Northern Ireland construction company McLaughlin & Harvey has commenced works on the Royal & Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews' (R&A) new Global Headquarters in Scotland.

David Rickman MBE, former R&A executive, broke ground at a ceremony marking the start of the project.

The new headquarters, slated for completion in 2026, will consolidate St Andrews-based R&A staff into a single, state-of-the-art office location. The building will be located within the St Andrews West mixed-use development, which already houses the new Madras College and includes land designated for university, employment and residential uses.

"We are honoured to have been awarded the contract to construct the new Global Headquarters for The R&A in St Andrews, the historic home of golf," said Robbie Clark, Operations Director, McLaughlin & Harvey. "Our team is committed to working collaboratively with The R&A and the wider project team to deliver a facility that not only meets the highest standards of sustainable design, but also provides a first-class environment for The R&A's staff and visitors for decades to come."


The four-storey building will include meeting areas, workspaces, café amenities and an underground parking facility. The R&A and McLaughlin & Harvey have committed to engaging with the local community through various social value initiatives during the construction process, including educational outreach, local employment opportunities, volunteering, and a construction work academy in collaboration with Madras College.

Discussing the project, Mark Darbon, Chief Executive of The R&A, said: "Today is an exciting development for the future of the organisation as we begin work on our Global Headquarters, marking an important milestone of the project in moving from planning to construction.

"We are creating an environment that will reflect the role, work and heritage of The R&A and provide a collaborative space for employees and visitors to enjoy. The new Global Headquarters signals our commitment to the town of St Andrews and will place a focus on wellbeing and sustainability, and be highly enabled by technology."