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St Andrews Old Course History Tour, for the Golfer

Recommended by 91% of travelers
Badge of Excellence
St. Andrews, Scotland
High interest
Booked 2 times today.
  • 1 hour 15 minutes (approx.)
  • Mobile ticket
  • Offered in: English

Why travelers loved this

4.7
·
· Lynn_A ·
Jul 2026
This is a perfect tour! Mike (or Mark-sorry… I may have misheard his name) was our guide. He was punctual, friendly, informative and very comfortable to listen to!!! We learned so much about golf history and he knew the best photo sites.. I’d give his tour 10 stars! Thank you. The best 75 minutes we spent in Scotland!
· lisaenglish71 ·
May 2026
Excellent tour outlining the history of St Andrews, including how it has evolved since 500BC plus information on the modern course and some time to watch some golf with photo opportunities on the course. Guide (Graham) was very friendly and personable.

Overview

This small-group tour offers a unique opportunity to gain in-depth insights into the world of golf, all centered around the iconic Old Course. Hear captivating stories about The Open, learn about Nike’s marketing campaigns, and enjoy fun anecdotes about celebrities, such as Sean Connery. With a professional caddie guide who worked at the Old Course in the 1980s, you can uncover fascinating facts and insider stories you wouldn’t hear otherwise.
  • Save the research time: Learn about the history of St Andrews Old Course
  • Discover fascinating golf-related stories from your pro caddie guide
  • Rare opportunity to walk across the fairway of the Old Course
  • A small group means more attention from your guide

What's Included

  • Professional local guide
  • Professionally taken photos on the Swilkan Bridge (excludes tournament days)
  • We also have a private tour on Viator: Private St Andrews Old Course History Tour

Meeting and Pickup

Meeting point

  • Hotel du Vin St Andrews
    40 The Scores, St Andrews KY16 9AS, UK

    Meeting point: Hotel du Vin, 40 The Scores, St Andrews. Richard will see you outside the front of the Hotel for your shared tour. Please be on time as these public tours will not wait. The hotel is also open to the public for refreshments (not included).

End point

  • Swilcan Bridge
    17 The Links, St Andrews KY16 9JE, UK

    Tours finish at the Road Hole, 17th, near the famed Old Course Jigger Inn, where you can relax with beverages and food by the 17th fairway (not included).

Itinerary

1

Hotel du Vin St Andrews

5 minutesAdmission Ticket Free

2

The Links

10 minutesAdmission Ticket Free

3

The Royal & Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews

15 minutesAdmission Ticket Free

4

Grannie Clark's Wynd

15 minutesAdmission Ticket Free

5

Rusacks St Andrews

10 minutesAdmission Ticket Free

6

Swilcan Bridge

10 minutesAdmission Ticket Free

7

The Jigger Inn

10 minutesAdmission Ticket Free

Additional Info

  • Confirmation will be received at time of booking
  • Not wheelchair accessible
  • Service animals allowed
  • Near public transportation
  • Not recommended for travelers with back problems
  • Not recommended for pregnant travelers
  • No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
  • Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
  • Tours not suitable for under 5s
  • A fluent command of English is essential for all participants. Speaking slowly or translating does not work.
  • Not suitable for strollers/carriages
  • Not suitable for Crutches, walking frames, mobility scooters
  • There is nowhere to leave any of the above and golf clubs etc while on tour, so make alternative arrangements
  • Not suitabe for those with new knee/hip replacements, sprainked ankles etc.
  • This tour/activity will have a maximum of 15 travelers

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

Traveler Photos

Gallery picture 1 (from a traveler's review)
Gallery picture 2 (from a traveler's review)
Gallery picture 3 (from a traveler's review)
Gallery picture 4 (from a traveler's review)
Gallery picture 5 (from a traveler's review)

Reviews

4.7
based on 197 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Sort by: Most insightful

Not a golfer tour

Kailey_C, Jul 2026
The tour was informative about St. Andrew’s as a town. Not as much information about golf. Not really a “golfer” tour.

Mike was an amazing...

Ian_K, Jul 2026
Mike was an amazing guide, a local with so much knowledge and passion for the area. Highly recommend this.

Great guide.

Anthony_W, Jul 2026
Great guide. Highly recommend that anyone interested in learning about the old course, enjoy this experience.

Fantastic tour!

Margo_T, Jul 2026
Fantastic tour highly recommend . From start to finish, informative and fun tour. Would encourage all to go.

Amazing tour!

Allison_G, Jul 2026
Guide was extremely knowledgeable and fun. Highly recommend this tour! It was short but long enough to learn and leave the day open for more adventures

Great 75 minutes

Lynn_A, Jul 2026
This is a perfect tour! Mike (or Mark-sorry… I may have misheard his name) was our guide. He was punctual, friendly, informative and very comfortable to listen to!!! We learned so much about golf history and he knew the best photo sites.. I’d give his tour 10 stars! Thank you. The best 75 minutes we spent in Scotland!

The Old Course

Lee_S, Jun 2026
It is a definite must do when in the area! It was very educational and entertaining, even for non-golfers. Mike was extremely knowledgeable about both the course and the history. He was very flexible and accommodating for our group.

Rather short narratives...

John_G, Jun 2026
Rather short narratives for this tour. Picture at Swilcan Bridge was nice. Good experience just to be there if you are a golfer.

Easy walking involved....

Harriet_S, Jun 2026
Easy walking involved. Learn so much about the history of golf at St. Andrew’s. Don’t miss this great introduction to the old course. Our guide, Mike was wonderful.

Short and sweet tour,...

Ashley_W, Jun 2026
Short and sweet tour, giving us a bit of background on the game of golf and local history with some great views and photo ops.

New Insights About The Old Course!

Kyle_S, Jun 2026
Our tour guide Mike was an excellent storyteller and a historian of the course and the town. It was obvious that he has a deep love for golf and St. Andrews. He was very accommodating and took many pictures of us. One of the highlights was standing on the Swilcan bridge!

Great historical tour of St. Andrews

Joe_H, Jun 2026
Morgan was our guide and he provided an excellent tour filled with lots of information and history about the land, people, course, club, etc. We were able to walk down the path next to the 1st tee and fairway, cut across the road to the other side of the 18th fairway and conclude with a photo on the famous Swilcan Bridge. The tour is about an hour and is good for golfers and non-golfers too. After the tour, we took a short walk over to The Jigger Inn for a great lunch and drink. I’d recommmed this stop too.

St. Andrew’s Golf Tour

Annette_D, Jun 2026
Great guide! He was very knowledgeable and it was a fun day learning about St. Andrew’s and the history of golf.

Mike was very informative...

Jane_W, Jun 2026
Mike was very informative and we all enjoyed the tour. Even if you are a non golfer this tour was still interesting.

A tour for young and old with a rich history.

Christine_K, Jun 2026
Our guide was funny, kind and very knowledgeable. My son (23) is ready to return and play at St Andrews, which is so much more than just a golf course. More so, even my daughter (20) and I (56) who are non-golfers, also enjoyed our tour.

Not a great experience. Good length but guide did not know all the facts.

Allen_E, Jun 2026
Very disappointed. I was really looking forward for to hearing the history of Old course. Morgan seemed inexperienced and lacking in some important facts. Some good information but his delivery was not good… talked way too fast.

Short and sweet

Carolyn_W, Jun 2026
The tour is just over an hour and involves the outside of the Clubhouse as well as the 1st and 18th holes. Guide was excellent.

Fantastic Tour

Shonn_M, Jun 2026
We had a fantastic tour of the Old Course at St Andrews with Mike as our guide. He was incredibly friendly, knowledgeable, and shared lots of interesting fun facts that brought the history of the course to life. The group size was perfect—not too large, which made the experience feel personal and gave everyone a chance to ask questions. Mike was also very accommodating, taking the time to help guests get great photos at some of the most iconic spots on the course. As an added bonus, we were lucky enough to have beautiful weather with no rain, making the experience even more enjoyable. I would highly recommend this tour to anyone visiting St Andrews. Whether you're a golf enthusiast or simply interested in the history and atmosphere of this legendary course, it's a memorable experience not to be missed.

Go see St Andrews

Danette_A, Jun 2026
Morgan was a friendly and knowledgeable guide with a lot of experience at St Andrews. He reminded us of Keith Moon of The Who!

Beautiful Day on the Old Course

Michele_H, May 2026
Mike was an engaging and informative guide. He made the history of St Andrews Old Course come alive. Highly recommend this experience. Great weather didn't hurt either 😉

Great overview of St Andrews

lisaenglish71, May 2026
Excellent tour outlining the history of St Andrews, including how it has evolved since 500BC plus information on the modern course and some time to watch some golf with photo opportunities on the course. Guide (Graham) was very friendly and personable.

Don’t miss this tour!

breighz, May 2026
Great history of the course. You’ll leave knowing such much more than if you just walk around by yourself.

Excellent Guide Excellent Tour

Anthony_C, May 2026
Local guide is a resident and golfs in the course once a week. He will get you on Swilcsn Bridge even during play.

St Andrew’s old course hole in one!

Duncan_L, May 2026
The tour run by Mike was informative and entertaining. Fantastic. His knowledge and photography skills were outstanding, as was his delivery. A pleasure, thanks Mike

A great overview of the area and Old Course

Kristine_C, May 2026
Good tour with interesting information about the area and Old Course. Our guide was funny and friendly and shared plenty of local stories.

Graham was a fantastic...

Sonya_B, May 2026
Graham was a fantastic guide who made the tour both informative and fun. Well worth it for golfers and anyone alike, thanks for a great experience.

I finally got to scratch...

Paul_W, May 2026
I finally got to scratch one off my Bucket list. Our guide was extremely knowledgeable and funny. Got plenty of great pics.

Graham was amazing! Even...

Tom_F, May 2026
Graham was amazing! Even though our tour ended up with just my partner and I, he was super informative and even tailored his bits of info to things he learned about us earlier in the tour! Unbelievable and a must when in the area!

Chris was a lovely guide,...

Marty_R, Apr 2026
Chris was a lovely guide, very knowledgable and informative, friendly and clever. My husband and I thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

St Andrews Golf Tour

David_D, Apr 2026
My wife and I had a most informed and enjoyable tour of St Andrew Golf Course with Michael. Nice to have included a picture on the Swilcan Bridge on the 18th hole.

From $24.40

per person

up to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)

Book ahead!
On average, this is booked 59 days in advance.

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