How to Access the Old Course, St Andrews: Getting There and Getting On
All Square 9min read •
Today
There is a particular kind of anticipation that builds when you know you are heading to St Andrews. It is not just a golf trip — it is a pilgrimage. The Old Course is where the game was born, where the rules were first formalised, and where every golfer who has ever gripped a club eventually feels the pull. Technically, it is a public course, owned by the people of St Andrews through a centuries-old Act of Parliament. In theory, anyone can play it. The art lies in actually getting there — and getting on.
This guide covers both halves of that challenge: how to reach St Andrews from wherever you are in the world, and once you arrive, how to earn your place on the first tee.
Getting There: Flying In
St Andrews does not have its own airport, but it sits within comfortable reach of several. The choice of where to fly into can meaningfully shape the rest of your trip.
Edinburgh Airport (EDI) is the most popular gateway for international visitors and the most well-connected, with direct flights arriving from across Europe, North America, and beyond. From the airport, St Andrews is roughly an hour by car or private transfer — a straightforward drive north across the Forth, following the A90 over the Queensferry Crossing to the M90, then east on the A91 into Fife. The views as you cross the Forth Rail Bridge — its distinctive red cantilever spans rising from the water — set the tone for the journey ahead.
Dundee Airport (DND) is the closest airport to St Andrews, sitting just 11 miles away. It is a small and efficient facility, particularly popular with private jets and charter flights during major golf events. During the Open Championship, Dundee handles a significant volume of aviation traffic from players, officials, and the well-heeled golfing fraternity. Scheduled commercial services are more limited than in Edinburgh, with Loganair operating routes, but for those who can use it, the proximity is hard to beat.
Glasgow Airport (GLA) is a larger international hub and a viable alternative, particularly for those flying from North America on transatlantic routes. The drive from Glasgow to St Andrews takes around one hour and 45 minutes via the M8 and M90. Aberdeen Airport (ABZ) is also an option for those travelling from the north, roughly two hours by car.
Getting There: By Train
St Andrews does not have its own railway station — a quirk of history that surprises many first-time visitors. The nearest station is Leuchars (pronounced Lookers), approximately five miles from the town centre. ScotRail operates regular services on the Edinburgh Waverley to Leuchars route, with the journey taking around one hour. Advance tickets can be purchased considerably cheaper than walk-up fares, so booking ahead pays off.
For travellers coming from London, the Caledonian Sleeper service is an option worth considering — an overnight train from London Euston that calls at Leuchars, arriving in the morning. It is the kind of arrival that suits a golf trip: you wake up in Fife, coffee in hand, ready to play.
From Leuchars station, the Stagecoach 99 bus runs to St. Andrews approximately every ten minutes during the day, with the journey taking around 10 to 15 minutes and costing under £4. Taxis wait at the station rank and charge around £15 for the transfer. If you are arriving with a full set of clubs and luggage, the taxi is the more comfortable choice.
Getting There: By Car
Driving gives you the freedom that a golf trip in this part of Scotland rewards. The courses are spread across Fife, the coastal roads are beautiful, and having your own vehicle means you are not dependent on timetables when the ballot result comes in at 4pm and suddenly your plans for the next day need to change.
From Edinburgh, the drive takes approximately one hour and 20 minutes via the A90 and M90. From Glasgow, allow around one hour and 45 minutes. From Dundee, it is a half-hour run. Car hire is available at all major Scottish airports, and there are also rental options in Dundee and the nearby town of Cupar.
Parking in St Andrews itself is limited and can be tight during peak season, so if you are staying in town, check whether your accommodation offers dedicated parking.
Getting There: Private Transfer
For golf groups arriving with bags, equipment, and a preference for door-to-door simplicity, a pre-booked private transfer is worth the premium. Several specialist shuttle and chauffeur services operate between Edinburgh Airport and St Andrews, with fixed rates, luggage space designed around golf travel, and drivers who know the Links well enough to drop you at the Old Course Hotel entrance without being asked. The Stagecoach 787 bus service also runs between St Andrews and Edinburgh Airport if you prefer a budget option with less luggage flexibility.
Before You Try to Book: Know the Rules
However you arrive in St Andrews, a few requirements apply to anyone hoping to play the Old Course — and it is worth knowing them before you turn up at the first tee.
Every golfer must present a valid handicap certificate to the starter before the round. The maximum handicap permitted is 36 for both men and ladies, though some booking routes apply a stricter limit of 24 for men. The certificate must be official and issued by a recognised golf union or association — a letter from a club professional will not be accepted.
The course is also closed every Sunday. This tradition dates back to Old Tom Morris, who famously declared that if the golfer does not need rest, the course certainly does. That Sunday closure also means there is no Friday ballot, as entries open 48 hours in advance. On Sundays, however, the Old Course transforms into a public park. Locals walk their dogs across the fairways, visitors picnic on the links, and anyone who wants to cross the Swilcan Bridge can do so freely. It is a quietly extraordinary thing to be able to do, and it costs nothing at all.
Booking Route One: The Ballot
Nearly half of all visitor tee times on the Old Course are allocated through the ballot — the most democratic, if unpredictable, route available. Groups of two to four golfers can enter the ballot 48 hours before the day they wish to play. Entries must be submitted before 2 pm, along with each player’s name, home club, and handicap. This can be done online via the St Andrews Links website, by phone on +44 (0)1334 466666, or in person at The Old Pavilion or one of the Links clubhouses.
Results are announced after 4 pm on the day of application. If successful, players pay the standard green fee directly to the starter two days later, just before the round begins.
The odds are genuinely humbling. In April 2025, the Links Trust reported that 14,489 golfers had applied through the system, with only 3,677 securing a tee time — a success rate of around 25 percent. Your chances improve considerably if you are flexible. Ballot availability varies from day to day, and avoiding the busiest dates — which are flagged on the application website — makes a real difference. Demand also spikes sharply in the years surrounding an Open Championship at St Andrews, and with the 155th Open confirmed for 2027, now is a better moment than next year to try your luck.
There is no limit on how many consecutive days you can enter the ballot, and a skilled golf travel operator can submit your entry daily throughout your stay, keeping alternative courses on standby for the days when the draw does not go your way.
Booking Route Two: The Singles Daily Draw
Solo golfers have their own route. The Singles Daily Draw allows individual players to register between 9 am and 4 pm on the day before they wish to play, either at The Old Pavilion or The Links Clubhouse. The process was updated in 2024 and replaced the old overnight queuing system — a change that was broadly welcomed. Each golfer completes an electronic form and has their photograph taken to prevent duplicate entries. After the registration window closes, a waiting list is created and tee times allocated as slots become available. It rewards golfers who are already in St Andrews and happy to be flexible.
Booking Route Three: The Private Advanced Application
Each year, in the final week of August and the first week of September, the St Andrews Links Trust opens a direct application window for tee times in the following season. This is sometimes called the Swilcan Package. Tee times are allocated via lottery, with successful applicants notified in October.
This is the most cost-effective advance route, as winners pay the standard green fee rather than a premium. Applying across a range of dates — rather than a single specific day — significantly improves your chances. The Trust also requires that a round on one of the other Links courses (the New, Jubilee, or Castle Course) be included as part of the booking.
Booking Route Four: Book a Package
For golfers who want certainty — a confirmed tee time before they book flights, accommodation, and the rest of the trip — the only guaranteed option is to work with a company officially appointed as an Authorised Provider by the St Andrews Links Trust.
All Square is among the operators able to secure packages that include the Old Course, meaning your tee time is confirmed from the outset rather than left to chance. Availability for 2026 is largely exhausted — with 2027 now the more realistic target for new bookings. Given that the 2027 Open Championship returns to the Old Course — its 31st time hosting the event — demand for that season will be exceptional, and planning early is not optional.
This is the most premium route in terms of cost, and it typically requires bundling a second round on another St Andrews Links course into the reservation. For most golfers, that combination — a round on the Old alongside the New or Jubilee — makes for a richer trip anyway.
Booking Route Five: The Scottish Residents’ Reduced-Fee Scheme
In a move designed to widen access, the St Andrews Links Trust introduced a scheme offering heavily discounted tee times to golfers with Scottish postcodes. Between May and October, 179 tee times become available at £42.50 per round — an 87.5% reduction on the standard high-season green fee of £340. Spots are allocated through a two-ball ballot. If you are based in Scotland, this is an exceptional opportunity and well worth pursuing each season.
On the Day: What to Expect
Caddies are available and add an entirely different dimension to the round, particularly for first-time visitors navigating the double greens, blind approaches, and the 112 named bunkers that have confounded players for centuries. The caddie fee is £80 plus gratuity — budget approximately £40 as a tip — and is paid in cash at the end of the round. Book one as soon as your tee time is confirmed.
Pull trolleys are only permitted after 12 noon. Golf carts are not available to general visitors, with limited exceptions for registered disabled players. Come prepared to walk — and to savour every step of it. The course plays 7,297 yards in its standard visitor configuration, though the R&A and St Andrews Links Trust have announced course changes ahead of the 2027 Open that will extend the championship layout to 7,445 yards across six holes.
A note worth keeping in mind for 2027 planning: the Old Course will be closed for approximately five weeks from mid-June to late July during the Open, with some disruption to visitor play expected in May, June, and August as event infrastructure goes up and comes down.
Let All Square Handle It
Navigating airports, train transfers, ballot timing, application windows, and Authorised Provider availability is a game within the game — and one that rewards experience. The All Square team knows this world intimately. Whether you need a curated golf trip built around a confirmed tee time, daily ballot management throughout your stay, or help combining the Old Course with the wider links riches of Fife and beyond, get in touch with the All Square team and start planning the round of a lifetime.
