ST. ANDREWS, Scotland – It took me 25 years of writing about golf before my dream trip to St. Andrews came true.

Better late than never.

My five nights staying adjacent to the Old Course – three at the Old Course Hotel and two at Rusacks St. Andrews – introduced the intoxicating magic of the “Home of Golf.” After watching the world’s best women golfers get pummeled with rain and wind during the 2024 AIG Women’s Open, I lucked out with nothing but sun almost every day.

I didn’t win the Old Course ballot or the singles draw to get the tee time on the Old Course I coveted. That hardly mattered. I was able to walk the historic links on a Sunday when it closes to become a public park. In my head, I laced a drive over the hotel on the Road Hole and birdied both 1 and 18 with nifty wedges. I felt the spirit of Old Tom Morris walking with me every step.

To coincide with this week’s Alfred Dunhill Links Championship – a DP World Tour event held on the Old Course and Kingsbarns Golf Links (and televised on Golf Channel) – here are my rankings of the best courses near St. Andrews to play for visiting golfers. I hope you use these tips to plan your dream links golf trip. You won’t find another collection of fine links courses so close to one another anywhere else.

Many golfers book a trip through a tour operator just to guarantee their tee time on the Old Course, then travel to the Highlands, Ayrshire or East Lothian. Unfortunately, they get precious little time to actually explore the Auld Grey Toon and enjoy its charms. Booking with GolfPass can certainly make life easier, leaving the planning to someone else.

For the record, the links of Crail, Fairmont St. Andrews, Lundin and Leven (plus Carnoustie, too) were not considered for this story, as I’ve not played them. It takes at least two week-long golf trips to see all the links golf courses that Fife and the nearby surrounding counties have to offer. Next time.

Here’s my ranking of the best courses near St. Andrews: