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
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 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.
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 |
Day of week matters too
Monday is the hardest day to win the ballot, not Saturday. Golfers who decide over the weekend pile in on Sunday afternoon for a Monday tee time, producing the highest entry volume of the week. By contrast, mid-week days (Tuesday to Thursday) see fewer entries and proportionally better odds. Friday is competitive again as weekend travellers plan ahead.
Saturday ballot entries are comparable to Friday — not as low as the mid-week average, but meaningfully better than Monday. If your trip spans a full week, your best single-day odds fall on a Tuesday or Wednesday.
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.
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.