Adventures in Booking a Tee Time at the Old Course

If you are one of my 10 friends on social media, you probably know that I’m passionate about golf.

I’ve been the only person in the group to fly their golf clubs to a bachelor party in Vegas and brought a golf glove more than once to Top Golf.

My sticks were the most important thing to remember to put in the car during our cross-country travels, after the wife and dog, of course.

During our travels, I’ve also been fortunate to play some of the world’s most famous public golf courses, like Pebble Beach, Whistling Straits, and Pinehurst #2.

There has always been one white whale, though: The Old Course at St Andrews, Scotland. 

Recently, we made a trip to Scotland (sans tee time) in an attempt to make my dreams come true. My 10 social media friends know this already, but I was ultimately successful in playing the course. 

What is booking a tee time at the Old Course really like? I’ll get into all of it, complete with tips to help you do the same!

What’s so special about the Old Course?

The Old Course is hallowed ground for golf fanatics. It’s the oldest golf course in the world and aptly considered “the home of golf.” Golf clubs have been thrown in frustration here since the early 15th century. 

Thirty Open Championships have been played at the course, more than any other venue. Tiger and Jack both won twice here. 

Somehow Zach Johnson, the worst Ryder Cup captain of all time, also won here. 

For golf nerds like myself, the Old Course is at the top of their bucket list to play. Being the popular kid has its drawbacks, though, as it is one of the hardest tee times to get, despite, or maybe because of, the public nature of the course. 

Yep. The Old Course at St Andrews is open to the public, but it really puts you through the paces. I’ll get into all of it.

Attempt #1: The Swilcan Package 

My journey to “golf’s promised land” began over a year ago. In August 2024, one of the packages offered by St Andrews Links was The Swilcan Package.  It included a round at the New Course, Edens, Jubilee, or Castle Course, AND a round at the Old Course.  

Note: St Andrews offers packages that change every year, so it’s always best to check the website if you are looking to plan ahead…or trying to. 

The prices for this package were £485-650. Pricing depends on whether you applied for high season (April 15-October 19 that year) or shoulder season (April 1-13 and October 20-31 2025). 

You had to apply with at least two golfers, so a good friend and I submitted applications for both seasons and waited patiently for our results. 

On October 21, 2024, I received two emails telling me that I was unsuccessful for both the high season and shoulder season applications. My friend sadly received the same unfortunate news. 

0 for 1.

Undeterred, and perhaps feeling sorry for the sadness in my face, Agnes graciously offered to plan a trip to Scotland anyway. We had never been, and there was much to see other than golf. 

We booked a trip through Ryanair for the middle of June 2025. We made plans to start in Edinburgh, drive around the Highlands, and since the weather looked best for the end of our trip, end with the last few days in St Andrews. 

Fun fact: The two one-way tickets from Paris to Edinburgh were 35 euros, but it was 40 euros to add my golf bag. 

READ MORE: Spending some time in St Andrews? Check out this guide to a full day’s worth of activities that aren’t golf-related.

Attempt #2: The (Missed) 48-Hour Ballot 

If you find yourself within two days of St Andrews, you have another opportunity to score a tee time at the Old Course. 

You can apply on the website for the old course, call their number, do it in person at the Old Pavilion, or in person at one of the other clubhouses. No matter which way you try, you have until 2pm Scotland time to try for a tee time in two days. 

You’ll need at least two golfers for this option as well, and obviously need to be available to be in St Andrews in two days’ time. 

Here’s where I’m going to admit to being a dummy and misreading the website. I actually missed my first chance. I could have applied for this ballot online while we were still in Inverness, but for some reason, I thought I had to wait until I got there in person. 

I wish I could blame the Scotch whisky, but I really don’t like drinking gasoline all that much.

Your guy was now technically 0 for 2. 

Note: The Old Course is closed on Sundays, so there is no 48-hour ballot on Friday. Thankfully, we weren’t there on a Sunday, otherwise I would have missed another chance due to my not knowing this until AFTER our trip. 

I’m starting to think there’s a reason I’m not given planning responsibilities. 

Attempt #3: The Singles Daily Draw (Day 1)

My next chance was to hope that I, as a single golfer, could be paired up with a group of two or three randos who would not mind walking around with me for about five hours.

In the old days, golfers used to queue up overnight near the Old Course Pavilion for this task. Not being a lover of camping, even if it meant such a prize at the end, I was happy to see that St Andrews changed this process in March 2024. 

You now enter information in person on tablets that have been installed at the Old Course Pavilion and the St Andrews Links Clubhouse. You have from 9am to 5pm the day before you want to play to enter your information and take your picture on the tablet.

We drove straight from Inverness to the parking lot near the St Andrews Links Clubhouse to do this. I entered my information and then went down to the New Course starter to see if they could squeeze me in on this slightly less busy course. 

Luckily, I was able to get a tee time on the New Course about 40 minutes after we arrived. I changed in the parking lot (much to Agnes’s horror), and wished my wife well, driving our rental car on the wrong side of the road to our hotel. 

Curbs were checked, my friends, but overall, she drove like a champ despite it being her first time. 

Around 5pm, while I was on the 16th hole of the New Course, I received this email:

“Applications for the Singles Daily Draw have now closed. The draw is currently being made, and we will contact you soon with your results.”

At least I knew that my ballot was received. 

Less than 10 minutes later, I received more news: 

“All tee times currently available have now been allocated. You have therefore been placed on a waiting list. To check your live position, click the button below or visit the following link. “

Balls. 

I clicked on the link and saw I was in position number 12. I had seen many threads about how, unless you are in the top 10 to 15, don’t get your hopes up, so I was planning for another day of checking with the course starter for an alternative. 

Fun fact: My experience that day on the New Course was awesome. The course was challenging, several holes ran right next to the Old Course, and the weather held up nicely. It’s worth going to play on the other courses on the property, even if you aren’t able to get a tee time on the famous one!

I went home after the round and tried to get rest, but it was hard thinking I might actually be able to play the Old Course the following day. 

Attempt #3 Continued: The Singles Daily Draw (Day 2)

After fueling up with a sausage roll, I went to the Jubilee Course starter to find an open tee time the following morning.

They paired me up with two other singles at 11:15 am, and I spent most of the round checking my position on the waiting list for the Old Course. 

Around the 14th hole, I received this email at 1:52pm: 

“You are near the top of the waiting list. Please come to The Old Pavilion at 15:00, where the team will provide an update. While this is not a guarantee of a tee time, opportunities to play can become available at short notice, so please come prepared for golf. “

Now, this was very exciting, but the 14th hole of the Jubilee Course is almost as far away from the Old Pavilion as you can be on the property. I checked walking directions and gasped: 

35 MINUTES!!! 

I had a very quick back and forth with myself. Do I chance it and miss out on the final few holes of the Jubilee Course, or do I just finish up the round?

Oh, who was I kidding? Of course, I needed to try! 

I had time to play one more hole with my group, and then said my goodbyes and jogged and/or walked speedily to the Old Pavilion, getting there with a few minutes to spare. 

In retrospect, I probably should have read that last line a little more closely, as there were still five golfers in front of me. I checked in and sat down so that my sweat could dry. 

Over the next hour or so, I saw each of those five golfers react in ecstatic fashion as they were called to the tee. I pretended to be happy for each of them, using the best acting skills I could muster.  

READ MORE: That’s an introvert power. Check out our tips for traveling better as an introvert!

I was now next up in line, with plenty of summer daylight left.

The starter informed me of each opportunity as they then came and went over the next two hours: 

“The next few groups are members, and they can deny adding single golfers,” he said.

“WHAT THE F*&^! kind of public course allows this?!?!?” I screamed in my head as each group said, “No.”

Witnessing “members” of a public course denying singles the opportunity to play is one of the most infuriating things I’ve ever experienced in my 30+ years of golfing. 

“The next two-ball is playing a tournament, and they aren’t allowed to add a player,” he said, as I watched two old men stroll by without a marker for said “tournament.”  

“Do you think I’d be arrested for using my club Tonya Harding-style on these two?” I say to myself, obviously mostly kidding. No wonder this course is so hard to play.

“The next few times are dark times, so you may not finish if the members allow you on,” the worker said.

Whatever, man. I just want to play. My iPhone has a flashlight that I now accidentally turn on all the time. 

“I’m sorry, sir. The last groups of members all brought guests, and there are no more tee times left for you,” he finished.

Shouting every expletive you can think of, but only in my head, I said thanks to the starter for being kind to me, and headed back to the parking lot to the rental car. 

To be honest, I would have rather finished my round at the Jubilee Course than spend three hours watching five people have golfgasms when their names were called. But what can you do? 

Attempt #4: The 48-Hour Ballot 

Drama from the singles daily draw aside, I now have to confess that I told you the previous story because:

• It was a little bit funny that I spent three hours at the Old Course Pavilion only to be the first on the list who wasn’t called and,
• To get to my final, and ultimately successful, attempt at playing the Old Course. 

Was it a little bit sneaky of me to leave this last part out? Probably. 

If you’re still with me, thank you for getting this far. If you recall above, I told you that I missed my first chance at the 48-hour ballot due to my own lack of planning prowess.

Well, I didn’t miss my second chance. 

On the same day I applied for the singles daily draw, I entered the 48-hour ballot, as well. As you need two golfers, I added a friend I know who works in the airline industry. If I were successful, he was the only one I knew who could get there on short notice. 

To put you out of your misery for reading this far, I’ll get to the point. Shortly after I received the email putting me on the waiting list for singles, I also received the following email regarding the 48-hour ballot entry:

That’s right. I nearly got lucky and was able to play two days in a row at the Old Course!

How did my round end up going? That’s a story for another day, I think. But the day was a sunny 72 degrees (Fahrenheit, because I’m American), with hardly any wind until the last few holes.   

Is it worth going to St Andrews without a guaranteed tee time?

Obviously, I’m going to say yes, because I scored a tee time. But I’ll be honest. The feelings I got just by being there would have been cool enough. There’s so much history, plus several other great courses to play, that I’d recommend that you go as well. 

For me I also think the singles’ daily draw story makes for a funny tale, even if it was unsuccessful. It’s something to look forward to when I get to my “when I was your age” period in my life. 

Until then, may your journey also end with the same success as mine, and that you hit them long, straight, and hopefully often! 

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