Old Course Alternatives: What to Play When the Ballot Doesn't Break Your Way

The Old Course gets the headlines. It also gets approximately 10–25% success rates in the ballot, which means most visitors to St Andrews will, at some point, not play it. This is not a disaster. It's an opportunity to play some of the best golf in Scotland — golf that gets overlooked because it sits in the shadow of the most famous course in the world.

The other five St Andrews Links courses

The Links Trust operates six courses at St Andrews. The Old Course is one of them. The other five are all booked in advance with guaranteed tee times — no ballot required.

New Course

18 holes, par 71, 6,604 yards. Plays adjacent to the Old Course and shares its clubhouse. The comparison is instructive: the New is narrower, tighter off the tee, arguably more demanding for a scratch player. The rough is punishing in summer. Green fee around £60–£90 depending on season. Verdict: outstanding, and almost always available.

Jubilee Course

18 holes, par 72, 6,805 yards. The longest of the six and the most traditional in layout — an out-and-back links with full exposure to the sea wind. Often regarded as the best-conditioned of the six. Green fee £50–£75. Verdict: the best alternative for players who want a serious links test.

Eden Course

18 holes, par 70. A shorter, more forgiving layout — ideal if you're playing multiple rounds in a day, or if the group includes mixed abilities. Green fee £35–£55. Verdict: enjoyable, not demanding, often underbooked.

Strathtyrum Course

18 holes, par 69. A parkland-style course — unusually sheltered for St Andrews. Good for beginners or an easy round at the end of a long golf trip. Green fee £25–£40. Verdict: fine, not what you came to St Andrews for, but a round is a round.

Balgove Course

9 holes, par 30, open to all, no handicap required. Ideal for beginners, children, or a late-evening half-round. Reasonably priced. Verdict: charming, not serious golf.

Book all five at standrews.com — no ballot, standard advance booking.

Within 30 minutes of St Andrews

Kingsbarns Golf Links — 7 miles south

The newest great links in Scotland, opened 2000. Built from scratch on farmland between Crail and St Andrews, designed to feel ancient. Genuinely one of the finest courses in the world — most players who've played both rate Kingsbarns their favourite round in Scotland. Fully visitor-accessible (no ballot), green fee £210–£295. Book 3–6 months ahead in peak season.

Crail Golfing Society — 9 miles south

Two courses at Crail: Balcomie Links (1895, par 69, one of Scotland's oldest) and Craighead Links (modern, longer, more demanding). Green fees £40–£80. Visitor access straightforward. The Balcomie is one of the most characterful short links in Fife.

Elie Golf Club — 12 miles south

Famous for the periscope on the 1st tee (used to check whether the previous group is clear — the 1st fairway shares a blind landing area with incoming traffic from the 7th hole). Proper golf, proper club, proper welcome. Green fee £55–£80.

Lundin Golf Club — 15 miles west

Underrated links with three ancient standing stones in the middle of the course. Visitors welcome weekdays. Green fee £50–£70.

Within an hour of St Andrews

Carnoustie (50 miles north via Tay Road Bridge): The hardest and most unforgiving of the Open venues. Bleak, brilliant, brutal in a wind. Green fee £185. No ballot.

Royal Dornoch (95 miles north): Many course architects' choice for the finest course in the world. Two-hour drive from St Andrews. Green fee £170–£210. No ballot, standard advance booking. Worth the drive.

Dundonald Links (Ayrshire, 90 miles): Modern resort links, fully visitor-accessible, excellent condition. Green fee £70–£120.

The honest take

If the ballot breaks badly for an entire trip, you haven't missed Scottish golf. You've played the New Course, the Jubilee, Kingsbarns, Crail, and maybe driven to Carnoustie. That's one of the best weeks of golf available on earth.

The Old Course is the Old Course. It's worth the effort. But Scotland's golf doesn't start and end on one course's 18 holes.