Green Fees in St Andrews: What It Costs to Play in 2026
The Home of Golf is, surprisingly, one of the best value pilgrimages in the game, so long as you understand what the Old Course costs and what the other six do not. Here is what golf actually costs in St Andrews in 2026, course by course, plus the marquee neighbours, the real average across a week, and how the Old Course tee time and ballot actually work.
Photograph: Old Course, Richard Grobben, via Google
The short answer
There are two prices in St Andrews: the Old Course, and everything else. A high season round on the Old Course is around 340 pounds under the 2025 to 2026 St Andrews Links Trust pricing, with the new season rate expected to rise, and it is the only truly expensive tee time in town. The other six courses run by the Trust are a fraction of that, from around 180 pounds on the cliff top Castle down to about 75 on the Eden and 45 on the Strathtyrum, with the short Balgove cheaper still. The seven courses share one booking system, so a week here can be brilliant value once the Old Course is settled.
That makes St Andrews very different from a destination like Turnberry or Kingsbarns, where the headline price is the only price. Here, you pay a premium for the one round every golfer dreams of, then play world class links all week for sensible money. The Old Course is also closed every Sunday, when the fairways become a public park, and a handicap certificate is required to play it. These are indicative figures that move with the season and the calendar, so treat them as a guide and always confirm directly before booking.
St Andrews green fees by course, 2026
| Course | Character | Indicative 2026 green fee |
|---|---|---|
| Old Course | The original, championship links | Around 340 pounds; by ballot or advance booking, closed Sundays |
| Castle Course | Modern clifftop, opened 2008 | Around 180 pounds |
| Craigtoun Course | Inland parkland, formerly the Duke's | Around 155 pounds |
| New Course | Classic 1895 links, locals' favourite | Around 150 pounds |
| Jubilee Course | The toughest of the links, 1897 | Around 150 pounds |
| Eden Course | Friendly Harry Colt links, 1914 | Around 75 pounds |
| Strathtyrum Course | Gentle, wide, great for higher handicaps | Around 45 pounds |
| Balgove Course | Nine hole beginner and family course | Low cost; ideal for juniors and a warm up |
| Kingsbarns (nearby) | Modern links, 15 minutes south | Around 399 to 486 pounds |
| Carnoustie Championship (nearby) | Open venue, 45 minutes north | Around 360 pounds |
Green fees based on the 2025 to 2026 St Andrews Links Trust pricing, verified June 2026; they vary by season, day and tee time and change without notice, so always confirm current rates directly with the Trust or your trip planner before booking. Check tee time availability.
How the Old Course tee time works
The Old Course is not simply paid for, it is won. There are three realistic routes onto it. The first is advance booking, released roughly a year or more ahead through the St Andrews Links Trust and snapped up almost instantly, best for groups who can plan far out. The second is the daily ballot, entered by two o'clock two days before you wish to play, which draws names for the next day's available times, ideal for flexible singles and pairs willing to gamble. The third is a guaranteed tee time secured within a package by an authorised provider, the surest route for a once in a lifetime trip you cannot leave to chance. A handicap certificate is required, with limits of 24 for men and 36 for women, and crucially there is no green fee until a time is confirmed.
Remember the rhythms. The Old Course is closed to golf every Sunday, when it becomes a public park and the perfect day to walk the Swilcan Bridge and the seventeenth Road Hole for photographs. Winter rates from roughly November to March are far lower than summer, and the turf is often firm and fast. Caddies, who know every borrow on those huge double greens, are worth every penny on your first visit and can be requested when you book.
Where to spend, and where to save
Spend on the Old Course, once. It is the round every golfer remembers, and the history and the theatre justify the outlay. Beyond that, the smart money fills the week with the rest of the links for sensible money: the New and the Jubilee are championship quality at around 150 pounds, the Eden and the Strathtyrum are a joy at well under 100, and a single seven day links ticket can bundle several together. If the budget allows one more splurge, make it Kingsbarns, a quarter of an hour down the coast and one of the finest modern links anywhere. Build a trip around one Old Course round and four or five other links, and the average cost per round across the week falls dramatically while the quality stays world class. That is how to play St Andrews properly, and it is what we do for every trip we plan.
Plan a St Andrews golf trip
We secure the marquee tee times, including the Old Course advance booking or ballot strategy, and build the rest of the week around the New, the Jubilee, the Eden and a round at Kingsbarns so your budget works hardest. Tell us roughly when and who is travelling, and one concierge costs it to the head, with no obligation.
St Andrews green fee questions
How much does it cost to play the Old Course at St Andrews in 2026?
The Old Course green fee is around 340 pounds for the high season under the 2025 to 2026 St Andrews Links Trust pricing, with the new season rate expected to rise. There is no fee until you hold a confirmed tee time, which is released by advance application up to a year or more ahead, or by the daily ballot. Winter rates are considerably lower. These are indicative figures, so always confirm current fees and the booking process directly before travelling.
How much are green fees at the other St Andrews Links courses?
Far less than the Old Course. Under the recent St Andrews Links Trust season the Castle Course is around 180 pounds, the New Course and the Jubilee around 150, the Eden around 75, and the Strathtyrum around 45, while the short Balgove is a low cost family course. The newly acquired Craigtoun Course, formerly the Duke's, sits around 155. There are seven courses on one booking area, so a week in St Andrews need not be expensive beyond the Old. Always confirm current fees before booking.
Is the Old Course at St Andrews free on Sundays?
The Old Course is closed to golf every Sunday, when it traditionally becomes a public park that locals and visitors are free to walk. It is not playable that day at any price. The other St Andrews Links courses remain open on Sundays. This Sunday closure is one of the oldest traditions in golf and worth planning your itinerary around.
How do you get a tee time on the Old Course?
There are three main routes: advance booking, released roughly a year or more ahead and snapped up fast; the daily ballot, entered two days before play, which suits flexible singles and pairs; and a guaranteed tee time secured as part of a package through an authorised provider. A handicap certificate is required, with limits of 24 for men and 36 for women, and there is no fee until a time is confirmed. We arrange Old Course access as part of a planned trip.
Related
The Tee Sheet
Green fee changes, course openings and the booking windows that matter. Every other week.
Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Indicative green fees verified June 2026 against St Andrews Links Trust pricing. Last reviewed June 2026.