Best Golf Courses in Scotland (2026 Guide)
The best golf courses in Scotland by tier — Championship bucket list, Must Play gems, and best value under £200. Real green fees and booking notes.
St Andrews Golf: The Complete Visitor Guide
Everything you need to plan a visit to St Andrews — all 7 courses, green fees, how to book the Old Course, and what else to play in Fife.
The most common misconception about St Andrews is that it is some kind of exclusive club you need connections to get into. It is not. St Andrews Links is public common land — the same ground the town has used for golf since the 15th century — and anyone can play.
What is true is that the Old Course is extremely in demand, the booking process is genuinely confusing if you do not know how it works, and most visitors focus entirely on one course and miss the fact that there are six others here, some of which represent outstanding value and far easier booking than almost anything else in Scotland.
I have booked and played St Andrews from Edinburgh many times. The confusion around access is almost always the result of not knowing which booking route to use — not any genuine barrier to getting on the course. This guide covers all seven courses, all three booking routes for the Old Course, the green fees, how to get there, and how to build a proper Fife trip around St Andrews rather than treating it as a single famous name on a bucket list.
What is St Andrews, and why is it the Home of Golf?
St Andrews is a small coastal town in the Kingdom of Fife, about an hour north of Edinburgh. It has a university founded in 1413, the ruins of a cathedral, a beach, and golf.
The St Andrews Links Trust manages seven courses on the common land that runs along the Eden estuary and the North Sea shore. These are public courses — not a private club, not a resort — and the Old Course has been in documented use since at least the early 1400s. Golf has been played here continuously, on the same ground, longer than anywhere else in the world.
The R&A, one of the two governing bodies of golf worldwide, is based in the town and overlooks the 18th green. The rules of golf as we know them were codified here. Twenty-nine Open Championships have been decided on these fairways. When golfers call it the Home of Golf, the claim is not marketing — it is 600 years of unbroken history.
Can anyone play golf at St Andrews?
Yes. All seven Links Trust courses are open to visitors. No membership is required. The Old Course asks for a handicap certificate, though for casual visitors this is rarely enforced in the way it once was.
There is one important confusion to clear up before you book. There are two separate golf operations in St Andrews, and visitors frequently confuse them:
St Andrews Links Trust (standrews.com) — the public trust that manages the seven courses on the common land. This is where you book the Old Course, New Course, Jubilee, Castle, Eden, Strathtyrum, and Balgove. This is what virtually all visiting golfers mean when they say "I want to play St Andrews."
The St Andrews Golf Club (thestandrewsgolfclub.co.uk) — a separate private members' club, founded in 1843, that uses the Links Trust courses. Visitors cannot book golf through the club.
Book through standrews.com. That is the only booking you need.
The seven St Andrews courses
Old Course — £295–£355 | Hard to book
Twenty-nine Open Championships. The Road Hole. The Valley of Sin. The widest fairways in the game, hiding bunkers with names — Coffin, Hell, Strath, the Principal's Nose, the Beardies — that only reveal themselves when you are already in one.
Playing the Old Course is not primarily a great golf experience in the conventional sense. It is a historical experience that happens to include golf. The same ground, the same burns, the same shared double greens the townspeople have been walking since the 1400s. The Swilcan Bridge. The 18th green in front of the R&A. It is unlike any other round of golf anywhere.
The opening tee shot is the most nerve-wracking I have hit anywhere in Scotland. The first fairway is one of the widest in the world, but standing on that tee with the R&A behind you and the town watching, it does not feel that way. Take your time. The course settles you in after the first hole.
Get a caddie. The Old Course has 112 bunkers, the majority invisible from the tee. It has seven enormous double greens shared between pairs of holes — knowing which flag is yours and which side of the green to approach from changes everything. A local caddie carries all of that knowledge. It is not a luxury; it is the most practical decision you can make for a first visit. Book through the Links Trust when you arrange your tee time.
The score matters less than the experience. Walk the ground, notice the features, ask your caddie about each hole's history. A golfer who shoots 78 and rushes back to the car park has missed most of what the Old Course offers.
Green fee: approximately £295 off-peak, £355 at peak. Caddie fee: typically £60–£80 plus tip. Check standrews.com for current seasonal pricing.
Booking: see the full section below.
Castle Course — ~£220 | Hard
The newest Links Trust course (opened 2008), and the most dramatic. The Castle Course sits on clifftop land above the town, designed by David McLay Kidd with bold elevation changes, exposed positions, and several genuinely spectacular holes looking out over the North Sea.
It is harder than the Old Course, considerably less crowded, and the views from the upper holes are among the finest in Scottish golf. For golfers who want something beyond the famous links — or a second day that is entirely different in character — the Castle Course is worth serious consideration and is easier to book than the Old.
Green fee: approximately £220. Check standrews.com for current pricing.
New Course — £155 | Moderate
Opened in 1895 and now as mature a links as any classic course in Scotland. The New Course delivers the genuine St Andrews experience — firm, fast, windswept — at less than half the green fee of the Old Course, with considerably better availability.
Most visitors walk straight past it. This is a mistake. The New Course is outstanding golf: it ranked 27th in the NCG Top 100s Scotland 2026 — ahead of courses people travel specifically to play. If Old Course availability is tight, or if you have a second day in St Andrews, the New Course is the right call.
Green fee: £155.
Jubilee Course — ~£130 | Moderate
Originally laid out in 1897 for Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee and significantly remodelled since, the Jubilee is the most demanding of the secondary Links Trust courses — harder than the New Course, with long par 4s that expose the prevailing wind. It is well-maintained and rarely congested. Good value for golfers who want a genuine challenge without the pressure of the Old Course.
Green fee: approximately £130. Check standrews.com for current pricing.
Eden Course — ~£85 | Easy
Designed by Harry Colt in 1914 along the Eden estuary, the Eden plays shorter and more gently than the championship courses. It is a good choice for a warm-up round, for groups with a mixed handicap range, or for a more relaxed second day. Do not underestimate it — it is still proper links golf, and the Colt routing has quality throughout.
Green fee: approximately £85. Check standrews.com for current pricing.
Strathtyrum Course — ~£70 | Easy
The most accessible of the Links Trust courses, designed with higher-handicap golfers in mind. The Strathtyrum plays over flatter ground and provides a gentler introduction to links golf. Good for beginners, for groups that include occasional golfers, and bookable on shorter notice than any other course here.
Green fee: approximately £70. Check standrews.com for current pricing.
Balgove Course — 9 holes | Walk-up
A 9-hole course for beginners, juniors, and families. No advance booking required — pay on arrival. Green fee is modest (under £20). If you have children or occasional golfers in the group, or if someone wants a short game while the rest play a full course, Balgove is the answer.
Green fees at a glance
| Course | Green fee (approx) | Difficulty to book | |--------|-------------------|--------------------| | Old Course | £295–£355 | Hard — ballot or advance | | Castle Course | ~£220 | Hard | | New Course | £155 | Moderate | | Jubilee Course | ~£130 | Moderate | | Eden Course | ~£85 | Easy | | Strathtyrum | ~£70 | Easy | | Balgove (9-hole) | ~£15–£20 | Walk-up |
All figures approximate. Check standrews.com for current seasonal pricing before booking.
How to book the Old Course: all three routes
This is the question that causes the most confusion and the most anxiety. There are three legitimate routes. Knowing all three — and when to use each — is the difference between a guaranteed tee time and a disappointing trip.
Route 1: The daily ballot (free)
The Links Trust reserves a proportion of Old Course tee times for the public ballot each day. The process:
- Create a free account at standrews.com
- Submit your ballot entry online — you can enter up to two days in advance; enter as early as the window allows
- Successful entries are notified the evening before or morning of play
- Singles have significantly better odds than fourballs — the ballot allocates individual slots, and one slot is far easier to find than four consecutive. A solo traveller willing to be paired has the best odds of any group size.
What the ballot does not provide: a guaranteed date. If your trip depends on playing the Old Course on a specific day, do not rely on the ballot alone. It is best used when you have flexibility — if you are staying two or more nights in St Andrews or Fife and can absorb an alternative day elsewhere if the ballot does not come through.
Route 2: Advance online booking
The Links Trust makes a portion of Old Course tee times available for advance booking through standrews.com — often months ahead for peak summer dates. This is more reliable than the ballot for specific dates, though availability disappears quickly. Check the booking window regularly and book as early as it opens.
For groups of four, advance booking is the practical primary route. A fourball in the ballot is at a structural disadvantage compared to four individual lottery entries; a pre-booked group slot removes the uncertainty.
Route 3: Commercial operator packages
The most reliable route for visitors with fixed travel dates who cannot afford uncertainty. Several St Andrews hotels — including the Old Course Hotel and Rusacks — offer golf packages that include guaranteed Old Course tee times as part of a stay. Approved Scottish golf operators can also book tee times as part of a full itinerary arrangement.
This costs more than a standalone green fee, but for a once-in-a-lifetime trip where the Old Course is the centrepiece, it is the correct approach. An operator with a St Andrews relationship will confirm your tee time before you commit to flights and accommodation.
Getting to St Andrews from Edinburgh
St Andrews is approximately one hour north of Edinburgh by car. The route is straightforward: north on the M90 over the Forth Road Bridge, through Fife on the A91, and into St Andrews from the west. No difficult road sections, parking available near the courses.
There is no direct train to St Andrews. The nearest stations are Leuchars (7 miles away — taxi or bus from there) and Cupar (9 miles). For golfers travelling with clubs, a hire car is the practical option and it opens up the rest of Fife at the same time. A hire car is non-negotiable for any multi-course Fife trip — Kingsbarns, Dumbarnie Links, and Crail are all within 30 minutes of St Andrews and are not easily reached by public transport.
From Glasgow: approximately 1 hour 40 minutes via the M80 and M90. St Andrews sits conveniently between Edinburgh and Dundee for golfers routing through Angus.
Where to stay in St Andrews
Old Course Hotel — Built into the boundary of the 17th hole, with rooms overlooking the Road Hole. Golf packages including Old Course tee times are available directly. Expensive, but the location for a bucket-list trip is unmatched.
Rusacks — A converted Victorian hotel overlooking the 18th green and the town. Golf packages available; strong views across the finishing hole. Slightly more relaxed atmosphere than the Old Course Hotel.
The Inn at Lathones — A historic coaching inn 5 miles south of St Andrews. Good value compared to the town-centre hotels, and a short drive from all the main Fife courses. Genuine character.
Self-catering in the town — St Andrews has a good stock of holiday lets and serviced apartments, particularly suited to groups of four or more. Often considerably better value than hotel rooms for a multi-night stay, and the town is walkable to the Old Course.
For a full Fife trip combining St Andrews with Kingsbarns and Dumbarnie Links, staying in the East Neuk — Crail, Anstruther, or Elie — puts you within 20–30 minutes of all three and the accommodation costs are lower.
Build a Fife trip around St Andrews — don't make it a one-round stop
The single most common mistake golfers make in Fife is treating St Andrews as the complete destination. The Old Course is 30 minutes from Kingsbarns Golf Links and 25 minutes from Dumbarnie Links — two of the finest modern links in Scotland, both with sea views from every hole, both significantly easier to book than the Old Course.
A proper Fife trip built around St Andrews:
Day 1: St Andrews Old Course (or New Course if the ballot or availability does not cooperate — it is outstanding golf in its own right)
Day 2: Kingsbarns Golf Links — 30 minutes east along the Fife coast.
Sea views from every hole, one of the finest modern links in the world at £486. Not a consolation for missing the Old Course — a very different, equally extraordinary round.
Day 3: Dumbarnie Links — 25 minutes south of St Andrews on Largo Bay, looking back across the Firth of Forth toward Edinburgh. A Women's Scottish Open host in only its second season. Add Crail Balcomie (45 minutes, £95) if legs allow — one of Scotland's oldest and most individual links.
That is three very different, very high-quality rounds of golf within a 20-mile radius. No other area in Scotland delivers that concentration of quality in that small a geographic area. For the full day-by-day breakdown with accommodation and practical notes, see the Fife golf trip planner.
For the wider Scotland trip — how to route St Andrews within a full itinerary including East Lothian and the Highlands — see our Scotland golf trips planning guide. For how St Andrews compares to the rest of Scotland's top courses by tier and green fee, see best golf courses in Scotland.
Common mistakes to avoid
Not hiring a caddie. The blind shots and double greens on the Old Course are genuinely disorienting on a first visit. A caddie pays for themselves in shots saved and makes the round considerably more enjoyable — this is not a course you want to navigate with a yardage book alone.
Treating St Andrews as a one-round stop. Kingsbarns is 30 minutes away. Dumbarnie Links is 25 minutes. Both are NCG Top 100s ranked. Building a trip around one famous name and ignoring the rest of Fife is leaving an extraordinary golf region unexplored.
Entering the ballot once and giving up. The ballot is a numbers game. Enter as a single or a pair, enter across multiple days if you have flexibility, and use a commercial operator package if certainty matters.
Booking through the wrong organisation. The St Andrews Golf Club (thestandrewsgolfclub.co.uk) is a private members' club. Visitors book through standrews.com — the St Andrews Links Trust website.
Underestimating the New Course. At £155 and NCG Top 100s ranked, it is one of the best-value rounds in Scotland. Golfers who play both the Old Course and the New Course consistently say the New is a worthy companion, not a fallback.
Not leaving time for the town. The cathedral ruins, the West Sands beach, the university streets — St Andrews is an unusually fine small town. Rushing back to Edinburgh immediately after your round misses the best of it.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to play golf at St Andrews?
The Old Course green fee is approximately £295 off-peak and £355 at peak. The New Course is £155, the Jubilee approximately £130, the Eden around £85, and the Strathtyrum around £70. The Castle Course — the clifftop course above the town — is approximately £220. The Balgove 9-hole course costs under £20. Check standrews.com for current seasonal pricing across all seven courses. For a full Scotland golf trip cost breakdown including St Andrews in context of the wider budget, see the Scotland golf trip cost guide.
Can anyone play golf at St Andrews?
Yes. The St Andrews Links courses are public common land managed by an independent trust. No membership is required. The Old Course has specific booking routes (daily ballot, advance booking, or commercial operator package) due to demand, but there is no restriction on who can apply. Singles have the best odds in the ballot.
Why is St Andrews so famous for golf?
Golf has been played on the St Andrews Links since at least the early 15th century — it is the oldest continuously used golf course in the world. The R&A, which sets the rules of golf globally, is based here. The Old Course has hosted 29 Open Championships, more than any other venue. The history is genuine, not manufactured.
What is the world's oldest golf course?
St Andrews Old Course is widely recognised as the oldest, with documented play from the early 1400s. Musselburgh Links in East Lothian makes a competing claim (records from 1567), but St Andrews is accepted as the original home of golf by the R&A and in the broader golfing tradition.
How far is St Andrews from Edinburgh?
Approximately one hour by car — north on the M90 over the Forth Bridge, then west through Fife on the A91. There is no direct train; the nearest station is Leuchars, 7 miles away. A hire car is the practical option for golfers travelling with clubs and allows you to explore the rest of Fife at the same time.
How many golf courses are in St Andrews?
The St Andrews Links Trust operates seven courses: Old Course, New Course, Jubilee, Eden, Strathtyrum, Balgove (9 holes), and Castle Course. The Castle Course sits above the town on clifftop land; the other six are on the traditional links beside the Eden estuary.
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