Links committee announces new charges

The Courier, 11 October 2000

The thousands of visiting golfers who make the annual pilgrimage to St Andrews to play over the Old Course will pay £85 for the privilege of following in the footsteps of the sport’s stars next season. Following the annual review of charges, St Andrews Links Management Committee yesterday announced full details of the green fees which will come into operation on April 1.

A single round on the Old Course - scene of Tiger Woods’ Open Championship success in July - has been increased by £5 during the high season, from April 1 to October 31, next year.

The high season charges on the New Course will rise from £40 to £42 for adults and by £1 to £21 for players under 16. Over the championship-standard Jubilee links the fees will increase from £35 to £37 for adults and by £1 to £18 for under-16s, while the Eden Course is upped to £28, an extra £3 for adults, and by £2 to £14 for the junior category.

On the Strathtyrum Course a round will cost an extra £1 at £18 for adults and half that figure for under-16s, with fees on the nine-hole Balgove Course increased from £7 to £10 for adults and from £2 to £3 for the lower age groups.

The chairman of the LMC, Alistair Nicoll, said yesterday, “The new green fees take account of inflation and the cost on quality courses elsewhere. Our continued drive to improve the condition of the courses has to be sustained and the new green fees represent excellent value for money."

High-season tickets for all courses, except the Old, will rise from £87 to £95 for an adult for three days and from £180 to £190 for a seven-day ticket. The prices for those under 16 will be £47 from £43 for three days and £95, an increase of £5, for seven days.

The charges for high-season period tickets for the Balgove Course only will remain at £18 for adults and £5 for under-16s for three days and £36 and £10 respectively for seven days. For the current season the committee froze green fees on three of its six courses, with increases only on the Old Course, along with the New and Eden courses.