What Would A Handicap Golfer Shoot At St Andrews Old Course? (Course Ratings & More)

A handicap golfer tackling the Old Course at St Andrews faces a formidable test, but what would a handicap golfer shoot at the Home of Golf?

We all dream of walking the fairways of Scotland’s most famous course and the host of the Open Championship and Alfred Dunhill Links Championship.

A round on the links of the spiritual home of golf is one of the bucket list golfing experiences, but how tough is the Old Course and what should handicap golfers expected to score?

We’ve taken an in-depth assessment of what it is like to play St Andrews Old Course and detailed expected scores and course handicap calculations for golfers of every level.

What Score Would An Average Golfer Be Expected To Shoot At The St Andrews Old Course?

For the average male golfer (around a 14 handicap), the Old Course presents unique strategic demands with wide fairways but numerous deep pot bunkers and devilish greens.

While not overly long, St Andrews counters with iconic hazards and weather variability – especially wind off the North Sea – that can rapidly turn the legendary links into a stern examination even for accomplished players.

Recent data from Shot Scope and scoring calculators suggest that a 17.5 handicap golfer would have a course handicap of about 20 at the Old Course from the championship tees.

That level of golfer is predicted to shoot around 98 on a good day, with scores closer to 105-110 common for first-time visitors due to complicated greens and unpredictable bounces.

Most mid to high-handicappers find scoring on par-4s especially challenging on the Old Course, often settling for double bogey or worse, thanks to demanding second shots and the ever-present threat of landing in a bunker or three-putting on huge greens.

Single-digit handicappers and scratch players can break 85 at St Andrews in benign conditions, but tournament setups and prevailing winds routinely push scores higher, even for skilled amateurs.

Old Course at St Andrews: Predicted Scores By Handicap

Scratch and elite players may still struggle to break 75 under Open conditions, while scores quickly escalate for mid and high-handicappers.

Weather is the greatest variable, as steady wind or rain can push scores up for all ability levels. Breaking 90 remains a badge of honor, and most first-timers can expect scores 10–20 shots above their regular norm.

The table below presents expected scoring bands based on course data, player submissions and established course rating analytics.

Handicap Group	Expected Score at St Andrews
Scratch (0)	73–76
1–5	77–85
6–10	86–92
11–15	93–102
16–20	103–114
21+	115+

How Many Strokes Would Golfers Get At The Old Course?

The Old Course’s championship tees are rated at approximately 73.1 with a slope of 135, which results in additional strokes compared to your home courses – especially for higher handicap golfers.

A 10-handicapper would play off a course handicap of 13, yet would still have a predicted score of 90+ for most rounds.

An index of 18 means playing off a course handicap of 22 at St Andrews, with 22 extra shots over par aligning with scores near 105 on average.

Handicap conversion from recent UK and World Handicap System calculators:

Handicap Index	Course Handicap (Medal Tees)
0.0	2
1.0	3
2.0	4
3.0	5
4.0	6
5.0	7
6.0	8
7.0	9
8.0	10
9.0	11
10.0	13
11.0	14
12.0	15
13.0	16
14.0	17
15.0	18
16.0	19
17.0	20
18.0	22
19.0	23
20.0	24
21.0	25
22.0	26
23.0	27
24.0	28
25.0	30