Carnoustie Green Fees and Tee Times
The toughest course on the Open rota, open to visitors, with two more links alongside it. The Championship Course runs to around £282 in peak 2026, the Burnside and Buddon cost far less, and the three course package is the value play. Here is what every round costs, how tee times work and when to go.
Photo: Carnoustie Golf Links via Google.
The short answer
Plan on an indicative £282 for 18 holes on the Carnoustie Championship Course in the peak 2026 season, which runs from May to the end of October. The spring shoulder in April is lower, and winter golf on the famous links is cheaper still. The two companion courses, the Burnside and the Buddon, cost a fraction of the Championship fee, which is why most visitors take one of the combination packages and play all three over consecutive days rather than paying for the Championship alone.
All figures here are indicative 2026 rates verified in June 2026 from Carnoustie Golf Links and recognized golf sources. They are a guide, not a guarantee. Rates and packages change, so always confirm current fees directly with the links before booking. Carnoustie is run as a public links by Carnoustie Golf Links, so unlike many Open venues there is no membership barrier to playing it. A handicap certificate is required for the Championship Course, and tee times in summer book up well ahead.
Carnoustie green fees by course and season, 2026
The three links at Carnoustie are the Championship Course, the Burnside and the Buddon. The Championship is the Open venue and carries the headline fee; the other two are excellent links in their own right at much lower rates.
| Course | Spring shoulder (Apr) | Peak (May to Oct) | Winter (Nov to Mar) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Championship Course | About £225 | £282 | Reduced, confirm directly |
| Burnside Course | About £90 | About £90 to £110 | Reduced, confirm directly |
| Buddon Course | About £60 | About £60 to £75 | Reduced, confirm directly |
The Championship Course peak fee of £282 is verified from Carnoustie Golf Links for the May to October 2026 season; the Burnside and Buddon figures are indicative and the spring and winter rates vary, so always confirm current fees directly before booking. A handicap certificate is required on the Championship Course, with a limit of 28 for men and 36 for women. Check tee time availability.
Combination packages: the value play
Because the Burnside and Buddon are so much cheaper than the Championship, the smart way to play Carnoustie is on a combination package that bundles two or three courses over consecutive days. It spreads the cost, lets you warm up on the companion links before the main event, and is how most golf trips structure a visit.
| Package | When | Indicative price |
|---|---|---|
| Championship, Burnside and Buddon | April, within 3 consecutive days | About £349.50 |
| Championship, Burnside and Buddon | May to October, within 3 consecutive days | About £480 |
| Burnside and Buddon | Over one or two days | About £225 |
Package prices verified from Carnoustie Golf Links in June 2026 and are indicative. The three course package must be played within three consecutive days. Always confirm current package prices and availability directly before booking.
How green fees work at Carnoustie
The first thing to understand about Carnoustie is that it is a true public links. It has no private membership gate of the kind that limits access at some Open venues, and visitor tee times on the Championship Course are bookable through Carnoustie Golf Links, online or by phone. That openness is a large part of the appeal: any golfer with a handicap can test themselves on the course many tour professionals rate as the hardest on the Open rota.
The Championship Course is a par 72 measuring around 6,945 yards from the medal tees, stretching to roughly 7,400 yards in its full Open setup. It has staged the Open Championship eight times, most recently in 2018 when Francesco Molinari won, and in 1999 it produced one of the most famous final holes in the game when Jean van de Velde came to grief on the 18th. The closing stretch, with the Barry Burn snaking across the 17th and 18th, is the toughest finish in championship golf, and it is exactly what most visitors come to play.
The single biggest variable in what you pay is the season. The peak runs from May to October, when the links is at its firm, fast best and the tee sheet is busiest. April is a cheaper spring shoulder, and the winter months carry the lowest rates for golfers happy to take on the links in the cold and wind. The second variable is whether you play the Championship alone or take a package; the combination deals with the Burnside and Buddon are far better value per round and are how most visiting golfers play the resort.
Booking is straightforward but should be done early. Summer tee times on the Championship Course are in heavy demand and the prime morning slots go months ahead, so reserve as soon as your dates are firm. A handicap certificate is required for the Championship Course, with limits of 28 for men and 36 for women; the Burnside and Buddon are more relaxed. For the full picture of an Angus trip, see our guides to green fees in Angus and green fees across Scotland.
Where to spend, and where to save
For the experience, the Championship Course is non negotiable: it is the reason to come, and a single round on it in peak season at £282 is the headline cost of a Carnoustie visit. To soften that, build a trip rather than a single round. The three course package over consecutive days brings the average per round well down and gives you the Burnside, a genuinely good links that has been used in Open final qualifying, and the gentler Buddon as part of the deal.
For the best value of all, play in the April shoulder or in winter, when the Championship fee drops and the links is quieter, accepting the trade off of cooler, wilder weather. Carnoustie sits on the Angus coast a short drive from St Andrews and Dundee, so it slots naturally into a wider Scottish links trip. Pair it with the courses of the region and the Fife coast for a week of the best links golf anywhere; our roundup of the best golf courses in Scotland sets out the options, and the Angus destination guide covers the local area and where to stay.
Plan a Carnoustie golf trip
We know the courses, the booking windows and how to slot Carnoustie into a wider Angus and Fife links trip. Tell us roughly when and how many are travelling, and we will put together an itinerary that matches the rounds to the budget, with no obligation.
Carnoustie green fee questions
How much are Carnoustie green fees in 2026?
The Carnoustie Championship Course visitor green fee is indicatively around £282 for 18 holes in the peak season from May to October in 2026, with lower rates in the spring shoulder and winter. The Burnside and Buddon courses are considerably cheaper, and combination packages let you play all three over consecutive days. All figures are indicative and subject to change; always confirm current fees directly with Carnoustie Golf Links before booking.
Is there a package to play all three Carnoustie courses?
Yes. Carnoustie Golf Links offers a three course package covering the Championship, Burnside and Buddon courses to be played within three consecutive days. The indicative 2026 price is around £349.50 for the April window and around £480 from May to October. There is also a Burnside and Buddon combination at an indicative £225 over one or two days. Always confirm current package prices directly before booking.
How do you book a tee time at Carnoustie?
Visitor tee times on the Championship Course are booked through Carnoustie Golf Links, online at the official booking site or by phone with the booking team. The Championship Course is busy and books well ahead in the summer, so reserve as early as possible, especially for prime morning times. A handicap certificate is required for the Championship Course, with a limit of 28 for men and 36 for women. Always confirm current booking rules directly before travelling.
What is the par and yardage of the Carnoustie Championship Course?
The Carnoustie Championship Course is a par 72 links measuring around 6,945 yards from the medal tees, stretching to roughly 7,400 yards in its full Open Championship setup. It is regarded as one of the toughest courses on the Open rota, with a brutal closing stretch culminating in the par 4 18th over the Barry Burn.
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Indicative 2026 green fees and packages verified from carnoustiegolflinks.com in June 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.