Destination · Scotland

St Andrews & East Lothian

Fife & East Lothian (Scotland)

St Andrews Old Course, Kingsbarns, North Berwick, Muirfield, and the Honourable Company - the cradle of golf, on its home turf.

Updated May 2026 · By the Pinseekers Travel team

The short answer

St Andrews and East Lothian together make up the densest concentration of historic links in Scotland - within a 90-minute drive sit the Old Course at St Andrews, the New Course, the Jubilee, Kingsbarns, the Castle Course, North Berwick, Gullane, and Muirfield (with member host). Pinseekers Travel runs 7-9 night trips here for groups of 8-16. Best months are May through September. The Old Course is accessed via the daily ballot or guaranteed advance booking on premium tiers.

Plan in depth

For the full planning treatment - cost tiers by month, courses profiled in detail, three sample itineraries, and the building-the-trip FAQ - read the Scotland planning guide (Highlands + St Andrews).

Best season

May - September

Trip length

7-9 nights / 6-8 rounds

Group size

8 - 16 players

Pricing from

$7,500 - $13,000 per player

Best for

Bucket-list pilgrimage, milestone trips, history-conscious golfers

Fly into

EDI (Edinburgh, 90 min to St Andrews)

On the Ground

“The Old Course ballot is a coin flip and groups get unhappy when they miss. We always book a guaranteed advance round on the premium tier and treat ballot success as a bonus. The other move is sequencing: open with North Berwick or Gullane to get your eye on Scottish links, then play the Old Course on day three or four when you've earned the moment.”

Billy Belair, PGA Professional · Co-Founder, Pinseekers Travel

The courses we play

CourseDesignerType
Old Course at St AndrewsNature / centuries of evolution (formalized by Old Tom Morris)Original links
New Course at St AndrewsOld Tom Morris (1895)Classic links
Kingsbarns Golf LinksKyle Phillips & Mark Parsinen (2000)Modern coastal links
Muirfield (Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers)Old Tom Morris (1891) / Harry Colt (1925)Members' links
North Berwick - West LinksFounded 1832; evolved with David Strath, Ben Sayers & othersQuirky historic links
Gullane No. 1Willie Park Sr. (1882)Classic upland links

Old Course at St Andrews

Nature / centuries of evolution (formalized by Old Tom Morris) · Original links · 7,318 yds, par 72

The home of golf. Hosted The Open Championship 30 times (most recent: 2022, won by Cameron Smith). Walking the Swilcan Bridge on 18 is the bucket-list moment in golf.

New Course at St Andrews

Old Tom Morris (1895) · Classic links · 6,625 yds, par 71

Old Tom's other St Andrews course - narrower than the Old, sharing the same coastal land but with its own identity. Often more available than the Old.

Kingsbarns Golf Links

Kyle Phillips & Mark Parsinen (2000) · Modern coastal links · 7,227 yds, par 72

Built on rolling farmland 7 miles south of St Andrews; Kyle Phillips' modern masterpiece. Routinely top-50 in the world. Co-host of the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship.

Muirfield (Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers)

Old Tom Morris (1891) / Harry Colt (1925) · Members' links · 7,245 yds, par 71

Host of 16 Open Championships. Members-only club - visitor windows are limited (Tuesday & Thursday mornings) and tee times must be applied for in writing well in advance. We arrange access for premium tiers when possible.

North Berwick - West Links

Founded 1832; evolved with David Strath, Ben Sayers & others · Quirky historic links · 6,420 yds, par 71

One of the oldest courses still in continuous use. Stone walls, blind shots, the original 'Redan' template hole (15th). Quirky, charming, and a beloved counterpoint to the major-championship venues.

Gullane No. 1

Willie Park Sr. (1882) · Classic upland links · 6,879 yds, par 71

Played host to recent Scottish Opens. Sweeping views from Gullane Hill across the Firth of Forth. The most playable of the Gullane three (No. 1, No. 2, No. 3 share the same ridge).

Sample itinerary

A representative routing - every Pinseekers trip is tuned to the group's travel windows, handicaps, and tee-time preferences.

Day 1

Arrive Edinburgh

Land EDI by midday. Transfer to The Old Course Hotel in St Andrews (or Rusacks if hotel is full). Welcome dinner at the Adamson with views of the auld grey toon.

Day 2

New Course or Jubilee - warm-up

Caddie round on the New Course (or Jubilee, depending on tee sheet). Lunch at the Hams Hame at Rusacks. Afternoon: walking tour of St Andrews (R&A clubhouse, the cathedral ruins, the Royal Burgh).

Day 3

Old Course at St Andrews - the marquee round

Caddie round on the Old Course. Walk over the Swilcan Bridge on 18, photo at the Royal & Ancient Clubhouse. Lunch at the Jigger Inn. Group dinner at the Road Hole Restaurant.

Day 4

Kingsbarns

Caddie round at Kingsbarns (10 min south). Lunch in the dramatic modern clubhouse with cliff views. Afternoon: Crail Golfing Society for a quick 9 (one of the world's oldest clubs) or rest day in St Andrews.

Day 5

Transfer to East Lothian

Drive south across the Firth of Forth (1 hour) to Gullane. Check into Greywalls Hotel (right beside Muirfield, Lutyens-designed Edwardian masterpiece) or Marine North Berwick. Dinner at La Potinière in Gullane.

Day 6

North Berwick West Links

Caddie round at North Berwick. Lunch at the clubhouse with views to Bass Rock. Afternoon: Tantallon Castle (medieval ruin on the cliffs) or Bass Rock seabird boat tour. Dinner at the Marine.

Day 7

Gullane No. 1

Round at Gullane No. 1. Lunch in Gullane village. Afternoon: Edinburgh city evening (Royal Mile, Edinburgh Castle) or rest day at Greywalls before the Day-8 marquee round.

Day 8

Muirfield (premium) or Old Course replay

Premium-tier groups: Muirfield Tuesday/Thursday morning round (with foursomes format and lunch in the Honourable Company clubhouse). Standard groups: Old Course replay (ballot dependent) or Crail Balcomie Links. Farewell dinner at Greywalls or the Old Course Hotel.

Day 9

Departure

Departures from EDI. Easy 30-min transfer from Gullane / 90 min from St Andrews.

Lodging & basecamp

Basecamp: Old Course Hotel (St Andrews) + Greywalls Hotel or Marine North Berwick (East Lothian)

We split the trip between Fife (St Andrews-area courses) and East Lothian (Muirfield, North Berwick, Gullane). The Old Course Hotel sits beside the Road Hole - pure St Andrews. Greywalls is the Edwardian gem next to Muirfield's first tee. Premium groups can also stay at Rusacks or the Fairmont St Andrews; Black Card upgrades to private estates in East Lothian.

When to go

May, June, and September are the sweet spots - long daylight, dry weather, peak conditioning. July and August are busier (peak British vacation, plus tournament season - the Genesis Scottish Open and Open Championship rota close venues for weeks). Avoid October-April; the East Lothian and Fife winters close most clubhouses and shorten daylight to 7 hours.

Getting there & transfers

EDI (Edinburgh) is the only sensible airport - direct from JFK, EWR, BOS, ORD, IAD, ATL, PHL on multiple carriers. From EDI it's 90 minutes to St Andrews and 30 minutes to Gullane. Pinseekers arranges minibus transfers and an in-country driver for the duration.

Pricing tiers

Indicative ranges. Final quotes depend on group size, season, lodging, and tee-time tier - email events@pinseekerstravel.com for a custom build.

Standard

$7,500 - $9,000 per player

  • · 7 nights, mix of Old Course Hotel (or Rusacks) and Marine North Berwick
  • · 6 rounds (New Course, Old Course, Kingsbarns, North Berwick, Gullane No. 1 + 1 replay)
  • · Caddies on Old Course, Kingsbarns, North Berwick
  • · Breakfast daily, three group dinners
  • · Minibus transfers and in-country driver

Premium

$9,000 - $11,000 per player

  • · 8 nights with one upgrade night at Greywalls Hotel
  • · 7 rounds (adds Crail Balcomie or a Castle Course round)
  • · Caddies on every round
  • · Guaranteed Old Course advance booking (no ballot dependency)
  • · Whisky tasting at the Lindores Abbey Distillery

Black Card

$11,000 - $15,000 per player

  • · 9 nights with private estate lodging in East Lothian
  • · 8 rounds with arranged Muirfield round (when available)
  • · Old Course Old Tom Morris private dining experience
  • · Edinburgh city day with private guide and Edinburgh Castle private after-hours tour
  • · Private aviation EDI coordination

Tipping & budget tips

  • Old Course access: (1) Daily ballot - submitted 48 hours in advance, ~20% acceptance; (2) advance guaranteed booking via the Old Course Experience or hospitality packages (premium tier); (3) walk-on single-player slots at sunrise. Pinseekers builds the Old Course into Premium and Black Card tiers as guaranteed.
  • Caddie tips at the Old Course and Kingsbarns run £50-£70 per bag, cash, end of round.
  • Muirfield access (Honourable Company) is members-and-guests-with-application only - Tuesday/Thursday morning visitor windows; written application 12 months out. Foursomes format mandatory in the morning; lunch in the clubhouse (jacket required) is part of the experience.
  • St Andrews village restaurants (Adamson, Tailend, Forgan's) book 8-12 weeks ahead in summer.

Common questions about St Andrews & East Lothian golf trips

How much does a St Andrews & East Lothian golf trip cost per person?

Pinseekers Travel St Andrews & East Lothian trips run $7,500 - $13,000 per player. Final pricing depends on group size, season, lodging tier, the caddie program, and whether you add premium rounds or off-property activities. We publish standard, premium, and black-card tiers on this page; email events@pinseekerstravel.com with your dates and roster size and we'll come back with a custom quote within one business day.

What is the best time of year for a St Andrews & East Lothian golf trip?

The prime window for St Andrews & East Lothian is May - September. Conditioning, weather, and tee-time access all peak in that range. Shoulder months can drop pricing 20-30% with most days still playable. We don't book outside the prime window unless the group prefers off-season value over guaranteed weather - the "When to go" section above breaks down each month in detail.

How many days should a St Andrews & East Lothian golf trip be?

Most St Andrews & East Lothian groups travel for 7-9 nights / 6-8 rounds. Shorter than that and the marquee rounds feel rushed; longer and fatigue cuts into scoring on the closing days. We size every trip to the group's travel windows, handicaps, and how many courses they want to play - the sample itinerary on this page is one representative routing, not the only shape the trip can take.

What are the must-play courses at St Andrews & East Lothian?

The marquee rounds we sequence on a St Andrews & East Lothian trip are Old Course at St Andrews, New Course at St Andrews, Kingsbarns Golf Links, Muirfield (Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers). Each is profiled in "The courses we play" section above with designer, course type, and the strategic reason it earns a tee time on the schedule. Additional add-on rounds and replay options are available for groups that want to extend the trip or get a second crack at a favorite layout.

What's the closest airport to St Andrews & East Lothian?

Most groups fly into EDI (Edinburgh, 90 min to St Andrews). Pinseekers arranges group transfers from the airport to the basecamp and between courses for groups of four or more, with larger groups split across multiple vans. Private aviation arrivals are coordinated separately when the group has access. The "Getting there & transfers" section above lists the alternates worth considering.

Can I ship my golf clubs to St Andrews & East Lothian?

Yes. Pinseekers handles club shipping on every trip via Ship Sticks or Luggage Forward, with door-to-door pickup from your home or club and delivery to the resort bag room before arrival. Most groups ship one direction and fly back with their sticks; we coordinate the pickup window, the labels, and the resort hand-off so you land and play.

What's a typical group size for a St Andrews & East Lothian golf trip?

St Andrews & East Lothian trips typically run 8 - 16 players. The format suits bucket-list pilgrimage, milestone trips, history-conscious golfers. Smaller groups (under the listed minimum) are workable but lose tee-time flexibility; larger groups need a custom build and a longer lead time for lodging blocks. Tell us your roster size in the brief and we'll size the routing - and the sample itinerary - around it.

How early should I book a St Andrews & East Lothian golf trip?

Book St Andrews & East Lothian trips six to twelve months ahead for prime-season dates. Marquee rounds and on-property lodging fill earliest, especially over weekends in the May - September window. Off-season and weekday trips can sometimes be confirmed inside 90 days. Send the brief as soon as the group's dates are firm; we hold tee times the same week the contract is signed.

Are caddies available at St Andrews & East Lothian?

Caddies are available at most St Andrews & East Lothian courses and required at a few. Pinseekers books the caddie program with the round - including forecaddies, pro-line caddies, and walking-only setups where the property requires it. We brief every caddie on the group's preferences before the round goes off, and tipping guidance is included in the trip packet so nobody is guessing on the first tee.

Does Pinseekers handle non-golfer activities at St Andrews & East Lothian?

Yes. Pinseekers coordinates non-golfer activities on every St Andrews & East Lothian trip - spa, dining, off-property tours, cultural experiences, fishing, and whatever else the group's spouses or non-golfing partners want to fit in. Tell us in the brief who's traveling and what they want to do, and we'll build the parallel schedule into the trip without making it feel like a separate booking.

Further Reading

Plan your St Andrews & East Lothian trip

Pinseekers Travel runs St Andrews & East Lothian trips end-to-end - tee times, lodging, transfers, dining, and the on-trip schedule. Send a brief and we'll come back with two routings within one business day.

Inquire about St Andrews & East Lothian

Last updated: 2026-05-05