7 Day Scotland Links Itinerary
Seven days, seven of the finest links on earth, and only one change of hotel. This route pairs the East Lothian coast east of Edinburgh with the Kingdom of Fife across the Forth, the two richest seams of classic links golf anywhere. Three days at North Berwick, Gullane and Muirfield, then four in St Andrews country for Kingsbarns, the Old Course, Carnoustie and Crail. Here is the week, with indicative 2026 green fees and drive times.
Photograph: Kingsbarns Golf Links, via Google
Who this trip suits
This is the classic Scotland links pilgrimage, built for the golfer who wants the famous names without spending the week in the car. East Lothian and Fife sit either side of the Firth of Forth, each a tight cluster of world class links, and the drive between them is about an hour and a half over the bridges, so you set up in one base, play three rounds, then move once and play four more. It suits a serious golf group or a couple for whom the golf is the holiday, and it flexes easily: trade a flagship for a hidden gem when the budget or the ballot demands it, and the quality barely dips.
The two decisions that shape the week are the Old Course and the season. Enter the St Andrews ballot or apply well ahead, keep a backup in your pocket, and aim for May to September for the firmest turf. Get those right and the rest of the week falls into place around two comfortable hotel bases.
The 7 day plan
North Berwick, West Links
Open in East Lothian with the most charming links in the country, a Victorian original of stone walls, blind shots and the famous Redan thirteenth that has been copied around the world. It is golf as invention, played hard by the beach in the centre of a seaside town, and the perfect, characterful start to the week. Indicative 2026 green fees are around 320 pounds in peak season; book ahead.
Gullane Golf Club, No.1 Course
A short drive along the coast brings you to Gullane Hill, where the No.1 course climbs to one of the great views in golf, the Forth, the Edinburgh skyline and a dozen courses laid out below. Recent host of the Scottish Open, it is firm, fast and exposed, a proper test in the wind with a glorious run home. Indicative 2026 green fees are around 325 pounds; the No.2 and No.3 courses offer fine value alongside.
Muirfield, Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers
The grandest name in East Lothian and, to many, the fairest of all the Open courses, a clever two loop routing where the wind never blows from the same quarter twice. Muirfield admits visitors only on certain days, typically mid week, so this round must be locked in early. Indicative 2026 green fees are around 395 pounds, with lunch in one of the great clubhouses a tradition worth keeping. Confirm visitor days and dress code in advance.
Kingsbarns Golf Links
Cross the Forth to Fife and open the second half of the week with the great modern links, a Kyle Phillips design from 2000 that runs for nearly two miles along the North Sea with the water in view almost throughout. A walking course where a caddie earns the fee, it is the most expensive round of the trip at an indicative 486 pounds in peak 2026, and worth every yard. Book the tee time the moment the season opens on 1 June.
Old Course at St Andrews
The heart of the week and the home of the game, played over the Swilcan Bridge, the Road Hole seventeenth and the closing walk up the eighteenth into the grey town. The Old Course is allocated by advance application and a daily ballot rather than simply paid for, so treat a confirmed time as the real prize and keep the New or Jubilee as a backup. Indicative 2026 green fee around 355 pounds.
Carnoustie, Championship Course
A short day trip north across the Tay to the hardest of all the Open courses, where the Barry Burn winds through the closing holes and the eighteenth has broken more than one Open. Carnoustie is honest, brutal and unforgettable, a genuine test of nerve to set against the romance of St Andrews. Indicative 2026 green fees are around 360 pounds; play it from the right tees and respect the finish.
Crail Golfing Society, Balcomie Links
Close the week where the game's roots run deepest, at one of the oldest golf clubs in the world, on an Old Tom Morris links wrapped around a rocky point at the eastern tip of Fife. After six marquee rounds, Balcomie is pure joy, short, scenic and played with the sea on three sides, and at an indicative 140 pounds it is a reminder that the best of Scottish golf need not cost the earth. The ideal, relaxed finish.
Green fees, drive times and logistics
| Round | Indicative 2026 fee | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| North Berwick West | Around 320 pounds | East Lothian base; book ahead |
| Gullane No.1 | Around 325 pounds | 10 minutes from North Berwick |
| Muirfield | Around 395 pounds | Visitor days only, usually mid week |
| Kingsbarns | Around 486 pounds | About 90 minutes from East Lothian; walking course |
| Old Course, St Andrews | Around 355 pounds | By ballot or advance application |
| Carnoustie Championship | Around 360 pounds | Day trip, about 50 minutes from St Andrews |
| Crail Balcomie | Around 140 pounds | 20 minutes from St Andrews |
Green fees and drive times verified indicatively in June 2026 from course and ranking listings; they vary by season and change without notice, so always confirm current rates and availability directly before booking. Find a links hotel base.
When to go and where to stay
Play the trip between May and September for firm turf, long daylight and the best chance of dry links weather, accepting peak fees and busy tee sheets, or take the April and late September shoulder for lower prices and fewer crowds. Base the first three nights in or around North Berwick or Gullane for the East Lothian rounds, then move to St Andrews for the second half, where the town puts you minutes from the first tee and within easy reach of Kingsbarns, Carnoustie and Crail. A hire car or a driver makes the short hops simple, and leaves the evenings for the clubhouses, the seafood and the whisky.
Plan your Scotland links week
We hold the marquee tee times, navigate the Old Course ballot and Muirfield's visitor days, match the two hotel bases to the golf, and arrange transfers so the week runs smoothly. Tell us roughly when and who is travelling, and one concierge costs it to the head, with no obligation.
Scotland links itinerary questions
What is the best 7 day links itinerary in Scotland?
A week split between East Lothian and Fife covers the greatest concentration of classic links in the world without long drives. Start with three days in East Lothian, North Berwick, Gullane No.1 and Muirfield, then cross the Forth to Fife for Kingsbarns, the Old Course at St Andrews, a day trip to Carnoustie and a closing round at Crail. The two bases are about an hour and a half apart, so you change hotels only once. Always confirm current tee times and fees directly before booking.
How much does a 7 day Scotland golf trip cost in green fees?
Seven marquee rounds on this route add up to roughly 2,300 to 2,500 pounds per golfer in green fees alone in peak 2026 season, led by Kingsbarns at around 486 pounds and the Old Course at around 355. You can cut that sharply by swapping a flagship or two for the many superb links nearby that cost under 150 pounds, or by travelling in the shoulder season. These are indicative figures, so always confirm current fees directly before booking.
Do you need to book the Old Course in advance?
Yes. The Old Course at St Andrews is allocated by advance application and by a daily ballot rather than simply paid for, so a confirmed tee time, not the fee, is the prize. Enter the ballot two days ahead or apply well in advance, and always have a backup, such as the New or Jubilee, in case the ballot does not come through. A trip planner can hold the rest of the week firm around the Old Course uncertainty.
When is the best time for a Scotland links trip?
May to September brings the firmest turf, the best weather and the longest daylight, which is also peak season for fees and tee sheets. The April and late September shoulder is cheaper, often dry, and quieter, at the cost of shorter days and more variable weather. Book the marquee tee times as far ahead as you can, and keep mornings for the calmest wind. Always confirm current seasonal rates and availability directly before booking.
Related
The Tee Sheet
Tee time releases, green fee changes and the booking windows that matter. Every other week.
Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Indicative green fees and drive times verified June 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.