Journal · Planning · June 2026

Ballot and Tee Time Booking Windows for 2026

At the great courses the hardest shot is getting on. Here are the 2026 ballot and booking windows that matter, from the Old Course to Pebble Beach to Bethpage, and how to plan around them.

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By the GolfForKings editorial desk · Editorial policy · Published June 13, 2026 · Last reviewed June 2026

Why timing is everything at the great courses

At the world's most coveted courses, the hardest part is not the golf, it is getting on. Each famous course runs its own booking system, with its own window that opens months or even more than a year in advance, and missing it can mean missing the round entirely. For 2026 we have pulled together the booking windows that matter most, so you know exactly when to act.

These systems change, so treat the detail below as a planning guide and confirm the current rules with each course or your trip planner before you build a trip around a date. For the full, continuously maintained reference, see our evergreen guide to tee time booking windows at the world's famous courses.

Key booking windows for 2026 (indicative)

Indicative booking and ballot windows at famous courses, 2026. Systems change; always confirm current rules directly before planning.
Course	How to get on	When the window opens
Old Course, St Andrews	Advance applications, daily ballot, or singles draw	Advance applications for the following season open in late August to early September the year before; the daily ballot is entered two days ahead
Pebble Beach Golf Links	Resort guests book with a room; limited non guest times near the date	Tee times open well ahead with a confirmed resort stay (up to roughly 18 months); non guests can try one day prior
Bandon Dunes	Book with a stay on property	Resort guests reserve rounds when they book lodging; the earlier the better for peak season
Bethpage Black, New York	State run reservation system for the public	Online and phone reservations open a set number of days in advance for residents and non residents; walk up lines exist for the brave
Augusta National	No public access	Members and their guests only; there is no public booking window

Booking rules compiled June 2026 from course and operator guidance; windows and systems change without notice, so always confirm directly before building a trip around a specific course and date.

Our take

The golfers who play the great courses are rarely the luckiest, they are the most organized. The Old Course rewards anyone who applies in the narrow late summer window the year before, and a resort stay is the cleanest route onto Pebble Beach or Bandon. The walk on culture at the Old Course singles draw or the Bethpage line is real and romantic, but it is a gamble, not a plan.

Our advice is to anchor a trip around the one course with the tightest window, lock that date first, then build the rest of the itinerary around it. That is exactly how we plan these trips: we know which windows open when, we hold the marquee date, and we fill the surrounding days with golf that does not require a lottery to play.

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Tell us the courses on your list and we will track every booking window, hold the date that matters and build the trip around it. No obligation.

Common questions

How far in advance can you book the Old Course at St Andrews?

Advance applications for the next season's Old Course tee times open in the last week of August and first week of September the year before. Closer in, the daily ballot is entered two days ahead, and a singles draw exists the day prior for individual golfers. Systems change, so confirm with St Andrews Links Trust.

Do you have to stay at the resort to play Pebble Beach or Bandon Dunes?

A confirmed resort stay is the most reliable way to lock a tee time at both, and it opens the booking window much earlier. Limited non guest times can appear close to the date at Pebble Beach, but they are scarce. Always confirm current policy before planning.

Keep reading

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. Facts and figures verified June 2026 from event organizers, course operators and leading databases; all green fees are indicative and change by season, so always confirm directly before booking. Published June 13, 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.