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Golf Trips / St Andrews, Scotland / Planning Guide

St Andrews Golf Trip Planning Guide

Where the game was born. Walk the Swilcan Bridge on the Old Course, play four more Links Trust courses plus Kingsbarns and Carnoustie nearby, then pile into a 300-malt pub. The single most important golf trip a foursome can take.

The Breakdown

Quick Facts

Best Time to Visit

Spring, Summer, Fall

Nearest Airport

EDI (75 min drive)

Green Fees

$180–$620

Lodging From

$400/night

Walkable Courses

6 of 6

Budget Est. (8 guys, 3 nights)

~$630/person

The Game Plan

Sample 3-Day Itinerary

Here's a realistic 3-day itinerary for a group golf trip to St Andrews. Every venue below is real and pulled from our curated database — no filler.

Day 1

Morning — Golf

Old Course at St Andrews links, $420–$440

The Home of Golf — Swilcan Bridge, the Road Hole, and the Valley of Sin. Closed Sundays; book via the ballot or advance reservation

Dinner

The Seafood Ristoranteseafood, $$$ · 4.3★

Glass-walled dining room over the West Sands with Italian-leaning seafood and sunset views

After Dark

The Dunvegan Hotel Barwhiskey bar · Open late

The famous "19th hole" — walls plastered with golf memorabilia and the caddie crowd

Day 2

Morning — Golf

New Course at St Andrews links, $180–$215

Old Tom Morris 1895 design that many locals quietly prefer to the Old Course

Afternoon — Activity

Luvians Whisky Tasting1-2 hours, $30–$70/pp

Guided single-malt flights at the town's legendary bottle shop — perfect arrival-night warm-up

Dinner

Haarupscale, $$$ · 4.6★

Chef Dean Banks' modern Scottish tasting menus — the town's serious foodie reservation

After Dark

The Keys Barwhiskey bar · Open late

Pub serving since 1858 with 300+ single malts behind the bar

Day 3

Morning — Golf

Jubilee Course at St Andrews links, $180–$215

The toughest of the Links Trust courses — closest to the sea and most exposed to the wind

Afternoon — Activity

Fife Coastal Path & St Andrews Castlehalf day, $10–$15/pp

Walk the cliff path to the ruined castle and cathedral on a rare non-golf morning

Dinner

Mitchells St Andrewscasual, $$ · 4.1★

All-day British brasserie that easily handles a hungry foursome after 36 holes

After Dark

Central Bardive · Open late

Classic town pub pulling Belhaven ales — the no-frills local where everyone ends up

The Rota

Course-by-Course Guide

St Andrews has 6 courses worth playing, including 3 bucket-list tier layouts. 6 are walkable if you want to save on cart fees.

Old Course at St AndrewsBucket List

The Home of Golf — Swilcan Bridge, the Road Hole, and the Valley of Sin. Closed Sundays; book via the ballot or advance reservation

Walkable
$420–$440
Par 72 · 6,721 yds
links
New Course at St AndrewsPremium

Old Tom Morris 1895 design that many locals quietly prefer to the Old Course

Walkable
$180–$215
Par 71 · 6,625 yds
links
Jubilee Course at St AndrewsPremium

The toughest of the Links Trust courses — closest to the sea and most exposed to the wind

Walkable
$180–$215
Par 72 · 6,742 yds
links
Kingsbarns Golf LinksBucket List

Modern links where every single hole has a sea view — a Dunhill Links Championship venue

Walkable
$505–$620
Par 72 · 7,227 yds
links
Carnoustie Golf Links (Championship)Bucket List

"Carnasty" — widely considered the toughest finish in Open Championship golf

Walkable
$455–$460
Par 72 · 6,945 yds
links
Castle Course at St AndrewsPremium

Dramatic 2008 clifftop course with sweeping views back across the bay to the town

Walkable
$215–$235
Par 71 · 6,759 yds
links
Base Camp

Where to Stay

St Andrews has 2 group-friendly lodging options in our database, starting at $400/night for the whole house.

resort houseSleeps 1218

$655–$865 /night

Old Course Hotel — five-star property overlooking the famous Road Hole, steps from the first tee

on-site golfspamultiple restaurantsRoad Hole viewsconcierge
houseSleeps 814

$400–$1200 /night

Town-center stone townhouses and apartments within walking distance of the Old Course and the pubs

town-center locationfull kitchenwalkable to courseswalkable to pubs
The Table

Group Dining Guide

3 restaurants vetted for group golf trips. Several can handle large parties without a reservation headache.

The Seafood Ristorante

$$$
seafood

Glass-walled dining room over the West Sands with Italian-leaning seafood and sunset views

4.3$30-60/personReservation needed

Haar

$$$
upscale

Chef Dean Banks' modern Scottish tasting menus — the town's serious foodie reservation

4.6$30-60/personReservation needed

Mitchells St Andrews

$$
casual

All-day British brasserie that easily handles a hungry foursome after 36 holes

4.1$15-30/person
After the Round

Nightlife

3 bars curated for groups. 3 stay open past midnight.

The Dunvegan Hotel Bar

Late night
whiskey bar

The famous "19th hole" — walls plastered with golf memorabilia and the caddie crowd

The Keys Bar

Late night
whiskey bar

Pub serving since 1858 with 300+ single malts behind the bar

Central Bar

Late night
dive

Classic town pub pulling Belhaven ales — the no-frills local where everyone ends up

Off Days

Activities Beyond Golf

2 off-course activities for rest days or afternoons.

Luvians Whisky Tasting

distillery1-2 hours$30–$70/pp

Guided single-malt flights at the town's legendary bottle shop — perfect arrival-night warm-up

Fife Coastal Path & St Andrews Castle

hikinghalf day$10–$15/pp

Walk the cliff path to the ruined castle and cathedral on a rare non-golf morning

Logistics

Getting There

Fly into Edinburgh Airport (EDI) — it's a 75-minute drive to St Andrews. For groups of 8+, consider booking a shuttle or party bus from the airport (local providers include St Andrews Shuttle and Fife Golf Travel). Renting two SUVs usually works for groups of 4-8.

Ready when you are

Build the St Andrews trip.

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