Golf decisions
Old Course booking: compare the ballot, singles draw and advance route
Choose an Old Course access route around party size and when you can be in St Andrews. The group ballot accepts remote entry; the Singles Daily Draw requires attendance the previous day. An advance package has its own application season.
Competitive Play · Updated October 24, 2026
Four fictional presence-and-timing decisions
Original teaching comparison
Four fictional presence-and-timing decisionsWhich facts apply?
CASE 01
Fictional: two friends nearby
Two golfers can play two days after entering and can remain flexible.
Compare the ordinary ballot, supply both players' required details and keep a fallback plan until the result is known.
CASE 02
Fictional: solo traveler in another city
A golfer plans to arrive only on the morning of the desired round.
The singles process requires a visit the previous day. Move the arrival block or choose another plan; a remote application is not the published route.
CASE 03
Fictional: planning 2027 in late October
A group wants to submit a new Swilcan application immediately.
The official 2027 window closed October 6, 2026. Do not build the trip around a new application that is no longer being accepted.
CASE 04
Fictional: prepaid fallback round
A golfer plans another Links course while awaiting the Old Course ballot.
Check the fallback's own change rules. Its prepaid green fee cannot be transferred as part payment for a successful Old Course ballot.
Fictional route timelines based on official pages read October 24, 2026. No entry or booking was made, and no success probability is implied.
The short version
- The ordinary ballot requires at least two named players.
- The singles route requires attendance the previous day; overnight queuing has ended.
- The 2027 Swilcan application window is already closed as of October 24, 2026.
Ordinary ballot: remote entry, uncertain result
St Andrews Links says the ballot is drawn two days before an eligible playing day. The Sunday restriction concerns play, not the day when a draw can occur. Entries require at least two players and every player's name, home club and handicap. The published closing time is 2 pm two days before the hoped-for round, with results after 4: 30 pm that day. There is no Friday ballot for Sunday play because the Old Course is closed for Sunday play. Check tournament closures separately.
Entering online does not require a day-before visit to St Andrews, but success still leaves a real arrival obligation. The official page requires a current qualifying handicap record, a maximum handicap of thirty-six, and check-in at least twenty minutes before the time. Only named golfers may play; duplicate entries are disqualified.
Singles: arrive the day before, then monitor the offer
The dedicated Singles Daily Draw page describes an in-person visit to designated locations, entry details on a provided tablet and a photograph for identification. Its FAQ says the draw replaces overnight and on-the-day queuing. Confirmation and offers arrive by email and, when a number is provided, SMS. Accept an offer within its stated response period.
The official pages currently conflict on entry hours and locations: the ballot page says 9 am–4 pm at two locations, while the dedicated singles page says 9 am–5 pm at four. Confirm directly before planning a tight arrival, and leave a morning or early-afternoon visit block. The dedicated page requires check-in at least twenty minutes before play with a valid handicap certificate.
Advance planning: separate a published package from an open application
The official Swilcan page labels its offer 2027 and describes two rounds on consecutive days, including the Old Course, plus stated credits and range balls. Its application period ran September 23 through October 6, 2026, and the page now explicitly says that window is closed.
The operator says applications were not processed first come, with allocation determined through a lottery and applicants advised before the end of October. A closed application season cannot be treated as a live booking option. Keep alternative golf and accommodation terms compatible with uncertainty, and check future official announcements rather than projecting the next application dates.
Follow the related task
Sources and scope
Written primary-source material checked October 24, 2026. Examples and diagrams are original educational illustrations.
Your next move
Read the source teaching
Check the full explanation and the conditions that apply to your task.
Read the source teaching(Official source), opens in a new tabKeep reading
Sources and review
- What it covers
- Three-route presence timeline based on current rendered primary bodies. Explicit conflicting singles hours/locations retained; future window not inferred, no entries or success odds. Written source text checked 2026-10-24.
- Checked
Primary sources
What this page cannot tell you
- No live tee-time or room availability, actual course play, measured driving route, independent course ranking or complete trip quote is supplied. Confirm the operator’s applicable terms before paying.