St Andrews Old Course
This is where the game was born, the Home of Golf, the most storied links on earth. The Old Course at St Andrews has been played since the 15th century, set the 18 hole round as the standard, and hosted The Open more times than anywhere else. Its double greens, the Swilcan Bridge and the fearsome Road Hole are pilgrimage points for every golfer. Walking the first tee here is the trip of a lifetime.
Photograph: The Old Course, St Andrews, via Google
The verdict
No course carries more weight than the Old Course, and it earns it. Golf has been played on this strip of common land beside the North Sea since the 15th century, and the links evolved over centuries into the template for the game: the out and back routing, the vast shared double greens, the wide fairways that hide their danger in the angles and the wind. The modern form owes much to Old Tom Morris, who widened the first and last and shaped the course we play today. It is owned by the people of the town and run by St Andrews Links Trust as a public course, which is part of its magic. Anyone can put their name in the ballot.
What surprises first timers is how subtle it is. There is little obvious drama from the tee, just acres of fairway, yet par is defended by the cleverest collection of bunkers, contours and angles in golf, and by a wind that can turn a gentle hole vicious in an afternoon. Play it once and you spend the round chasing the right line; play it often and you realise you could study it forever. For the travelling golfer it is non negotiable, the one course that every list, every dream itinerary and every bucket must include.
The Old Course at a glance
- Origins
- 15th century
- Shaped by
- Old Tom Morris
- Type
- Links
- Par
- 72
- Yardage
- Around 7,300 yds
- Green fee
- Around £340 peak
History, par and yardage verified June 2026 from St Andrews Links and course databases. The Old Course is a par 72 of around 7,300 yards from the championship tees and plays closer to 6,700 yards from the tees most visitors use. The indicative high season green fee is around 340 pounds for the 2025 to 2026 season, dropping sharply in the shoulder and winter months, caddie not included. Fees change each season, so always confirm directly before booking.
The holes worth the trip
The Old Course saves its most famous moments for the closing stretch, but it tests you from the start. The 1st and 18th share the widest fairway in golf, split by the Swilcan Burn at the first and the little stone Swilcan Bridge at the last, the most photographed spot in the game. In between, seven enormous double greens serve fourteen holes, so you can stand 60 yards from the flag on a green the size of a field, putting across acreage that has confounded the best players in the world.
The defining hole is the 17th, the Road Hole, routinely called the hardest par 4 in golf. You drive blind over the corner of the old railway sheds, then face a long approach to a shallow green guarded by the deep, sheer faced Road Hole bunker short left and a road and stone wall waiting long. It has decided Opens and broken hearts, and even from the visitor tees it asks the nerve of a championship hole. The 14th, with the cavernous Hell Bunker, and the 11th, a short par 3 with a wickedly contoured green, complete the set of holes that every golfer knows by name before they ever arrive.
Beyond the famous few, the genius of the Old Course is its restraint. The hazards are mostly invisible from the tee, the strategy hidden in the choice of line, and the reward for playing to the correct side of the fairway revealed only on the approach. It does not overwhelm you with scenery or length. It simply asks better questions than any other course, and answers them with the wind off the sea.
How to get on
| What to know | Detail |
|---|---|
| Access | A public course run by St Andrews Links Trust; open to visitors with a tee time, but in very high demand |
| Green fee | Around 340 pounds for a single round in 2026 high season, much less in the shoulder and winter months, caddie extra (indicative) |
| Booking | Three routes: advance single tee times released about a year ahead, the daily ballot entered two days before play, or a tour operator package with guaranteed times |
| Handicap | A valid handicap certificate is required, with a limit of 24 for men and 36 for women, checked at the first tee |
| On the day | No play on Sundays; a walking links, caddies highly recommended and best booked ahead |
| Best months | May to September for the longest daylight and firmest turf; spring and autumn are quieter and cheaper |
Access, ballot process, handicap limit and indicative green fees verified June 2026 from St Andrews Links; they change without notice, so always confirm current details directly before booking with St Andrews Links Trust or your trip planner. Check tee time availability.
Where to stay nearby
The Old Course Hotel overlooks the Road Hole and the 17th green, the most famous address in golf and steps from the first tee, while the Rusacks sits right on the 18th fairway with views down the closing hole. For the full experience, the Fairmont St Andrews on the edge of town adds two more courses and a resort base.
The town of St Andrews itself, with its university, cathedral ruins and cobbled streets, is one of the most charming bases in golf, packed with hotels, restaurants and the buzz of the home of the game. Many golfers build a week here, pairing the Old Course with the New, Jubilee and Castle courses on the doorstep and Kingsbarns and Carnoustie a short drive away.
Looking for a base? See our recommended hotels and resorts in St Andrews.
Build a St Andrews golf week
We secure Old Course tee times through advance reservations and trusted operator allocations, pair it with Kingsbarns, Carnoustie and the best of Fife, and handle the hotel, the caddies and the order of play. Tell us roughly when and who is travelling and one concierge costs it to the head, with no obligation.
St Andrews Old Course questions
How much does it cost to play the Old Course at St Andrews?
A single round on the Old Course carries an indicative high season green fee of around 340 pounds for the 2025 to 2026 season, falling sharply in the shoulder and winter months. The fee is set by St Andrews Links Trust and does not include a caddie. These figures change each season, so always confirm the current rate directly with St Andrews Links before booking.
How do you get a tee time on the Old Course?
There are three main routes. Advance single tee times are released by St Andrews Links Trust roughly a year ahead and are snapped up quickly. The daily ballot lets you enter two days before play, drawn the same afternoon, with no play on Sundays. And golf tour operators hold guaranteed tee times bundled into packages. A handicap certificate is required, and the course is busy, so plan well ahead. Always confirm the current process before booking.
What handicap do you need to play the Old Course?
The Old Course applies a maximum handicap of 24 for men and 36 for women, and you must present a valid handicap certificate to the starter at the first tee. Players above the limit can play the other St Andrews Links courses, such as the New and the Jubilee. Policies can change, so always confirm the current requirement with St Andrews Links before you travel.
How many times has The Open been played at St Andrews?
The Old Course has hosted The Open Championship 30 times, more than any other venue, first in 1873 and most recently in 2022. It will host again in July 2027, the 31st Open played over the Old Course. Champions here include Bobby Jones, Jack Nicklaus, Seve Ballesteros, Tiger Woods and, in 2022, Cameron Smith.
Related
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. History, par, yardage, Open record, handicap limit and indicative green fees verified June 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.