Planning for play on the St Andrews Old course

It's January, you've just started planning your Scotland golf trip and you haven't got Old Course tee-times - how do you get them?

So it's the first week of a New Year, holidays are on your mind and you've started planning a golf trip to Scotland this summer. But you've just discovered it's too late for you to apply directly for guaranteed times - or private advance times as they are now called - for the St Andrews Old Course in 2018. So what do you do now?

In no particular order may we suggest:

Play another course

OK, that's not the answer you were looking for when you clicked the link to this page, but it's not as silly as it might seem. Scotland is about so much more than the Old Course, this site is full of alternative options. And there are 10 golf courses in and around St Andrews alone. But, if the St Andrews Old Course is crucial, or even just very important, to your trip, read on.....

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Move your golf trip to the Winter, or "Low Season"

Again, that's perhaps not the plan you were thinking of, but the Old Course does offer specific winter packages from mid-October to mid-April. You must book accommodation in St Andrews and the package is for the Old Course and two other St Andrews Links, to be played on consecutive days.

Information is on the St Andrews Links website.

The key point to be aware of is that fairway mats will be in use on the Old Course from 1 November to 31 March, so that might detract from your experience. Mats are also on use on the other courses during certain months. This, and better weather, makes the April and October winter package dates very sought after - so you need to advance plan for these dates. It's best to be ready to request dates when winter package bookings open at the beginning August the year before.

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Delay your trip a year and make an Old Course advance application for 2019

You have just found out the hard way that you need to have your outline trip and golfing group together by August of the year before to try for times through this route.

The St Andrews Links Trust accepts applications from golfers for times the following year during a 2 week period from late August. All the applications received are put in a lottery and golfers find out during October if they have been successful. Payment is not required until a time is offered.

The key points of the Private Advance Tee-Times application are:

All the details and appropriate forms are published on the St Andrews Links website.

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Try a golf tour operator

A number of golf tour operators have been designated Authorised Providers of Old Course tee-times, and may be identified by an official logo on their website.

The St Andrews Links Trust has decided not to publish the list of these providers on their website so you will need to have a hunt around on a search engine. The authorised tour operators will offer packages that include guaranteed St Andrews Old Course tee times across the high season of mid-April to mid-October.

It is best to contact golf tour operators as early as possible, ideally the summer before your planned trip. Times will be limited for each operator and will be allocated to golfers on a first come, first served basis. However you may be lucky later on and find an operator with times still available. They might also get cancellations as the year progresses. There will be a premium attached to packages with Old Course times so don't expect this to be a cheap option.

You will be expected to book a full itinerary with the operator, not just the Old Course times and availability of guaranteed times will be limited to specific dates.

Email round golf tour operators specialising in Scotland and see if anyone can help. SIGTOA, the Scottish Incoming Golf Tour Operators Association, is a good place to start to find suitable operators.

Important
Be sure the operator actually has guaranteed times and is not going to be relying on the daily ballot. This has happened before to visiting golfers. Any serious tour operator should be completely clear with you on what route they are proposing for your Old Course times.

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Book with accommodation that is an Authorised Provider of Old Course tee-times

Various hotels and guest houses in St Andrews are also granted Authorised Provider status and are allocated a small number of Old Course times, based on the number of bedrooms they have. They will then offer a package covering tee-times and accommodation.

The only arranged golf the accommodation will tend to offer will be the Old Course time and a second Links Trust course and they will normally specify a minimum night stay.

Please note that many accommodation providers work with golf tour operators and will only offer their Old Course times through that operator. It can therefore be quite difficult to find an accommodation option with which you can directly book to secure Old Course times and it's best to research possible options as early as possible in your trip planning.

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Use the daily Old Course ballot once in Scotland

Many golfers dismiss this option but around half the available visitor times on the Old Course each year are allocated through the ballot. The number of times available on any given day will vary considerably so nothing is guaranteed, but if you allow yourself perhaps 2 or 3 different days to apply to maximise your chances, you may be successful.

Scotland enjoys long days in late Spring and in Summer but outside of the main summer months be aware of daylight hours as this will impact the number of tee-times available.

In June the first tee-off in St Andrews may be 06:30 and the last tee-off 18:00, in late September these times will change to around 07:30 and 14:30 and in late October the last tee-off won't be much after midday.

A minimum of 2 golfers are required for a ballot entry. Ballot entries can be made in person, by phone, or online, two days before play. Entries can be made from around 2:30pm three days before play up till 2pm two days before play.

Full details are on the St Andrews Links website.

Before setting off for St Andrews, or booking your travel and accommodation, be sure to check the Busy Dates so that you've not set your heart on, or spent your money arriving for, play on a day when the Old Course is closed to visitors.

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Turn up on the day you want to play (with your fingers crossed)

You are a single without a time, or you've tried every other option and you are in St Andrews without an Old Course time.

It is possible to turn up at the Old Course on the day you want to play and find a slot with groups already booked. The place to go is the Old Course Pavilion by the 1st hole of the Old Course and the putting area.

Not all groups going out on the Old Course with guaranteed times will be four balls. Golfers without reserved times may be offered the chance to make up a four ball with such groups. There is no obligation on the golfers to accept extra golfers but common practice and custom is to do so.

There are many golfers who will choose to queue at the Pavilion from first light or earlier for the best chance, others have been successful popping by later in the day.

As suggested above for the daily ballot, please to check the Busy Dates to ensure the Old Course will be open to visitors the day you are hoping to play.



Whichever option you choose - good luck, enjoy St Andrews and don't forget your handicap certificate!!

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