St Andrews Castle Course
The newest of the St Andrews courses is also its most theatrical. Opened in 2008 to a David McLay Kidd design, the Castle Course sits on the cliffs east of the town, a bold, modern layout of heaving fairways and big, contoured greens with the spires of St Andrews framed across the bay. It is the public course at the Home of Golf with the view to stop you in your tracks.
Photo: The Castle Course via Google, contributor kevin heggie.
The verdict
The Castle Course is the boldest swing the St Andrews Links Trust has taken. Where the Old Course is ancient and understated, the Castle is dramatic and unmistakably modern, David McLay Kidd's clifftop layout of tumbling fairways, deep run offs and enormous, rolling greens, all set above the North Sea with the town and the West Sands laid out across the bay. Opened in 2008, it is the seventh and newest course in the St Andrews family and the one with the most spectacular setting.
It divides opinion, and that is part of its appeal. The greens are huge and severe, the lies often uneven, and a windy day asks for imagination and a steady nerve. But it suits the golfer who wants a thrilling, scenic round to balance the history of the Old and New, and as a fully public course with no ballot or handicap hurdle, it is one of the easier marquee St Andrews tee times to secure.
The Castle Course at a glance
- Designer
- David McLay Kidd
- Opened
- 2008
- Type
- Clifftop links style
- Par
- 71
- Yardage
- 6,759 yds
- Green fee
- Around £180
Designer, opening year, par and yardage verified June 2026 from the St Andrews Links Trust and course databases; the Castle Course plays 6,759 yards, par 71. The green fee is indicative, around 180 pounds for a high season eighteen hole round in recent seasons, with lower spring and autumn rates and the course typically closed in deep winter. Always confirm directly before booking.
The holes worth the trip
The Castle Course is at its best when it lets the land do the talking. The opening holes climb onto the headland and the views begin to open, and by the time you reach the cliff edge the town of St Andrews sits framed across the bay in a way no other course here can offer. Camera and scorecard are often at odds, and the smart visitor plays for the experience as much as the number.
The greens are the talking point. They are vast, boldly contoured and full of internal movement, so position on the fairway and a careful read of where the slopes will gather or repel the ball matter far more than raw distance. Miss in the wrong place and a long, breaking putt or a delicate chip up a tier awaits; find the right shelf and birdies are there.
Played in a breeze, which is most days on this exposed clifftop, the Castle becomes a test of flight and imagination, rewarding the lower, controlled ball and punishing the airy one. It is not the most traditional links in St Andrews, but on the right day it is the most exhilarating to look at and the most fun to puzzle out.
How to get on
| What to know | Detail |
|---|---|
| Access | A fully public course booked directly through the St Andrews Links Trust, no ballot and no handicap certificate required |
| Green fee | Around 180 pounds for a high season round in recent seasons, with lower spring and autumn rates (indicative) |
| Booking | Book a single round, or as part of a St Andrews Links ticket or package across several courses; advance booking advised for summer |
| On the day | Walking course with caddies and buggies available; a modern clubhouse with a fine bay view |
| Getting there | About two miles east of the town centre, a short drive or taxi from St Andrews |
| Best months | May to September for the warmest, longest days; the course usually closes for deep winter |
Access and indicative green fees verified June 2026 from the St Andrews Links Trust; they change without notice, so always confirm directly before booking. Check tee time availability.
Where to stay nearby
St Andrews itself is the obvious base, a compact university town packed with hotels, from the grand Old Course Hotel and Fairmont to characterful guest houses, all within easy reach of the first tees and the cobbled streets, restaurants and the cathedral ruins for the rest days.
For a full Fife week, base in or around St Andrews and pair the Castle with the Old, New and Jubilee courses in town and the Fife gems at Kingsbarns, Crail and Elie a short drive down the coast.
Looking for a base? See our recommended hotels and resorts in St Andrews.
Stay and play in St Andrews and Fife
We build the Castle into a full St Andrews and Fife itinerary, secure the harder to get rounds, sequence the courses and sort the town base and transfers. Tell us roughly when and who is travelling and one concierge costs it to the head, with no obligation.
Castle Course questions
Who designed the St Andrews Castle Course?
The Castle Course was designed by the Scottish architect David McLay Kidd, who made his name at Bandon Dunes, and opened in 2008 as the seventh course of the St Andrews Links Trust. It is the newest and the most dramatic of the St Andrews courses, set on the cliffs to the east of the town.
What is the par and length of the Castle Course?
The Castle Course is a par 71 that plays to 6,759 yards from the back tees, with shorter forward tees for everyday play. Its challenge comes less from length than from rumpled fairways, large contoured greens and an exposed clifftop position that funnels the wind.
How much does it cost to play the Castle Course?
An indicative high season green fee in recent seasons is around 180 pounds for an eighteen hole round, lower than the Old Course and with shoulder season rates in spring and autumn. Fees change by season and year, so always confirm current rates directly before booking.
How do you get a tee time on the Castle Course?
The Castle Course is a fully public course booked directly through the St Andrews Links Trust, with no handicap certificate required and no ballot, unlike the Old Course. It can be booked as a single round or as part of a St Andrews Links ticket or package, and it is typically open from spring to late autumn.
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Designer, opening year, par and yardage verified June 2026; indicative green fees verified June 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.