SUNDAY play on the Old Course, St Andrews, has always been a rarity according to the dictum of Old Tom Morris: ''The course needs a rest even if the gowfers don't.''

Permission, however, was granted by the Links Management Committee for 120 women to play in the National Playing Fields Association foursomes tournament last weekend won by former Curtis Cup Player Julie Hall in partnership with Balbirnie Park's Fiona Lockhart.

The St Andrews Links Trust, meanwhile, are about to launch what they believe to be the world's first system for booking golf starting times on the internet.

It will be experimental to begin with using only the Jubilee course in St Andrews plus five others in the area, namely Crail, Ladybank, Thornton, Charleton, and St Michaels.

Called Linksnet, it can be found at www.linksnet.co.uk, or through the St Andrews Links web, www.standrews.org.uk.