The Alfred Dunhill Links Championship not only regularly attracts of the world’s best players to its field, but it is held on three of Scotland’s most iconic courses.
The first three days of action sees players rotating between Carnoustie, Kingsbarns and the Home of Golf, the Old Course at St Andrews, before the latter takes center stage for the final round.
The good news is that all three courses are open to the public, but how much does it cost to play each?
Carnoustie
Carnoustie has three courses, but it’s the Championship Course where some of the game’s most famous moments have unfolded, including one of the worst chokes at The Open, which saw Jean van de Velde’s 72nd-hole collapse in 1999.
Needing a double-bogey six to claim the title, he made a triple-bogey seven, leaving the door open for Scot Paul Lawrie and US star Justin Leonard to compete in a playoff for the title, which Lawrie eventually won.
It has also hosted the Open on seven other occasions, most recently in 2018, when Francesco Molinari became the first Italian Major winner. Carnoustie has also been the venue for the Women’s Open twice and the Senior Open three times.
Green fees for the Championship Course are £300 ($398) for adults until the end of October 2024. For players aged between aged between 14 and 18, it’s £150 ($200), while for those 13 and younger, its £75 ($100).
For the 2025 season, adults pay £222 ($295) between 1 and 30 April, rising to £321 ($426) between 1 May and 31 October.
For 14 to 18-year-olds, the fee is £162 ($215) all year, while for players aged 13 and younger, it is £81 ($108).
Kingsbarns
Kingsbarns only opened in 2000, but nowadays, it is regarded as one of the best courses in Scotland.
The Kyle Phillips layout is set along a beautiful stretch of coastline just seven miles from St Andrews.
The sea is visible from almost every hole, and the course has plenty of character despite its relatively young age. Its contemporary design also works seamlessly with the natural, rugged landscape to make it an exceptional example of a modern links course.
Between now and 3 November, after which the course shuts for the season, a round costs £418 ($555), which is reduced to £250 ($332) for those wishing to play again within a week.
Green fees for the 2025 season have also been set. A round costs £378 ($502) between 29 March and 30 April and a fee of £277 ($368) is charged for those wishing to return within seven days. Between 1 May and 3 November 2025, it will cost £448 ($595), reduced to £269 ($357) for another round within seven days.
The Old Course, St Andrews
The Alfred Dunhill Links Championship focuses solely on the Old Course for its final round, and it’s impossible to think of a grander statement for a tournament than for it to conclude at the world’s most famous course.
The layout on its own is something to behold, with its wide fairways, double greens and world-famous bunkers, but such is the history of the Old Course, its appeal stretches way beyond the challenge of playing it.
After all, the course's evolution is credited to the grandfather of golf, Old Tom Morris, and its landmarks, from the R&A Clubhouse to the Swilcan Bridge, are as iconic as you'll find anywhere.
The Old Course has also hosted The Open 30 times, and almost every great of the game has walked its fairways at some point, making playing it a truly unique and unforgettable experience.
Until 13 October this year, green fees are £320 ($425) for all age ranges, reducing to £225 ($403) between 14 and 31 October.
Between 1 November and 31 March 2025, fees are set at £160 ($287), rising to £225 ($300) between 1 and 13 April, with prices set at £340 ($452) during the high season between 14 April and 19 October. Between 20 October and 31 October, you’ll pay £240 ($319).
One caveat is that anyone wishing to play must enter an online ballot, which is drawn 48 hours before play begins. There must be a minimum of two and a maximum of four players to enter.
