When to Come to Scotland — and What a Golf Trip Really Costs

The two questions I am asked more than any others: when should we come, and what will it cost? Honest answers to both.

When to come

May, June and September are the magic months — long daylight, the courses in their best condition, and the crowds just short of their peak. June gives you daylight until after 10pm; you can play 36 holes and still have an evening.

July and August are peak season: everything is open and buzzing, but prices are highest, tee sheets are fullest and you are sharing the town with the world.

April and October are the value play — quieter, cheaper, and the golf is still tremendous. October fairways run fast and the light is beautiful. You take a little more weather risk, and that is the honest trade.

November to March is for the romantics. Courses are open, prices drop hard, and you will have stretches of links to yourself — but you are gambling on the sky, and some facilities run reduced hours.

What a trip really costs

Rough, honest numbers per golfer for a proper week-long Scotland golf trip, as of 2026:

• Green fees: the Old Course is around £340 in high season; other championship links run roughly £200–£400 each. Budget £1,200–£2,000 for five or six marquee rounds — less if you mix in the brilliant second-tier courses at £80–£150.
• Guaranteed Old Course time via an agency: add £300–£450 if you cannot risk the ballot.
• Accommodation: £120–£250 a night for a good guesthouse or hotel share in season; St Andrews itself commands a premium. Staying 20 minutes out saves real money.
• Car hire: £40–£80 a day from Edinburgh airport. You want the car — the great courses are scattered and the freedom is worth every penny. Compare rental prices across 500+ companies here.
• Caddies: fees run £60–£80 per bag depending on the course, booked through each course, plus gratuity on top — budget £120–£140 all-in per round and you will be about right. Worth it at least once — a good caddie is the difference between playing a links and understanding one.
• Food and drink: £50–£80 a day does you well, more if the whisky list gets interesting.

All in, a serious week runs £3,000–£5,000 per golfer with good planning — and can be done for meaningfully less if you travel shoulder season, share rooms, and balance the bucket-list courses with the hidden gems. That balance, done right, is where a trip goes from good to great.

Planning a trip? Tell me about it and I’ll give you an honest steer — it costs you nothing.

Transparency: some links on this page are affiliate links — if you book through them this site earns a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only link to services I would use myself.