, success would be seeing those golfers come back. I think that would be a real measure of what we’ve achieved.