Skip to content
Birdie Brae

A Journal for the Thrifty Gowfer

Fife

St Andrews Eden Course

St Andrews, Fife

Plate ILinks course — coastal exposure, firm running turf

Holes
18
Par
70
Type
Links
Fife
Walkability
★★★★☆
Confirmed 5/5
Best Season
May–Sep
Year-round, best Apr–Oct
Visitor Access
Open
Mid-week ideal

Most accessible of the St Andrews Links Trust courses. Harry Colt design.

From the Notebook

The Eden Course is the Links Trust's most accessible layout — a Harry Colt design from 1914 that runs inland of the Old Course between the Links and the Eden Estuary. At par 70 and around 6,200 yards, it is shorter than the Old, New, or Jubilee, and the terrain is somewhat more sheltered from the prevailing wind. For visitors new to links golf who want to play in St Andrews without the exposure of the coastal courses, the Eden is the sensible starting point.

Colt's design makes intelligent use of the land between the other Links courses — the Eden uses the natural dune ridges and burns that the longer courses mostly bypass, routing through a more intimate terrain than the wide expanses of the Old. The 8th and 12th are the holes most cited by regulars; both use changes in elevation and ground contour in ways that Colt employed as consistently as any architect of his era.

Green fee is £45–55, the lowest of the five 18-hole Links Trust courses. No ballot required; advance booking recommended in peak season but not strictly necessary midweek. The Eden is frequently used as the day-two or afternoon round when a visitor has played the New or Jubilee in the morning — the two courses together represent an excellent full day of St Andrews golf at a combined green fee of £140–150.

One Hole Worth Talking About

The hole everyone remembers.

8Par 4 · 358 yards

Eden Burn

Colt's 8th runs across a section of the course where the ground rolls in ways that make the lie after the drive almost impossible to predict from the tee. The green sits lower than the fairway approach, which reverses the usual formula: the target looks closer than it plays, and the back portion is effectively invisible until the final twenty yards of the approach. This is the Colt technique employed across all his best work — complicating the second shot with topography rather than with hazards. The Eden Burn comes into view here; the course around St Andrews has more burns than most visitors expect.

The Full Scorecard

Everything else you might want to know.

Course

Designer
H.S. Colt, 1914; Donald Steel alterations 1989
Founded
1914
Style era
Contact club
Yardage (W)
Contact club
Yardage (Y)
Contact club
Yardage (R)
Contact club
Course rating
Contact club
Slope rating
Contact club
Bunkers
Contact club
Greens
Contact club
Walking time
Contact club
Open season
Year-round, best Apr–Oct

Visitor

Dress code
Smart casual, collared shirts
Spikes
Soft only
Booking
Contact club
Twilight
Contact club
Winter rate
Contact club
Senior
Contact club
Junior
Contact club
Buggy
Not available
Trolley
Contact club
Caddie
Contact club

Practical

Address
St Andrews, Fife, KY16 9SF
Phone
01334 466666
Nearest train
Leuchars
Nearest airport
Edinburgh (EDI) (90 min)
Parking
Free
Wi-Fi
Yes, clubhouse
Card payment
Yes
Membership
Contact club
Joining fee
Contact club
Waiting list
Contact club

Fields marked “Contact club” aren’t public-facing in a way we’ve been able to verify. Call the club directly for these — we’ll update the entry when we have it from source.

Conditions This Week

What's the weather doing?

Fetching conditions…

Scored 0–10 for golf — wind, rain, conditions · Full 7-region forecast →

Location

St Andrews Eden Course on the map

St Andrews, Fife · KY16 9SFOpen in OpenStreetMap →

While They Golf

For the non-golfer in the party.

Fife isn't only for the golfers. Walks, drives, distilleries, castles, a long lunch — five picks within thirty minutes of the first tee.

The Fife companion guide →

Plan This Round

Three things to sort before you tee off.

Played here? Consider

Three things worth packing.

Picked for links rounds on the Scottish coast.

Outerwear

Galvin Green Andres jacket

Wind off the firth changes club selection two irons. A breathable, fully-waterproof shell that's light enough not to swing in is the single biggest upgrade for Scottish links golf.

Layer

Sunderland of Scotland half-zip

Scottish-made merino — the locals' choice for shoulder-season rounds. Warm enough for a 7am tee time in October, light enough for the back nine when the sun comes out.

Tech

Garmin Approach S70 GPS

Handles blind tee shots and exposed-coastal yardage cleanly. Battery lasts a 36-hole day; the wind-direction overlay justifies the price on its own.

Stays Nearby

Where to stay near St Andrews

Hotels, B&Bs and self-catering within easy reach of St Andrews. Tap any property to check rates.

Rates and availability via Stay22. We may earn a small commission if you book — at no extra cost to you. How affiliate links work.

Frequently Asked

Visitors usually want to know.

Can visitors play at weekends?
Visitors are welcome but mid-week is markedly easier and quieter. Confirm a weekend tee time as far ahead as you can — popular Saturdays book up first.
How early can I book a tee time?
Phone or email the pro shop to confirm. Most Scottish clubs accept visitor bookings 7–30 days ahead; group bookings of 8+ can be arranged further ahead.
Is there a dress code?
Smart casual, collared shirts. Soft only.
Are buggies allowed?
Buggies are not generally available — the course is walked. Hire a trolley at the pro shop if you'd rather not carry.
What's the best time of year to play?
May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep for full conditions. Late May and early Sep are quietest with fair value. Year-round, best Apr–Oct.

The Sunday Post

A good round, a fair fee, and a story from the clubhouse.

One email, most Sundays. No affiliate spam, no drip funnel, no nonsense. Just the tee time we'd book this week, the muni we'd play before work, and one piece of Scottish golf history worth the read.

Written by someone who actually plays here.

Put me on the list.

Unsubscribe any time — no hard feelings.

We send one email a week. No more, no less.