St Andrews & the Old Course: the complete golf guide
The Home of Golf. How the Old Course ballot really works, why there's no Sunday play, the other six courses, when to go, and how to plan the pilgrimage.
St Andrews is the Home of Golf — the game has been played here for more than 600 years, and the Old Course is the most famous in the world. The St Andrews Links Trust runs seven public courses open to visiting golfers, so this is a genuine pilgrimage: with luck and planning, any golfer can tee off on the same turf as the game's history. The catch is the Old Course itself, which is genuinely hard to get onto — so plan properly.
Here's the playbook: how the daily ballot actually works, why the Old Course rests on Sundays, the other six courses that are far easier to book, when to go, and how to get there.
Where
St Andrews, Fife, Scotland
Courses
Seven public courses — the Old Course, New, Jubilee, Castle, Eden, Strathtyrum, Balgove
Nearest airport
Edinburgh (EDI) ~1.5 hours; rail to Leuchars ~10 min from town
Best time
May–Sep for daylight; Apr & Oct quieter; wind & rain any month
Old Course access
Daily ballot (2 days ahead, groups of 2–4), advance reservations, or singles draw
Nature (evolved over 600+ years) · Believed the oldest course in the world · 18 holes · Links
Host of The Open a record 30 times; returns for a 31st in 2027
The most famous golf course on earth, and the reason golfers make the trip. It's played anticlockwise over huge shared double greens (seven greens serve two holes each), with the tiny stone Swilcan Bridge on the 18th and the brutal Road Hole 17th among the game's most iconic features. It has hosted The Open more than any venue, and — uniquely — it rests every Sunday.
The New, Jubilee, Castle & the rest
St Andrews Links Trust · 6 more courses holes · Links
Don't overlook the other six — and book one as ballot insurance. The New Course (1895) is a classic, purist links many locals prefer; the Jubilee (1897) is the longest and toughest, nearest the sea; the clifftop Castle Course (2008) has dramatic modern views over St Andrews Bay; and the Eden, Strathtyrum and nine-hole Balgove round out the options for every level. All are far easier to reserve than the Old Course.
How to get on the Old Course (the ballot, explained)
Getting on the Old Course is genuinely hard and never guaranteed — plan for it. The main routes:
The daily ballot (a lottery). Enter as a group of 2, 3 or 4 players (you can't enter the main ballot as a single golfer). The draw is made two days before play — enter by early afternoon, results published by around 4pm. Odds vary hugely by season and are toughest in peak summer, so always have a backup. Because there's no Sunday play, no ballot runs on Fridays and there's no ballot for Saturdays.
Advance reservations are released roughly a year ahead (the application window opens around the previous July/August) — limited and heavily oversubscribed. Single golfers have their own singles daily draw, entered in person the day before. Guaranteed times can be bundled into packages via authorised tour operators, at a premium, if certainty matters more than cost.
On the day: the handicap limit is 36 for men and women, and you must present a valid handicap certificate to the starter — bring proof.
Why there's no golf on Sunday
The Old Course is closed to play every Sunday — a long-standing tradition that gives the historic links a weekly day of rest to recover. It's often open for the public to *walk* on Sundays (a lovely way to see it up close), but no golf is played — which is also why no ballot runs on Fridays.
When to go
Peak links season is roughly May to September — the longest daylight (summer evenings this far north run very late), the warmest, driest conditions, but also the busiest and the toughest ballot odds. April and October are quieter shoulder months with better availability and lower rates, at the cost of colder, windier play. Wind and rain can arrive in any month — firm, breezy links golf is the authentic experience here.
Getting there & where to stay
Fly into Edinburgh (EDI) and drive about 1.5 hours north-east, or take the train to Leuchars (about 10 minutes from town — St Andrews has no station of its own). A car helps for early ballot check-ins and reaching the Castle Course. Stay in the compact, walkable university town — everything from the landmark Old Course Hotel to guesthouses and B&Bs — and you can walk to the first tee.
How to play it (the pilgrimage playbook)
Enter the Old Course ballot two days ahead, and book one of the other courses in advance as a backup so a lost ballot doesn't cost you a round. Consider the advance-reservation window if you're planning far out, or a guaranteed-time package if certainty matters. Take a caddie on the Old Course — the local knowledge on blind lines and the double greens is worth it. And even if the ballot doesn't fall your way, you can walk the 18th, stand on the Swilcan Bridge, and soak up the Home of Golf. For more marquee links, nearby Kingsbarns (15 minutes away) and Carnoustie (across the Tay) complete the Dunhill Links treble, and for a moorland contrast the Gleneagles resort is about an hour inland.
What to pack
The kit this trip demands
St Andrews is exposed, wind-and-rain links golf that's often cool — pack proper waterproofs and warm layers, whatever the forecast says:
Yes — it's a public course and any golfer can try, but access isn't guaranteed. Most visitors get on via the daily ballot (a lottery) or advance reservations, and all players must be within the handicap limit (max 36) and show a valid handicap certificate on the day.
How does the Old Course ballot work?
Enter as a group of 2–4 players two days before you want to play (entries close early afternoon, results by around 4pm). Singles use a separate singles daily draw entered in person the day before. Odds vary by season and are toughest in peak summer, so always have a backup course booked.
Why is there no golf on Sunday at the Old Course?
The Old Course is closed to play every Sunday — a long-standing tradition giving the historic links a weekly rest. It's often open for the public to walk on Sundays, but no golf is played, which is also why no ballot runs on Fridays.
What is the best time to play St Andrews?
May to September for the warmest, driest, longest days — but it's busiest and the ballot is hardest then. April and October offer quieter tee sheets and lower prices in exchange for colder, windier weather; wind and rain are possible any month.
How do you get to St Andrews?
Fly into Edinburgh Airport and drive about 1.5 hours north-east, or take the train to Leuchars station (about 10 minutes from town), since St Andrews has no station of its own. A car helps for early ballot check-ins and reaching the Castle Course.
