Old Course at St. Andrews
There are a few courses that you always hear golfers say are on their must play bucket list, and one of the most consistent courses you will always hear golfers say is the Old Course at St. Andrews. Â
As you’ll likely be reminded by the starter when you walk up to the first tee here, pretty much any golfer that you’ve ever admired in the game of golf has been on that tee at some point in their lives. That’s quite a thing to think about, and it’s arguably the closest thing to a religious experience that you will ever experience in golf.
While the Old Course is certainly worthy of any Scotland golf trip itinerary, it’s also important to note how many amazing experiences there are nearby to enjoy as you build out your ultimate Scotland golf experience. We’ve taken the liberty of highlighting a few of our favorites, and a few tips and tricks that we’ve learned over the years when it comes to making the most of a trip to St. Andrews.
Old Course at St. Andrews
Securing a tee time at St. Andrews Old Course
Booking a tee time at the Old Course isn’t as simple as making a call or logging in online to pick your time. There are only so many guaranteed tee times available on an annual basis at the Old Course, and they tend to be divided up amongst Tour Operators and the local lodging establishments in the town of St. Andrews so navigating how you go about getting one can be quite difficult.
If it’s an absolute must for your group to play here, please know you are going to pay a premium to do so. But that’s a decision that your group is going to have to make on whether or not you want to roll the dice on potentially winning the ballot when you are onsite, and even if you do, most likely everyone on the group will not end up getting a time. That being said, dollars are dollars, and your budget may not allow for that. If you’re looking for a great place to start, check in with our friends at Lyons Links (www.lyonslinks.com) as they can help you navigate this process.
The other two main ways to secure a tee time for visiting golfers is by booking the Swilcan Package or entering the Ballot System. The 2027 Swilcan Package has not been listed yet, but the 2026 Swilcan Package (which needed to be booked in 2025) included a guaranteed tee time on two courses including one on the Old Course with both rounds played over two consecutive days, a £65 food & beverage credit for dining at St Andrews Links, a £25 credit for any of St. Andrews official retail outlets, and complimentary range balls at the Golf Academy.Â
The peak price in 2026 was £700 for this which is quite affordable especially when you pair it with a round on the Castle Course, for example. While we don’t know how every Tour Operator treats this, we can tell you that Lyons Links is exceptional at working with people on these.
For example, let’s say you go ahead and pay the premium to book a guaranteed 2027 Old Course tee time, and then you and your four-ball end up being lucky enough to get selected for the Swilcan Package. They will help you work that into your already booked package so that you can get some money back, and that way you’ve covered all your bases. Pretty cool, right!?
The other way that most traveling golfers get to play the Old Course is through the Ballot System. To enter the ballot there must be at least two players and all names, home clubs, and handicaps will be required to enter.
You can enter online, by phone at +44 (0)1334 466666, or in person by visiting The Old Pavilion or one of the St. Andrews Clubhouses.
The ballot closes at 2 p.m. two days before you hope to play, and entries are accepted on the day the ballot is drawn or on the day before, once that day’s ballot has closed (around approximately 2:15 p.m.). Please note the Old Course is closed on Sundays, so there is not a Friday ballot.
Flexibility on your tee time will enhance your chances of getting selected, and the results for the ballot are posted at 4:30 p.m. on the day of submission. Please note if you are lucky enough to be selected, you’ll need to have a record of your handicap being a 36 or better when you get to the first tee, and only the named golfers selected can use the tee time.
If you are not selected, you’ve still got one last shot as you may wish to enter the Singles Daily Draw. This is a new process in place to efficiently manage any available day-of tee times for single players at the Old Course. Single players will be able to enter the draw between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. on the day before they wish to play at either The Old Pavilion or Links Clubhouse.
As you can see, it’s a lot to manage, and we’ve heard great tales of golfers winning the ballot, and then tales where a group of 20 doesn’t have 1 member selected. It is truly the luck of the draw, so it’s up to you and your group to decide what is best for your visit. Once again, we highly suggest reaching out to a professional like Lyons Links as we’ve found that their expertise is invaluable at making the most of your trip itinerary based on your budget.
It’s also important to note that there are some incredible courses located a short drive away from the Old Course, and our article here provides more details on some of these amazing locations like Kingsbarns, Dumbarnie Links, and more.
One thing we can tell you is even if you aren’t able to tee it up at the Old Course, you can still experience it as you can walk down the famous 17th and 18th holes, and even sneak out to take a pic on the Swilcan Bridge in between tee shots. Without these hallowed grounds we wouldn’t have the game that we love, so hopefully you and your crew are able to make the journey here.