The Old Course at St. Andrews costs £300 per round. Muirfield costs £350. Turnberry costs £400.
You can play 20 rounds at excellent Scottish courses for the cost of one round at St. Andrews.
This is your guide to doing exactly that.
The Affordable Links You’ve Never Heard Of
Crail Golfing Society (Balcomie Links) - £60 The seventh-oldest golf club in the world. Sits on cliffs above the North Sea. Views that rival any famous course. Greens that run true. Wind that never stops. This is pure links golf without the tourist markup.
Lundin Links - £70 Right next to Leven Links. Same coastline. Same wind. Same challenge. But Lundin has better conditioning and more interesting holes. The back nine along the beach is as good as any stretch of links golf in Scotland.
Montrose Medal Course - £55 The fifth-oldest course in the world. Hosted qualifying for The Open. Firm, fast, and unforgiving. If you can score here, you can score anywhere. Plus, the town of Montrose is charming and cheap.
Gullane No. 1 - £120 Okay, this one’s not cheap. But it’s half the price of Muirfield and just as good. Sits on the same stretch of coastline. Same views. Same challenge. Locals will tell you it’s actually better than Muirfield because it’s more natural.
Brora Golf Club - £70 In the Scottish Highlands. Sheep graze on the fairways. The course is quirky, fun, and utterly unique. Worth the drive north just for the experience. Plus, Brora has the best whisky distillery in Scotland. Not relevant to golf, but definitely relevant to your trip.
The Municipal Courses That Shame American Privates
Scotland has dozens of municipal courses that would be $200+ rounds in America. They’re maintained by local councils, open to the public, and absurdly affordable.
Carnoustie Championship Course - £250 Wait, that’s not cheap. But Carnoustie also has two other courses: Burnside (£60) and Buddon (£40). Both are excellent. Both use the same land. You can play all three for less than one round on the Championship Course.
North Berwick West Links - £120 One of the most fun courses in Scotland. Quirky holes, blind shots, stone walls, and a green on the beach. This is golf the way it was meant to be played. Book months in advance—it’s popular for good reason.
Prestwick Golf Club - £250 The birthplace of The Open Championship. Okay, also not cheap. But it’s a private club that allows visitors, which is rare. And it’s one of the most historically significant courses in golf. Worth splurging on.
Where to Stay (Without Staying in a Castle)
Airbnb in small towns - £50-80/night Skip Edinburgh and St. Andrews. Stay in Anstruther, Elie, Crail, or North Berwick. These coastal towns are charming, walkable, and cheap. Plus, you’re closer to the courses.
Golf hotel packages - £100-150/night Many hotels near courses offer golf packages: room + breakfast + one round. Often cheaper than booking separately. Check Old Course Hotel alternatives in St. Andrews—there are a dozen hotels offering similar packages for half the price.
Hostels - £25-40/night Scotland has excellent hostels. Private rooms available. Clean, safe, social. If you’re traveling solo or don’t need luxury, this is the move.
How to Get Around
Rent a car - £30-50/day Essential if you’re playing multiple courses. Scotland is small. You can drive from Edinburgh to St. Andrews in 90 minutes. Edinburgh to Carnoustie in 90 minutes. St. Andrews to Crail in 20 minutes.
Train + taxi - Variable Scotland’s train system is excellent. You can reach most major towns by train, then taxi to courses. More expensive than driving but less stressful.
Golf tour companies - £150-250/day Companies like PerryGolf and Golfbreaks offer guided tours. They handle logistics, transportation, and bookings. Worth it if you’re playing premium courses and want everything arranged.
The 7-Day Itinerary for £1,500
Day 1: Fly into Edinburgh. Rent car. Drive to North Berwick. Play North Berwick West Links (£120). Stay in North Berwick (£70).
Day 2: Play Gullane No. 1 (£120). Drive to St. Andrews. Stay in Anstruther (£60).
Day 3: Play Crail Balcomie Links (£60). Afternoon: walk the Old Course for free. Stay in Anstruther (£60).
Day 4: Play Lundin Links (£70). Drive to Carnoustie. Stay in Carnoustie (£70).
Day 5: Play Carnoustie Burnside (£60). Drive to Montrose. Play Montrose Medal (£55). Stay in Montrose (£60).
Day 6: Drive north to Brora (3 hours). Play Brora (£70). Stay in Brora (£70).
Day 7: Drive back to Edinburgh. Fly home.
Total: £1,475 (golf + lodging + car rental)
Add £500 for food, gas, and whisky. You’ve played seven excellent courses, stayed in charming towns, and spent less than one round at Pebble Beach.
The Booking Strategy
Book tee times 3-6 months in advance. Scottish courses fill up, especially in summer. Most allow online booking.
Play in shoulder season (April-May or September-October). Cheaper rates, fewer crowds, better availability. Weather is unpredictable but that’s true year-round in Scotland.
Ask about twilight rates. Many courses offer discounted rates after 3 PM. In summer, you can play until 9 PM. Full 18 holes for half price.
Join a club for reciprocal access. Some Scottish clubs offer reciprocal privileges with American clubs. If your home club has reciprocal agreements, you can play for free or heavily discounted.
What to Pack
- Rain gear. It will rain. Accept this. Embrace this. Pack accordingly.
- Layers. Morning: cold. Afternoon: warm. Evening: cold again. Dress in layers.
- Wind shirt. The wind is relentless. A good wind shirt is essential.
- Extra gloves. They’ll get wet. Bring five pairs.
- Low-spin ball. The wind will destroy high-spin balls. Play something that stays down.
The Courses to Skip
St. Andrews Old Course - Unless you’re a golf historian or have unlimited budget, skip it. It’s expensive, overrated, and you’ll spend the whole round thinking about how much it costs. Play the New Course instead (£80) or walk the Old Course for free.
Kingsbarns - Beautiful but overpriced at £300. It’s a modern course designed to look like a links. Just play actual links courses instead.
Trump Turnberry - £400+ and you’re giving money to… well, you know. Plenty of better courses for less money.
The Truth About Scottish Golf
The famous courses are famous for a reason. They’re historically significant. They host majors. They’re bucket-list experiences.
But they’re not necessarily better golf. The £60 course at Crail is just as challenging, just as scenic, and just as fun as the £300 course at St. Andrews.
Scottish golf is about the land, the wind, the history, and the experience. You don’t need to spend a fortune to get that.
Play the affordable courses. Stay in small towns. Drive the coastal roads. Drink the local whisky. Talk to the locals.
That’s the real Scottish golf experience.
And it costs a fraction of what the tour companies charge.
