“Dramatic incident” brings play to a standstill in St Andrews

An emergency helicopter was called to a “dramatic accident” near the Old Course at St Andrews on Monday.

Footage posted on Twitter by Golf Escocia, an authorised Spanish agency connected to St Andrews Links Trust, shows the air ambulance landing on the first fairway at the Home of Golf.

The account reports a “dramatic accident” on North Street, which is situated just a short walk away from the clubhouse of the famous course.

It hails the “magnificent intervention” of Scotland Police in attending the scene.

Juego paralizado en el Old Course @TheHomeofGolf
debido a un dramático accidente en North St, magnífica intervención de la policía @PoliceScotland y los servicios de emergencia pic.twitter.com/aXEJRq7zrv

— Golf Escocia (@Golfescocia) July 10, 2023

Play was brought to a standstill as observers on the 18th green watched the helicopter land further down on the first fairway.

A St Andrews Links Trust statement issued to bunkered.co.uk read: “Play was suspended on the Old Course for a short time this morning following consultation with Police Scotland to allow access for the Air Ambulance to attend a nearby road traffic incident.

“Play resumed as soon as it was safe to do so. Our thoughts are with those involved in the incident.”

The incident in question was a two-vehicle car crash outside the Rusacks St Andrews Hotel, just a stone’s throw away from the course grounds.

There was a huge police presence at the scene, with police vehicles lining the street and paramedics on-site where the accident took place.

Links Crescent in St Andrews is currently closed, Police Scotland have now confirmed.

The police statement notes: “Links Crescent in St Andrews is closed as emergency services deal with a road traffic collision involving two vehicles.”

Scotland’s Charity Air Ambulance confirmed it sent a vehicle from Aberdeen to attend a “medical emergency” on the scene.

Ben Parsons joined bunkered as a Content Producer in 2023 and is the man to come to for all of the latest news, across both the professional and amateur games. Formerly of The Mirror and Press Association, he is a member at Halifax Golf Club and is a long-suffering fan of both Manchester United and the Wales rugby team.