St Andrews · Old Course
The Old Course Ballot: A Complete Guide
The St Andrews daily ballot is the cheapest route onto the most famous course in golf. It is also a lottery. This is what the numbers actually say.
Ballot tee times per day
~120
Mon–Sat only
Peak-season daily success rate
10.54%
July 2024, Ginger Beer Golf
Attempts for >50% probability
7
Binomial distribution
Ballot entry deadline
2 pm
Day before; results at 4 pm
Three ways onto the Old Course
The ballot is the most talked-about route but not the only one. Choose based on how much certainty you need and how far ahead you can plan.
| Route | Certainty | Lead time | Cost | Group size | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Ballot | Lottery | Day before, by 2 pm | £200–295 | 1–4 players | Flexible travellers entering across multiple days |
| Advance Reservation | Confirmed | Exactly 12 months ahead | £295 | 1–4 players | Anyone who can plan a year out and needs certainty |
| Walk-up Single | No guarantee | Same morning (arrive by 6:30 am) | £200–295 | Singles only | Mid-week shoulder season; very flexible schedule |
How the ballot works
The St Andrews Links Trust holds a daily ballot for tee times on the Old Course. You enter via standrews.com between 8 am and 2 pm on the day before you want to play. Results are posted at approximately 4 pm. If successful, you pay the green fee online — £295 per round in 2025 — and receive a confirmation. The course does not run a ballot on Sundays — it is closed to public play.
The ballot draws from a pool of roughly 120 open tee times per day (Mon–Sat). The remainder of the day's sheet is taken up by Advance Reservations (booked 12 months ahead) and courtesy times allocated to caddies, members and affiliated clubs. In peak summer the Trust receives over 2,000 ballot entries for those 120 slots — hence the single-digit success rates.
The maths is straightforward. If each attempt has a 10.54% chance of success, the probability of winning at least once across n attempts is 1 − (0.8946)ⁿ. At 7 attempts you exceed 50%. At 14 you pass 80%. Use the calculator below to run your own dates.
Step by step
How to enter the daily ballot
- 01
Between 8 am and 2 pm — the day before you want to play
Go to standrews.com and navigate to Play → Old Course → Daily Ballot. The page opens at 8 am each day and closes at 2 pm sharp. Entries submitted after 2 pm are not accepted.
- 02
Select your play date and group size
Choose the date you want (the following day), your group size (1–4 players), and your preferred tee time window if the option is available. Singles are paired into existing groups by the Starter.
- 03
Enter your details
You'll need each player's name, email address, and handicap index or WHS handicap. All players must hold a valid handicap (men max 36, women max 45). The form is short — allow five minutes.
- 04
Submit and note your reference number
You receive an immediate acknowledgement email with a reference number. Keep it — you'll need it if your entry is successful and you need to contact the Links Trust.
- 05
Check your email at approximately 4 pm
Successful entries receive a confirmation email with a tee time and payment link. You must pay promptly to secure the slot. Unsuccessful entries receive a 'not successful' notification — no credit or carry-forward applies.
Success rates by month
Estimates based on published analysis (Ginger Beer Golf Travel 2024) and seasonal demand patterns. The R&A does not publish official success-rate data.
| Month | Daily success rate | Demand | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 65–75% | Very low | Likely — but course may be restricted to non-ballot play |
| February | 65–75% | Very low | Likely — cold shoulder season, low competition |
| March | 50–60% | Low | Good odds, especially early in the month |
| April | 30–40% | Moderate | Reasonable — US Masters month draws visitors |
| May | 20–28% | Moderate–high | Getting harder; enter every eligible day |
| June | 10–15% | High | Peak visitor season begins; multiple entries advised |
| July | 8–12% | Peak | Hardest month. 2024 average: 10.54% per day |
| August | 12–18% | High | Still competitive but easing slightly post-Open |
| September | 25–35% | Moderate | Better odds; weather often excellent |
| October | 40–50% | Low–moderate | Strong odds, autumn conditions, lower fees |
| November | 55–65% | Low | Very good odds; course can be spectacular in light |
| December | 65–80% | Very low | Easiest odds — but verify course isn't closed |
Success rates by day of week
Monday is the hardest day — not Saturday. Golfers who decide over the weekend flood the ballot on Sunday afternoon for Monday tee times. Tuesday and Wednesday are the lowest-volume days of the week.
| Day | Demand | Odds | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | Highest | Worst | Weekend entries flood in Sunday afternoon — hardest day of the week |
| Tuesday | Low–moderate | Best | Lowest entry volume; best single-day odds of any weekday |
| Wednesday | Low–moderate | Best | Comparable to Tuesday — aim for these if your trip allows |
| Thursday | Moderate | Good | Ticks up as the weekend approaches but still mid-tier |
| Friday | High | Harder | Weekend travellers plan ahead — entries rise sharply |
| Saturday | High | Harder | Similar to Friday; the myth that Saturday is hardest is wrong |
| Sunday | — | — | Course closed — no ballot runs |
Alternative route
The Advance Reservation system
If you need certainty, the Advance Reservation system is the only fully reliable route onto the Old Course. Unlike the ballot — which is luck — an Advance Reservation is a confirmed, paid booking.
- 01
Go to standrews.com at exactly 8 am, 365 days before the date you want to play.
- 02
Select your preferred tee time and group size (1–4 players).
- 03
Pay in full at the time of booking. The fee is non-refundable.
- 04
Receive email confirmation. The tee time is firm — no further lottery.
Current green fee: £295 per round (2025) · Peak demand dates sell out within minutes of opening
Probability calculator
Enter your trip dates and group size — we'll estimate your cumulative odds across all eligible ballot days.
Pick your trip dates above to see the estimate.
Uses seasonal probability model based on published demand data. Not an R&A or St Andrews Links Trust product.
The walk-up single
There is a third route that the ballot page doesn't advertise: show up at the Starter's Box on the west side of the 18th fairway before 7 am as a single, and ask to be paired into an outgoing group. The Starter absorbs lone players into foursomes and threesomes that have a free slot — usually because someone in the group dropped out after the ballot was confirmed.
This is not a queue system and it is not guaranteed. On a Monday in July you may wait until mid-morning and never get on. On a Tuesday in October you may be teeing off by 7:30 am. The variables are: what day of the week, what time of year, how many walk-up singles are already there, and how obliging the Starter is feeling. Bring your handicap certificate. Dress appropriately. Be patient.
Best conditions
Tue–Thu, Apr–May or Sep–Oct, arrive by 6:30 am
Bring
Handicap certificate (official or EGA card), full waterproofs, patience
Realistic expectation
50/50 in shoulder season, 20% in peak July–August
When the course is closed
The ballot suspends entirely during tournament weeks and public holidays. Check exact dates at standrews.com before booking flights or accommodation.
| Event | Approximate dates | Impact |
|---|---|---|
| The Open Championship 2027 | Mid-July 2027 (exact dates TBC) | Course closed for several weeks; ballot suspends entirely |
| Alfred Dunhill Links Championship | Early October (annually) | Course closed Thurs–Sun during the event |
| Eden Trophy / R&A Club events | Various spring dates | Check standrews.com — typically midweek closures |
| New Year | 25–26 Dec, 1 Jan | Course closed; ballot does not run |
| Winter restrictions | Jan–Feb (some years) | Ballot may be suspended on some days; non-ballot play only |
Dates are approximate and subject to change. Always verify at standrews.com before planning travel.
If you don't win the ballot
The St Andrews Links Trust runs five other courses on the same complex. The New Course and Jubilee are the most underrated rounds in Fife. Further afield, the East Neuk alternatives are genuinely among the best-value links in Scotland.
New Course
Book direct · 6,604 yards · £130–160
Jubilee Course
Book direct · 6,805 yards · £90–130
Castle Course
Book direct · 6,759 yards · £110–145
Kingsbarns Golf Links
Must book well ahead · £250–295
Crail Golfing Society
Balcomie Links · book 48hrs ahead · £55–70
Elie Golf House Club
East Neuk gem · book direct · £50–75
Frequently asked questions
When can I enter the Old Course ballot?
The ballot opens at 8 am and closes at 2 pm on the day before you want to play. Results are posted at approximately 4 pm. You enter via standrews.com/old-course-ballot. The ballot does not run on Sundays — the Old Course is closed.
Can a single golfer enter the ballot?
Yes, and singles have a slight advantage. The ballot allocates tee times by group size; when a foursome or threesome slot is filled, lone players are paired into the remaining space. Singles are therefore easier to accommodate than groups of four, which must fill an entire tee time.
What is the Advance Reservation system?
Separate from the daily ballot, the Advance Reservation system lets you book a confirmed tee time exactly 12 months in advance — you pay in full at the time of booking. It opens each morning at standrews.com for tee times exactly one year ahead. This is the only fully reliable way to guarantee a round; it requires planning a full year out.
Does the ballot run during The Open Championship?
No. The Old Course closes to public play during The Open Championship and several other events each year. The 2027 Open at St Andrews will close the course for several weeks around the event. Check the published closure schedule at standrews.com before planning your trip.
What happens if my round is cancelled after winning the ballot?
If the course cancels your round (weather, course closure), you are entitled to a refund of your green fee. If you cancel after winning the ballot, you forfeit the fee. The course gives no credit for rescheduling — each ballot entry is independent.
Can a tour operator guarantee a tee time on the Old Course?
Operators with allocation agreements can occasionally offer confirmed slots — but these come from the same limited pool. Genuinely guaranteed tee times at peak dates are rare and expensive; most operators are managing the Advance Reservation system on your behalf, not accessing a separate stock. Treat any operator claim of 'guaranteed' July tees sceptically and ask exactly how the booking is held.