Practical Guides
Scottish Golf on Saturday: Which Clubs Actually Let You Play
Several of Scotland's most famous clubs have one thing in common: they don't take visitor bookings on weekends. This is not widely advertised. It is written into the booking terms. Here's which clubs restrict weekend access, which don't, and how to plan a trip that accounts for both.
Four of the most-booked Scottish golf clubs have visitor access that is restricted to weekdays. This is not prominent in most travel coverage. It is, however, in the booking terms. If you arrive in Scotland on a Saturday planning to play Muirfield, Royal Troon, Prestwick, or Western Gailes, you will not be playing that day. A number of equally good clubs have no such restriction. The following is a practical breakdown of both lists.
Why some clubs restrict weekend access
The reason is structural rather than snobbish, at least in most cases. Private clubs with small memberships use weekends for member competitions — medal rounds, monthly trophies, club championships. Opening tee times to visitors on Saturdays would displace members from the course they pay an annual subscription to use. The compromise most private clubs reach is weekday visitor access with member-priority weekends.
In practice this means: the clubs that are hardest to book, most prestigious, and most likely to appear on a visitor's target list are the ones most likely to have weekend restrictions. A golfer who builds a Scottish golf trip around famous names and then books accommodation to arrive on a Friday has created a problem.
The solution is simple but requires knowing which list each club is on before you book.
Clubs that restrict weekend access
Muirfield — £325. Tuesdays and Thursdays only.
Muirfield is the strictest on this list. Visitor access is limited to Tuesdays and Thursdays. Not limited Saturday access, not Sunday-only restrictions — two days a week, full stop. Handicap certificate is required (men 24, women 36). The green fee is £325 per round, which is fixed regardless of season.
The restriction is firm because Muirfield is a private members' club that takes the balance between visitor access and member priority seriously. Tuesdays and Thursdays are the days the secretary has set aside; they are not negotiable.
If you want to play Muirfield: Tuesday or Thursday. Book 8–12 weeks ahead in peak season. Full visitor protocol on our Muirfield course page.
Royal Troon Old Course — £280. Monday to Thursday only.
Royal Troon accepts visitors Monday to Thursday. No Friday, no weekend. Green fee is £280 per round. Handicap certificate required (men 20, women 30).
The Monday-to-Thursday restriction is fairly standard for Ayrshire's Open venues — the course is in the R&A's rotation and the membership protects weekend access as a condition of hosting. The green fee covers a round on the Portland Course as well, which adds reasonable value.
If you want to play Royal Troon: mid-week only. Weekday bookings are available online; 8–12 weeks ahead for summer. Full detail on our Royal Troon course page.
Prestwick Golf Club — £225. Monday to Friday, limited Saturdays, no Sundays.
Prestwick is slightly more flexible than Troon and Muirfield in that limited Saturday tee times exist for visitors — but the availability is tight and competition from members is real. Sundays are closed to visitors entirely. Monday-to-Friday visitor access is standard; book through the club secretary.
Handicap certificate required (men 24, women 30). Prestwick is one of the founding clubs of the Open Championship — the first 12 Opens were played here — and takes the visitor protocol that seriously.
If you want to play Prestwick: target weekdays. If a Saturday slot is necessary, phone the club directly well in advance; don't assume availability. Our Prestwick course page covers the current booking process.
Western Gailes Golf Club — £165–£195. Tuesday to Friday only.
Western Gailes is the least-widely-known club on the restricted list but arguably the one that catches the most visitors out. It appears on lists of Ayrshire's best courses (correctly — it's exceptional) but the visitor window is narrow: Tuesday to Friday only, weekends reserved for members.
The green fee of £165–£195 is significantly less than Royal Troon or Turnberry, which makes Western Gailes the value play in Ayrshire — but only if you're there mid-week. Building a weekend Ayrshire trip around Western Gailes specifically will not work.
Book by phone: 01294 311649. Our Western Gailes course page has the full visitor detail.
Clubs that welcome visitors at weekends
Carnoustie Championship — £265. Weekends available.
Carnoustie Golf Links is a public trust, not a private club. Weekend tee times for visitors are available and bookable online. Green fee is £265, with handicap certificate required (men 28, women 36).
This is the most important distinction in Scottish golf access: trust-managed courses (Carnoustie, St Andrews Trust) operate on a public-access model. Prestigious, yes. Ballot for the Old Course, yes. But weekends are not off-limits.
Book via carnoustiegolflinks.com; the tee sheet is visible online and weekend availability is usually reasonable outside peak Open-adjacent dates. Our Carnoustie Championship course page covers the ballot and booking window.
Royal Dornoch Championship — £185–£255. Weekends available.
Royal Dornoch is a private club but operates open visitor access, including weekends. Book via royaldornoch.com up to twelve months ahead. Green fee £185–£255 seasonal. No handicap certificate required.
Dornoch is in the top ten courses in the world by most rankings and consistently rates as the best visitor experience in Scottish golf. The welcome is genuine rather than grudging. Weekend availability in peak summer (June–August) goes quickly; book four to eight weeks ahead for summer weekends.
Our Royal Dornoch course page covers the full booking window and seasonal pricing.
North Berwick West Links — £225–£275. Weekends available.
North Berwick is council-managed and operates public access including weekends. No handicap requirement. Green fee £225–£275 seasonal, with online booking via northberwickgolf.com.
Weekend availability in summer is tighter than mid-week — North Berwick is the most-visited course in East Lothian — but Saturday tee times exist and are bookable with reasonable notice. The club hosts member competitions but doesn't restrict visitor access around them.
Full detail on our North Berwick West Links course page.
Gullane No. 1 — £185–£245. Weekends available.
Gullane No. 1 accepts visitors at weekends. Handicap limit applies (men 24, women 30). Green fee £185–£245 seasonal; book via gullane.com or phone the club.
Gullane Golf Club operates three courses and accepts visitors on weekends across all three. Weekends on the No. 1 are busier than mid-week but tee times are consistently available. If you're planning an East Lothian weekend trip, Gullane is reliably bookable.
Our Gullane No. 1 course page covers the full picture.
Turnberry Ailsa — £450–£525. Weekends available.
Turnberry is a resort; visitor access including weekends is the point. Green fee £450–£525 peak, with resort guest discounts available. Book via turnberry.co.uk up to twelve months ahead; no ballot.
The green fee is the highest on this list, but the access is the simplest. If budget allows and an Ayrshire trip is being planned for a weekend, Turnberry has no access problem. Our Turnberry Ailsa course page covers the current pricing.
How to plan a trip that includes restricted clubs
The practical rule: if your target list includes Muirfield, Royal Troon, Prestwick, or Western Gailes, build your itinerary around the mid-week access window and use weekend days for the open-access courses.
An East Lothian example:
- Saturday: North Berwick West Links or Gullane No. 1 (weekend fine, book ahead)
- Sunday: Dunbar or Craigielaw (both open-access)
- Monday–Thursday: Muirfield (book the visitor day slot)
An Ayrshire example:
- Saturday: Dundonald Links or Troon Municipal Darley (weekend fine)
- Sunday: Turnberry Ailsa (resort, weekend fine)
- Tuesday–Friday: Western Gailes and Royal Troon (mid-week only)
The error to avoid is arriving in Scotland for a weekend trip and attempting to book famous names on arrival. The clubs on the restricted list do not make exceptions.
For the full course detail on any club above, the visitor protocol page covers current green fees, booking windows, and dress code requirements.
About the author
Gary
Editor and founder of Birdie Brae. Based in Glasgow, 14.5 handicap, playing since 2022. Has played 40+ Scottish courses and started this site because most Scottish golf content is written by people trying to sell you a package holiday.
More about Gary →Courses in this article
Also in the Almanac
Is Golf Expensive in Scotland?
The short answer is no — if you know where to look. Scotland has some of the most expensive golf on earth and some of the cheapest. The full breakdown by tier.
Do You Need Golf Insurance in Scotland?
Most visitors don't need a separate golf-specific policy. Some of you absolutely do. The straight answer, from someone with no skin in selling you anything you don't need.
Golf in Aberdeen: Courses, Green Fees and Local Knowledge
Aberdeen sits between Royal Aberdeen and Murcar, two of Scotland's finest links. But the city also has a municipal links at King's Links for under £25, and a cluster of parklands that visitors routinely miss.