The Old Course Experience Tour

Home to the Open Championship twenty eight times, St Andrews is recognised all over the world as the golfing Mecca. It is every golfer’s dream to make the pilgrimage to play there and sample the atmosphere, beauty and true Scottish hospitality of this historic town. Traditionally, golfers enter a daily ballot for the hugely over-subscribed and highly coveted tee-times and unfortunately, most are disappointed.  However, through an exclusive commercial contract with The St Andrews Links Trust, The Old Course Experience guarantees tee-off times for overseas corporations and groups.

Programmes are offered between April and October each season featuring a choice of accommodation in St Andrews, transfers to and from your hotel to the golf courses each day, lunches in St Andrews Links Clubhouse and many other features to make your visit to the “Home of Golf” both a special and a memorable one.  These programmes may be extended to include other championship courses and resorts in Scotland, England and Ireland.

Our Sample Hospitality Package (3 nights) includes:

•     One GUARANTEED round on the Old Course and one round on the New, Jubilee or Castle Championship courses
• Accommodation in a choice of hotels,sharing a standard room
• Full Scottish breakfast each morning
• Lunches served each day in the Clubhouse restaurant
• Three course dinner in your hotel on one evening
• Transfers each day from hotel to golf courses and return including full bag transfer service
• Visit to the Driving Range
• Souvenir group photograph taken on the first tee of the Old Course
• A generous range of official souvenir merchandise
• Dedicated Old Course Experience representative to co-ordinate your itinerary prior to arrival and availablility throughout your stay

THE OLD COURSE – 6721 yards – par 72

The "Old Lady" is unique among the world's great golf courses. From the nerve racking 1st tee shot, you take up the challenge that has humbled so many of the world's top golfers. The Old Course is unique in that it owes little to the hand of man in its design and layout. The course has wide fairways with little elevation and is interrupted at intervals by huge double greens. There are only four single greens on the Old Course, the 1st, 9th, the famous 17th Road hole, and the Home hole, the 18th. To stand on the 1st tee immediately in front of the Royal & Ancient clubhouse is to stand on the most inviting fairway in the game of golf. This course is full of tradition and history with features such as the Swilken Burn, the Road hole and Hell bunker.

THE NEW COURSE – 6625 yards – par 71

Designed by the famous Tom Morris, this is an undulating course similar in characteristics to the Old Course.  Were it not for the proximity of its more illustrious and ancient neighbour, there is no doubt that many Open Championships and other major events would have been fought out over the testing and demanding oldest New Course in the world.

THE JUBILEE COURSE – 6742 yards – par 72

Opened in 1897, this course was named to commemorate the Silver Jubilee of Queen Victoria.  It is the most seaward of the St Andrews Links courses and the youngest part of the traditional Links.  The Jubilee is a formidable challenge especially with its long six-hole stretch.

THE CASTLE COURSE – 7200 yards – par 72

Opened in June 2008, this cliff-top wonder is the result of a David McLay Kidd design offering spectacular shots, including tee shots from some 80 feet above the St Andrews Bay. Along with a challenging golf layout, golfers will certainly be awed by fantastic views of the town of St Andrews.

CARNOUSTIE CHAMPIONSHIP LINKS -  6941 yards - par 72

A truly classic links course,Carnoustie has hosted seven Open Championships since 1931, most recently in 2007.
As one of the oldest courses in the world, it has been played by all the great names of golf, but Ben Hogan’s memorable 1953 performance has led to a close association with the course. In 2003 the sixth hole was officially named ‘Hogan’s Alley’ to commemorate the outstanding way in which he negotiated the perilous par 5, during his famous victory. With a daunting cocktail of gales, thick rough and devilish bunkers, it has earned its reputation as the most challenging course in Britain.

KINGSBARNS LINKS - 7133 yards - par 72

Only six miles from St Andrews the course sweeps majestically along the sea near the charming village of Kingsbarns. Designed by American Kyle Philips the course is one of three hosting the annual Dunhill Links Championship. For more than half the holes, the sea is directly in the golfer’s active frame of play. Spacious fairways rolling and twisting through dune ridges and hollows and large inviting greens make this the ultimate links experience.

Old Course Experience Hospitality Price Guide

Price per person and includes VAT

*A supplement of £55 per golfer will apply for programmees including the Castle Course instead of the New or Jubilee Courses.
Golfers playing the Old Course must be in possession of a valid handicap certificate showing a handicap of 24 or less for men and 36 or less for
ladies & bookings must be for a minimum of two golfers.

The Old Course Hotel - 5 Red* Hotel

Located alongside the fairway of the hallowed 17th ‘Road Hole’ of the world famous Old Course, the hotel gives spectacular panoramic views over all the links courses with the Royal & Ancient Clubhouse sitting majestically in the background.

Spa Facilities: large indoor pool, a state-of the-art gym with cardio-theatre stations, steam rooms, fitness studio and a thermal suite featuring hydrotherapy pool, light therapy sauna, Japanese salt steam room, plunge pool and a whirlpool.

The Fairmont St Andrews - 5* Hotel

Positioned on the summit of a spectacular cliff formation, the hotel and its two championship golf courses have breathtaking panoramic views of the River Tay estuary, the North Sea and the medieval skyline of St Andrews. A regular, complimentary shuttle bus service is provided by the hotel to take guests to and from the the town of St Andrews which is about 10 minuites drive away. 

Spa Facilities: One of Scotland’s largest Spa with 12 treatment rooms offering a range of treatments include locally-themed massages, facial and relaxation therapies featuring exclusive Kerstin Florian products.

Rusacks Hotel - 4* Hotel

This hotel is uniquely situated in an enviable position with the most stunning view over the first tee and eighteenth green of the Old Course, the ‘Home of Golf’. This attractive Victorian property opened in 1887 and previous guests have included many of the golfing greats.