One of the standout features at the PGA Show this year was the Toptracer demo range. Initially, I assumed Toptracer simply provided basic launch data and visual shot tracers.
As my wife would put it, “Wrong again, dear.”
It turns out that Toptracer, the driving range technology developed by Topgolf Callaway, offers some surprisingly engaging possibilities beyond just tracking your shots. For instance, it features a dynamic game mode, so while you work on perfecting your drive, your kids can dive into a round of Angry Birds golf.
But the real game changer is its classic course simulation mode.
Imagine gathering a group of friends at a local driving range equipped with Toptracer technology to play a digital round of the iconic Pebble Beach course.
Or, perhaps more relevant to our discussion, the legendary Old Course at St. Andrews.
In reverse.
Yes, you read that right—backwards.
For the remainder of April, you and your golf buddies can head to a Toptracer range and take on the Old Course in reverse. Instead of starting at the first tee and going in the usual counterclockwise direction, you begin at the first and play toward the 17th green. From the 18th tee, you aim for the 16th green, and the pattern continues.
Now, you might be scratching your head and wondering—why on Earth would anyone want to play golf like this?
Here’s the scoop: from April 6th to 8th, the actual Old Course in Scotland will set up just like this.
Let’s break it down a bit.
Since 2023, the St Andrews Links Trust has opened a lottery for players to experience the Old Course in reverse for three days each April. Dubbed “The Old Course Reversed,” this setup is now offered in partnership with Toptracer, their trusted driving range tech partner. To celebrate this, Toptracer is offering the chance to play the Old Course Reversed virtually at any of its 1,250 worldwide locations. The digital version is available up until the end of April.
Toptracer has added a competitive edge too. Golfers who take on the reversed digital course can enter to win tee times for two at the real Reversed Old Course in 2026.
The genuine, original course. In Scotland.
Why would you want to do that? Well, besides the thrill of the competition, there’s a rich backdrop of history.
The Old Course wasn’t always played the way we see today. Before Old Tom Morris modernized it in the early 1870s, players teed off near today’s 18th green, targeting the current 17th green—and continued clockwise. For a century starting in 1774, after the course was trimmed from 22 to the now-standard 18 holes, golfers navigated this unique setup, sharing fairways and vast greens. When played in reverse, those unexpected bunkers suddenly made perfect sense.
Even after Old Tom’s redesign, the course continued to see play in its reverse layout until the 1970s. By 2024, an annual event was established by the St Andrews Links Trust, inviting golfers worldwide to apply for this unique round.
Toptracer joined forces with St. Andrews Links in 2022, installing Toptracer tech at the practice facilities and the St. Andrews Golf Academy. Thus, it remains the exclusive virtual platform for playing the Old Course. In 2024 alone, more than 700,000 virtual rounds were played on Toptracer-equipped ranges.
Now, about that contest…
To win the coveted tee times, you have to bring your best game. The Old Course Reversed demands a no-mulligans, black-tee, gross-score approach. There’s no settling for anything less than the lowest score. If you tie, getting your score in first will push you to the top. While the contest includes only the tee times, all other travel and lodging expenses are yours to manage.
In addition, Toptracer offers a closest-to-the-pin challenge on the reversed 11th hole. The best shot wins exclusive St. Andrews merchandise.
If you’re curious about trying this out, visit the Toptracer website to locate a participating range near you. For more on the contest, details can be found on their site.
This story originally appeared on MyGolfSpy.
