Alrighty, folks, so apparently more than 14,500 Scottish golfers have thrown their hats into the ring for a chance to play at the iconic St Andrews Links courses at a discounted rate. This whole shebang is part of some initiative to make the Home of Golf more accessible to the masses. Between May and October 2025, a total of 179 tee times are up for grabs as part of The Drive, giving local golfers a shot at playing for less moolah.
The first batch of tee times was for the Old Course and the Eden Course in May and June, and let me tell ya, the demand was through the roof. We’re talking 14,547 golfers vying for just 81 four-ball times. That’s a whole lot of people wanting to swing those clubs on those lush greens. Most folks were gunning for two-ball tee times, making the odds of snagging a spot one in 90. The remaining tee times for the Castle and Jubilee Courses in September and October will be up for grabs starting on August 6, 2025.
In the inaugural year of The Drive, a grand total of 716 lucky golfers will get to tee off on the Old, Castle, Jubilee, and Eden courses at a whopping 87.5% discount on the usual high season fees. Those lucky ducks who score an Old Course tee time through the ballot will only have to fork over £42.50, while a round at the Eden Course will set them back a measly £9.50. The Castle Course will cost £22.50, down from a whopping £180, and the Jubilee Course will be a steal at £18.75 instead of the usual £150.
The bigwigs over at the Links Trust are already eyeing ways to expand The Drive in 2026 due to the overwhelming interest in the initiative. Neil Coulson, the Chief Executive of St Andrews Links Trust, is over the moon about the response from Scottish golfers and is all about opening up access to the sport. They’re all about making sure golfers of all stripes can experience the magic of St Andrews Links. So, for all you lucky ducks who managed to snag a tee time, get ready to tee off and enjoy some top-notch golfing action. Cheers to that!
