Good to Know: Getting on the Old

Contrary to popular belief, The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews does not own or run the Old Course. In fact, the Old is a public golf course, administered by a nonprofit organization called the St. Andrews Links Trust. It is open to any and all comers, provided they have a reasonable handicap (24 or better for men, 36 or better for women) and can secure the most highly coveted tee times in Scotland. The four primary ways to get on are: Enter the ballot, a lottery-style drawing held every day that the Old is open; make advance reservations through the Links Trust at the start of September for play the following year; walk up to the starter’s house by the first tee as a single golfer and wait for an opening in a scheduled group of four golfers; or purchase guaranteed tee times through an established golf tour operator.