St Andrews Old Course: The Public Links That Shaped the Game
The Old Course is both a global symbol of golf and a working public links. Its shared fairways, double greens, blind lines and historic hazards make it unlike any other championship venue—and its public access remains part of its identity.
Golf has been played over the links at St Andrews for around six centuries, and the Old Course remains a public course despite its status as one of the most recognisable venues in the game. It is an 18-hole, par-72 layout measuring 6,670 yards, but those figures say little about what makes it unusual. The shared fairways, double greens and crossings between holes create a routing that grew organically from the land rather than being built to a modern template.
Shared fairways and double greens make the routing unique
The Old Course is established around 1400 and is widely regarded as the oldest golf course in the world. Its design evolved over centuries, with holes developing around the natural links ground and the needs of the town. Seven double greens serve fourteen holes, while the first and eighteenth share the famous broad fairway that frames the approach to the clubhouse.
The course’s architecture relies on space, angles and ground movement. Bunkers are not always visible from the tee, the wind can change the best line and a ball can run far beyond its landing point. The Old Course is therefore less about a set of isolated signature holes than about understanding how all eighteen work together.
Swilcan Bridge, Hell Bunker and the Road Hole
The Swilcan Bridge crosses the first fairway near the eighteenth green and has become one of golf’s most recognisable landmarks. Hell Bunker on the fourteenth is a deep hazard that punishes a poorly judged shot, while the seventeenth, the Road Hole, is famous for its wall, road and difficult approach. These features are celebrated, but they are also active parts of the strategy rather than decorations.
The course is often played in a crosswind, and the shared fairways create unusual angles between adjacent holes. Players must pay attention to the line of play, avoid interfering with groups on neighbouring holes and understand when a low running shot is preferable to a high carry. The Old Course rewards imagination and restraint as much as technical skill.
A public course with a 48-hour ballot and other routes to play
St Andrews Links remains open to the public, but access to the Old Course is carefully managed because demand far exceeds the available tee times. The main route for golfers already in the area is the 48-hour ballot, which is drawn two days before play. Entries require at least two and no more than four players, with names, home clubs and handicaps submitted before the published closing time.
Single golfers can enter the Singles Daily Draw for any remaining on-the-day times. Advance packages and authorised providers offer other routes, although the application window for the 2027 guaranteed tee-time package is currently closed. Successful ballot players must present an official handicap record or certificate; the maximum handicap is 36. The course is closed on Sundays, so check busy dates and the official booking page before building an itinerary around a round.
