Rebranding of St Andrews golf course named after former Prince Andrew

The St Andrews golf course named after former Prince Andrew is to change its name.

The Duke’s Course, which is three miles from the center of Fife’s university town, will become the Craigtoun Course, after a nearby country park.

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor opened Duke’s, a heathland course as opposed to the links that dominate the birthplace of golf, in 1995.

He later became captain of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club, based in St Andrews.

Andrew has renounced his honorary membership, as part of his withdrawal from public life following the scandal over his close friendship with pedophile and sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein.

The course and club will also be under the management of the St Andrews Links Trust on a long-term lease.

The club’s logo is also being changed to remove the royal association.

An illustration with trees will replace a rampant lion holding a saltire flag.

The trust already manages seven public courses in Fife town, including the world-famous Old Course, which hosts the Open Championship every five years.

Until Jan. 5, Duke’s will remain owned by golf resort operator Kohler, along with its ownership of the Old Course Hotel.

From then on it will be known as the Craigtoun Course.

Following a growing public outcry over his links to Epstein, Andrew was stripped of titles such as Duke of York and his status as prince, becoming Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor.

As part of that announcement in October, Andrew would also leave Royal Lodge and move to another accommodation at Sandringham, the king’s private estate in Norfolk.

Andrew has also faced calls from Democratic members of Congress to testify before a committee investigating Epstein’s activities.

Mountbatten-Windsor had not responded to the request by the deadline last month.

A press release confirmed that the course would take on a “revitalized identity” but made no mention of the former prince.

Neil Coulson, chief executive of St Andrews Links Trust, said: “The deal for The Craigtoun Course will mark the first new course added to the Home of Golf portfolio in 18 years and presents an ideal opportunity to expand the golf experiences we offer.

“We are delighted to have reached an agreement with the Old Course Hotel and look forward to acquiring what is already an important asset for St Andrews and Scotland and building on its reputation.”