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St. Andrews’ Old Course, the links layout on Scotland’s east coast, has often been described as the birthplace of the modern game of golf. While no hard historical evidence documents this fact, all who know and love golf recognize and revere St. Andrews as the game’s spiritual matrix, its timeless home.

With a victory this week, Tiger Woods will make more history by becoming the youngest golfer to win the four majors. Should he succeed, Woods will join Ben Hogan, Jack Nicklaus, Gene Sarazen and Gary Player as the only men to win the Masters, U.S. and British Opens and PGA Championship.

Player has won the British Open three times, in 1959, 1968, and 1974. Referred to as “The Ambassador of Golf” through six decades, Player has shared his skills and introduced the game of golf to people all over the world. Who better than he, then, to walk us through St. Andrews’ hallowed 18?

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Gary Player, in addition to an illustrious golfing career, is also an internationally renowned golf course designer, having designed over 160 courses around the globe. His company, Gary Player Design, is located in Palm Beach, Fla., and has designed notable courses such as The Floridian, in Florida, for Wayne Huizenga, and TPC at Jasna Polana in Princeton, N.J., which is hosting the Senior Tour Instinet Classic this week. He is currently working on projects in New York, Philadelphia, Texas, South Carolina, Dominican Republic, Poland and several in South Africa. Andy Brumer is a freelance writer who is regular contributor to the Times’ Focus on Golf.