St Andrews Old Course Green Fees and Tee Times
The Home of Golf is more affordable than its fame suggests, and harder to book than almost anywhere on earth. Here is what a round on the Old Course actually costs in 2026, around 355 pounds, and the four ways to get a tee time, from the advance booking window to the 48 hour ballot and the singles queue.
Photo: The Old Course, St Andrews, via Google, contributor Richard Grobben
The short answer
A high season round on the Old Course costs about 355 pounds per player in 2026, with reduced rates through the winter. For the most storied links in the world, the home of the game since the 15th century and the regular host of the Open Championship, that fee is the bargain of bucket list golf. The catch is access, not price. The Old Course is the hardest tee time in golf to secure, and the round itself is only the headline of a wider St Andrews Links offering that runs from the Castle Course down to the family friendly Strathtyrum, all far cheaper than the Old.
There are four ways onto the Old Course, and a smart visitor lines up more than one. You can book a guaranteed advance time when they are released roughly a year ahead, enter the daily 48 hour ballot with at least one playing partner, take your chance in the single golfer queue at the starter's box, or buy a package through a tour operator that holds Old Course access. The course rests on Sundays, so plan your round for Monday to Saturday. The rest of this guide breaks down every fee and every route in detail.
St Andrews Links green fees, 2026
| Course | Note | Indicative 2026 green fee |
|---|---|---|
| Old Course | The Home of Golf and Open Championship venue; ballot, advance booking or singles queue | About 355 pounds |
| Castle Course | Modern clifftop links above the town with big views and bold greens | About 235 pounds |
| New Course | Old Tom Morris 1895 links, a local favourite many rate alongside the Old | About 140 pounds |
| Jubilee Course | The longest and often the toughest of the Links courses, right by the sea | About 140 pounds |
| Craigtoun Course | Parkland course inland of the town, recently brought into the Links family | About 155 pounds |
| Eden Course | Gentler links and parkland mix, good value and very playable | About 100 pounds |
| Strathtyrum Course | Short, wide and welcoming, the easiest of the courses to enjoy | About 55 pounds |
Green fees verified June 2026 against the St Andrews Links Trust published rates; the Old Course round is about 355 pounds and supporting course fees are indicative and vary by day and season. Scottish residents can also access a limited number of heavily discounted Old Course tee times through the Trust's resident scheme. All rates change without notice, so always confirm directly before booking. Check tee time availability.
The four ways to get an Old Course tee time
- Advance booking. A block of Old Course times is released roughly a year ahead, usually in the late summer of the previous year. These guaranteed times are the surest way on, and the most in demand, so they go quickly. Diarize the release and book the moment it opens, or let a tour operator hold one for you.
- The 48 hour ballot. Most daily Old Course tee times are allocated by ballot. Enter online or by phone before 2pm two days before you want to play, with at least one playing partner, and the result is published that afternoon. It is a genuine lottery, so enter every day of a multi day stay to improve your odds.
- The single golfer queue. Lone players cannot enter the ballot, but can join the singles queue at the starter's box early in the morning and slot into gaps in groups through the day. Bring patience and an early alarm; in quieter weeks a single often gets out.
- A tour operator package. Specialist operators hold guaranteed Old Course access and bundle it with the supporting courses, lodging and the wider Fife links. For a guaranteed round without the ballot gamble, this is the simplest route, and the one we arrange.
Two practical notes. The Old Course is closed to play on Sundays, when it opens to the public to walk, so build your itinerary around a Monday to Saturday round. A handicap limit applies on the Old Course, so carry an official handicap certificate, and budget for a caddie at around 75 to 90 pounds a bag plus gratuity, which on a course this strategic is money very well spent.
How to build a round into a trip
Few people travel to St Andrews for a single round, and the smart play is to treat the Old Course as the centerpiece of a wider Fife and Scotland trip rather than a one off gamble. Stack the odds by entering the ballot every day of a three or four night stay, hold an advance or operator time as your guarantee, and fill the rest of the week with the New, the Jubilee and the Castle, all on your doorstep and all a fraction of the Old Course fee. Across the bridge in Angus lies Carnoustie, and the East Lothian links are an easy drive south.
That is also the cheapest way to play the Home of Golf well. The supporting courses turn a long trip into a links festival without the headline price, and a caddie loop on the Old Course is worth every pound for the lines off the tee and the read on those vast double greens. Plan it as a week, not a day, and St Andrews delivers the best value in marquee golf anywhere.
Plan a St Andrews golf trip
We hold guaranteed Old Course access, enter the ballot on your behalf and build the rest of the week around it, the New and the Jubilee, the Castle, Carnoustie and the East Lothian links. 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 in 2026?
The standard high season visitor green fee for the Old Course is about 355 pounds per round in 2026, with lower rates in winter. The supporting St Andrews Links courses cost far less, from the Castle and New courses down to the Strathtyrum. A caddie is around 75 to 90 pounds a bag plus gratuity. Always confirm current fees directly before booking.
How do I get a tee time on the Old Course?
There are four main routes: book a guaranteed advance tee time when they are released roughly a year ahead, enter the 48 hour ballot with at least one playing partner by 2pm two days before, join the single golfer queue early on the morning of play, or buy a package through a golf tour operator that holds Old Course access. The Old Course is closed to play on Sundays.
Can I play the Old Course as a single golfer?
Yes, but not through the ballot, which needs at least two players. Single golfers turn up early at the starter's box and join the singles queue, then fill empty spots in groups through the day. It takes patience and an early start, but in quieter periods a single can often get out.
Is the Old Course closed on Sundays?
Yes. By long tradition the Old Course rests on Sundays and is open to the public to walk, except when a tournament is being staged. Plan your round for Monday to Saturday and use a Sunday for one of the other St Andrews Links courses or a walk down the 18th fairway.
Related
The Tee Sheet
Old Course ballot windows, access changes and the trips worth taking. Every other week, no noise.
Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Green fees and access verified June 2026 against the St Andrews Links Trust published rates; rates vary by season and change without notice. Last reviewed June 2026.