RIP Swilcan Patio, 2023-2023

Sometime in the past few months, the St. Andrews Links Trust installed protective stonework in the approach to the Swilcan Bridge. Twitter found out. Things escalated quickly.

They appear to have built a garden patio next to the Swilken Bridge! pic.twitter.com/XDljucNB5z

— UK Golf Guy (@ukgolfguy) February 4, 2023

I can’t stay silent any longer. A buddy of mine @TheFliersClub sent this over.

Really really really really egregious shit, esp from this angle. This looks like a DIY backyard patio. I know its tough to grow grass in that high traffic area, but my goodness. Horrible. pic.twitter.com/EHhZN7vNeu

— Tron Carter (@TronCarterNLU) February 4, 2023

Is the bridge a listed historical landmark? It sure should be! https://t.co/rSR5KQaybC

— Sir Nick Faldo (@NickFaldo006) February 4, 2023

Soon the photoshops came rushing in.

Settle down, everyone.
There's still work to be done on it. pic.twitter.com/g52KpR2iwj

— Tim “Lumpy” Herron (@PGALumpy) February 4, 2023

I’d have to think all the hubub about the Swilcan Bridge is going to die down now that GC has released the new satellite photos pic.twitter.com/tj1ucZ4F4u

— ANTIFAldo (@ANTIFAldo) February 6, 2023

The venerable Links Trust was rattled enough to put out a statement. On official letterhead and everything.

We would like to address concerns that have been raised over works currently underway at the approach area to the Swilcan Bridge.

Please see our full statement on our website here: https://t.co/361CSUgZLw pic.twitter.com/mRdJEQUNU7

— St Andrews Links (@TheHomeofGolf) February 5, 2023

By that point, our own Brendan Porath had become somewhat exasperated by the ordeal.

https://thefriedegg.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/BP-on-Swilcan-Fiasco.mp3

It seemed like the kind of fun, occasionally annoying bout of Twitter madness that blows over in a few days. But then came an honest-to-God change in policy.

Further to recent communications about works in the area around the Swilcan Bridge, we have released an updated statement below.

The full statement can also be found on our website here: https://t.co/Xo3TXjBD3r pic.twitter.com/ZKCY2qty1j

— St Andrews Links (@TheHomeofGolf) February 6, 2023

Barry, as usual, brought us home.

https://t.co/WfOcSkc3Kr pic.twitter.com/gKvNhMgDFl

— Barry W (@sacoomba) February 6, 2023

My two cents: the Swilcan extension wasn’t well executed. The overly neat shape, the failure to match the look of the bridge itself, the phallic echoes—it was all a pretty tough scene. But what really made the story blow up, I think, was that the most widely seen photos put the patio in the foreground, making it seem huge. As UK Golf Guy himself noted, it didn’t appear so egregious from different angles.

It’s not quite as bad from other angles. That area always got quite worn so this is the solution I guess pic.twitter.com/KpzT9OfL8O

— UK Golf Guy (@ukgolfguy) February 4, 2023

Still, I’d say the Links Trust made the right call in the end.

What are your reactions? Was this a tempest in a Scottish tea pot? Or a warranted backlash against a poor decision? Is the St. Andrews Links Trust… to be trusted?