Can you afford a round of golf at St Andrews?

Golf Nut, I heard recently that a round of golf at the Old Course at St. Andrews can cost as much as $1,800. Is this true or is there a way to play this great golf course for an affordable price?

Unbelievable as it sounds, it can cost that much to play the Old Course at St. Andrews in Scotland. This is a golf course that many golfers dream of getting a chance to play, even if just one time. I read recently that the reason for the high price is that a fair number of the rounds each year for the “home of golf” have been purchased in advance by tour companies and bundled in packages. Hence this extremely high price (and they call me nuts!)
But don’t despair, there is another way. In fact there are a couple of ways. I saw in a recent article that about half of the rounds of golf each year at the Old Course are sold in a lottery. To be considered for one of these rounds, you simply sign up the day before you want to play. And you must do this by 2pm either in person or over the phone. Now as high risk as this sounds, a lot of golf groups get on this way, it might take a day or two, but there are plenty of golf courses in the area to play while you wait.
You also have the option of showing up as a single and putting your name on a list to be matched up with a twosome or threesome. If you are planning a golf trip to Scotland anyway and are going to stay for more than a couple of days, either of these choices can be a good option.
If you need a more confirmed approach, you can also have good luck by booking in advance for the following year. Yes, I know that is a pain, but if you are planning on going and can plan in advance and be flexible on dates, you have a very good chance of getting a tee time for a memorable golf experience.
Now here’s the payoff. Using either of these methods can get you a tee time for a little over $200 instead of the unbelievable $1,800 price. So you can play the golf course know round the world as the “Old Course” and you don’t have to mortgage the house to do it.