For one day a year, the clubhouse of the Royal & Ancient Golf Club opens to the public …

ST. ANDREWS, Scotland — It is, no question, one of the most recognizable edifices in any sport. And surely the most recognizable building in all of golf. Since 1854, the clubhouse of the Royal & Ancient Golf Club has sat directly behind the first tee on the Old Course at St. Andrews, the most famous 18 holes in any land. Not a bad spot really. Hang on though. Only the outside of this esteemed establishment is really familiar to the vast majority. For most of us, what lies inside remains something of a mystery. Routinely, only the 2,500 or so worldwide R&A members and their guests are permitted entry through the side door on the right as you look at the building from the course. That fact is true 364 days of any non-leap year. On one day, however, November 30 or St. Andrews Day, the clubhouse is open to members of the public interested enough to take a tour of the premises. I am, so I did. In the company of clubhouse manager Graham Clark, I spent a fascinating half hour looking around the various rooms on the ground floor. Only the ground floor. What lies above and below…
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