On the rolling dunes outside the town of St Andrews where shepherds tended their flocks, something new began to take shape in the 16th century. Men started striking feather-stuffed balls with curved sticks, sending them skittering across the turf toward distant rabbit holes. In that simple pastime, the world saw its first golf course.
Centuries later, this October, four women’s collegiate golf programs will walk those same dunes — not as travelers, but as competitors at the St Andrews Links Collegiate.
For Cal, the chance to compete on the most storied turf in the game is nothing short of monumental. This is not just another collegiate event on the fall schedule; it’s a pilgrimage to the home of golf itself.
The 2025 St Andrews Links Collegiate, held Oct. 13–15, will blend youth with legacy. The women’s field features the Bears, the University of St Andrews, Princeton and Michigan State. Over the first two rounds, teams will face the tight corridors and sea breezes of the Jubilee Course before advancing to the Old Course for a medal match on the final day.
For Cal, that stage arrives at a time of momentum. The Bears have built a foundation of confidence through the early fall season, highlighted by a strong performance at the Molly Collegiate Invitational where freshman Michelle Woo finished runner-up after carding an eagle on the par-4 eighth hole.
Her composure and controlled aggression carried Cal to a third place overall finish, with junior Jasmine Kahler adding a steady top-10 result.
Earlier in the month, at the prestigious ANNIKA Intercollegiate, Kahler and junior Constance Fouillet led the Bears with matching 10-over totals in a field stacked with the nation’s elite, marking a finish that underscored Cal’s depth and resilience. From those tournaments, a pattern has emerged: This team may be young, but it is talented, tested and capable of thriving under pressure.
That quality of play will be crucial at St Andrews, where the landscape itself is as formidable as any opponent. The Old Course is a masterpiece of natural architecture, consisting of rumpled fairways that twist with the contours of ancient dunes, cavernous pot bunkers that swallow golf balls whole and greens so vast that a single putt can stretch the length of a fairway.
As for the famous Swilcan Bridge and Road Hole, they are not mere landmarks but rites of passage. Each hole is named with respect to the character of the hole. The first hole, “Burn,” tempts aggression from golfers but punishes carelessness with a winding stream. The 17th, “Road,” demands a daring drive over the Old Course Hotel and a precise approach to a green hemmed in by a road and a stone wall.
The host site has had several legends grace its presence, including Old Tom Morris, Bobby Jones, Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods.
The blue and gold’s competition, too, is steeped in history. The University of St Andrews, playing on home soil, carries the pride of a host defending its heritage. Princeton, meticulous and disciplined, brings a brand of East Coast golf that emphasizes control — a trait likely to pay dividends on windy days for the only Ivy League traveling across the pond. Michigan State will attempt to do the same and overpower holes if the team can avoid the course’s countless traps.
Each team brings its own identity, but together they will converge on the same timeless challenge of mastering the ground where golf began.
As the sun dips low over the rooftops of St Andrews and the shadows lengthen across the ancient fairway, the scene will transcend scorecards and standings. The four programs will begin the St Andrews Links Collegiate next Monday and play through Wednesday.
