How to Play Golf in the Kingdom of Fife
Seven courses on one St Andrews ticket, Kingsbarns and Crail next door, and the Old Course ballot at the heart of it. Here is how to get on across the home of golf, with indicative 2026 fees.
Photo: Richard Grobben via Google.
The verdict
The Kingdom of Fife is the densest, most historic stretch of links golf on earth. St Andrews alone offers seven courses on one ticket, the Old Course at its heart, and within a short drive sit Kingsbarns, Crail, Elie, Lundin, Leven Links and the modern Dumbarnie Links. You can play a different classic every day for a week and never repeat yourself. The trick is knowing which doors to knock on, and when.
The Old Course is the prize and the puzzle. It does not take a normal booking, it runs a ballot, so a Fife trip is built in two layers: enter the ballot and chase the singles draw for the Old, and lock guaranteed tee times at the rest so the week stands up whatever the ballot returns. Our Fife green fees guide has the full price picture.
How to get on, course by course
| Course | How to book | Indicative fee, summer 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Old Course, St Andrews | Daily ballot two days ahead, singles daily draw, or a guaranteed time booked far in advance; handicap limits apply | About 340 pounds |
| New Course, St Andrews | Book through St Andrews Links direct, online or by phone; far more available than the Old | About 150 pounds |
| Castle Course, St Andrews | Book through St Andrews Links direct; clifftop modern test east of town | About 180 pounds |
| Kingsbarns Golf Links | Book direct well ahead; replay within seven days discounted | About 486 pounds, about 399 in spring |
| Crail Balcomie | Book direct with the Crail Golfing Society, the world's seventh oldest club | About 160 pounds |
| Elie, Golf House Club | Book direct; quirky Old Tom Morris classic with the submarine periscope first tee | About 160 pounds |
| Lundin and Leven Links | Phone the pro shop; Lundin has no online booking; easy midweek availability | About 50 to 150 pounds by season |
Green fees are indicative for summer 2026 and were verified at the time of writing from club and St Andrews Links sources. We never quote our own pricing. Always confirm the current fee and availability directly before booking.
Playing the Old Course ballot
The ballot is a lottery, not a queue. Enter online through St Andrews Links in a group of two to four, with names, home clubs and handicaps, before 2pm two days before you hope to play. Results are posted at 4pm that day. Singles cannot enter the ballot but can try the daily draw, completed in person at the first tee pavilion or the Links Clubhouse the day before, with a result by text and email that evening.
Because the ballot can return nothing, never build a Fife week on the Old Course alone. Stack the rest of the days with guaranteed tee times at Kingsbarns, the New, Crail and Elie, then treat an Old Course round as the bonus it usually becomes. A current handicap certificate is required, within 24 for men and 36 for women, and a caddie is money well spent on a first visit. See the full week laid out in our 5 day St Andrews and Fife itinerary.
Plan a Kingdom of Fife golf trip
We enter the Old Course ballot for you, hold the tee times at Kingsbarns, Crail and the rest, and build the week around them. Tell us when and who is traveling and one concierge costs it to the head, with no obligation.
Kingdom of Fife golf questions
How do I get a tee time on the Old Course at St Andrews?
Three routes: the daily ballot, entered online in a group of two to four before 2pm two days before play with results posted at 4pm; the singles daily draw entered in person the day before; or a guaranteed tee time booked far ahead or inside a package. The ballot is free but never guaranteed.
What does it cost to play the best Fife courses in 2026?
Indicative 2026 summer green fees: the Old Course around 340 pounds, the New Course around 150, the Castle Course around 180, Kingsbarns around 486, and Crail Balcomie and Elie around 160 each. Fees change by season; always confirm directly before booking.
Do I need a handicap certificate for the Old Course?
Yes. The Old Course requires a handicap limit of 24 for men and 36 for women and asks for a current handicap certificate or proof of membership. Caddies are strongly recommended for first timers.
Which Fife courses are easiest to book?
Beyond St Andrews, courses such as Crail Balcomie, Elie, Lundin, Leven Links and Dumbarnie Links are far easier to reserve, often direct with the pro shop a few days or weeks ahead, and reward the trip handsomely.
Related
The Tee Sheet
Tee time windows, course access changes and the trips worth taking. Every other week.
Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Access rules and indicative green fees verified June 2026 from club and St Andrews Links sources. Last reviewed June 2026.