What Handicap Do You Need for the Old Course at St Andrews?

The Old Course handicap limit is 36, for men and women alike. It applies to every route on — the daily ballot, the Swilcan Package and the other advance bookings — and the Links Trust asks for an official handicap card, record or certificate, shown to the Starter before play.

Updated 4 October 2026: this page said 24 for men until today. The Links Trust's own ballot entry rules give 36 for men and ladies, and the ballot guide was corrected to that on 26 September; this page had been missed.

Why does the Old Course require a handicap?

The Old Course is a par-72 course measuring 6,721 yards from the white tees, with some of the most famous and consequential bunkers in golf (the Road Hole bunker, Hell Bunker, the Strath). At pace-of-play rates that allow the full schedule of tee times per day, slow play is a significant concern.

The handicap requirement is a proxy for ability — it ensures players have a documented level of golfing competence before stepping onto one of the busiest and most famous courses in the world. A 36-handicap player (women's limit) is still a beginner by most standards, but the limit screens out players who have never played a full 18 holes competitively.

What counts as proof of handicap

World Handicap System (WHS) index — the universal system now used in the UK, USA, Australia, and most other golfing countries. Your handicap index should be visible on your national federation's system:

• UK players: England Golf, Scottish Golf, Wales Golf, GUI — handicap visible on the Golf Handicap Information System (GHIS/ICCMS) or the HowDidiDo app
• USA players: USGA Handicap Index via GHIN — accessible via the USGA/GHIN app or website
• Other countries: Check with your national federation for the WHS-registered platform

Handicap certificate from your home club — a printed certificate or record from a club affiliated to a golf union, confirming your current WHS index. Most clubs provide these on request. A letter from your club professional is not accepted.

Your record on your federation's app — the same official record on screen. A printed certificate is the safer thing to carry if there's any doubt.

What doesn't count

• An informal estimate ("I play to about a 15")
• A handicap from a non-WHS-registered society or casual league
• A historical handicap from before WHS adoption (pre-2020 in most countries)

If you don't have an official handicap

Without a recognised WHS handicap, you cannot enter the Old Course ballot or book a tee time through the standard system. Your options:

1. Establish a WHS handicap before your trip. In the UK, you can join a golf club affiliated with Scottish/English/Welsh Golf and establish a handicap through three 18-hole rounds (or equivalent). The process takes a few weeks minimum. Ideally do this 6–8 weeks before your trip. In Scotland you don't have to join a club to do it — how to get a handicap without club membership covers Scottish Golf's own route.

2. Don't plan on tagging along. A ballot entry names every golfer with their home club and handicap, and only the named golfers play — so a friend's entry does not carry someone without one.

3. Accept you won't play the Old Course this trip, and choose the alternative carefully. Not every famous neighbour waives the handicap, so check before you book:

• Kingsbarns is the one that does. Its own FAQ says no handicap certificate is required, and that golfers of any handicap are welcome if they can keep up with the pace of play.
• Carnoustie is not an option without one. The Links' green-fees page sets the handicap limit at 28 for men and 36 for women, and its booking terms say golfers may be asked for a current certificate on arrival.
• The New and Jubilee courses are run by the same St Andrews Links Trust as the Old Course. We could not read the Trust's handicap terms for them, so check with the Trust before you book rather than assuming either is open to golfers without a handicap.

We've written up the best alternatives to the Old Course in full.

Does the handicap requirement apply at the first tee?

Yes — starters at the Old Course first tee can ask to see proof of handicap. In practice, verification is more thorough at ballot registration and advance booking than at the tee. But carrying your handicap card or having the GHIN/HowDidiDo app on your phone with your index visible is sensible practice.

The Balgove Course

The Balgove — the 9-hole course adjacent to the Old Course — has no handicap requirement. It's open to all, walk-up, no reservation needed. If you're bringing a beginner or a non-registered golfer, the Balgove is the way to play in St Andrews.

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