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Ballot Strike-Rates
MONTH OF THE YEAR
APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT 59% 21% 20% 16% 14% 17% 19% DAY OF THE WEEK
MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT SUN 20% 21% 16% 23% 15% 30% n/a -
St Andrews 'Guaranteed' Tee Times
There is a heavy price premium on a guarantee a tee-time. Plus they usually involve a minimum hotel stay in St Andrews of at least three nights, playing an additional St Andrews course is mandatory, and normally a minimum food & drink spend in a specified hotel. Faraway Fairways wouldn't be completely convinced a guaranteed tee-time is worth pursuing for this tour, especially as they aren't sold for weekends anyway.
An aggressive and determined application of the walk-up rule, allied to a normal ballot application or two, should tilt the odds in your favour
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Handicap requirements
St Andrews advise the following for the Old Course. “A current official handicap card (Golf Club affiliated to a Golf Union/Association) record or certificate must be presented to the starter prior to play. Maximum handicaps – 36 for both gentlemen and ladies. St Andrews will not accept letters of introduction from a local Club Professional”.
Carnoustie operates a handicap threshold of 28 for gentlemen, and 36 for ladies respectively.
North Berwick operates a handicap threshold of 24 for gentlemen, and 36 for ladies respectively.
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Some known issues to consider
St Andrews, Carnoustie, and Kingsbarns jointly host the Dunhill Links challenge in the first week of October
Despite its remote location, Royal Dornoch does sell-out and is amongst the first courses to come under pressure. We advise that you think in terms of a planning horizon of July for play the following year
Castle Stuart and Royal Aberdeen do periodically host the Scottish Open which will close them down from about mid June until early/ mid-July