Performance golf programme

There is nowhere more special than St Andrews that offers students a world-leading academic education and a professionally run high performance golf programme.

Led by Director of Golf Ian Muir, we aim to deliver the very best support and a comprehensive programme of training and competition to enable our top student golfers to harness their full potential and achieve sporting and academic excellence whilst studying at St Andrews.

We deliver our performance programme through Saints Golf Scholarships, with support from The R&A, St Andrews Links Trust and The 600 Club – our community of supporters around the world.

Scholarships are aimed at players who are already competing at a high level and who believe they have the necessary attributes to be part of a performance golf programme whilst studying for their degree in St Andrews.

With unrivalled courses and facilities, history, tradition and a modern, professionally run high performance golf programme, you will find everything you need at the Home of Golf to take your game and your education to the highest level as part of the truly unique student experience.

Saints Golf Performance Scholars 2024-2025

Find out more

• Scholarships

  Did you know?

  There are no eligibility restrictions on playing sport and representing the University whilst studying for a postgraduate qualification at St Andrews.

  Saints Golf Performance Scholarships

  Saints Golf Performance Scholarships are offered to students who are playing at a high, competitive level and who wish to pursue an elite level of tournament golf whilst studying in St Andrews. Combining academics with a performance programme can be very demanding, but ultimately, extremely rewarding. We are looking for exceptional individuals who are able to balance these demands and strive for excellence.

  Scholarship players will be provided with a comprehensive support package and a wide ranging array of benefits including access to world-class courses, facilities and coaching in the Home of Golf. They will also be given the opportunity to compete for the University across Scotland, the UK and around the world.

  Eligibility
  Scholarships are open to both male and female golfers, and both undergraduate and postgraduate students. The number of scholarships awarded each year will be determined by the quality of the applicants.

  Arnold Palmer Golf Scholarships

  We are incredibly fortunate to be only the second University in the world to be able to bestow upon a student an Arnold Palmer Scholarship. Mr Palmer’s relationship with St Andrews is legendary and was cemented in 2010 when he received his honorary doctorate from the University. Scholarships are awarded to those who best embody the spirit of the man, the game and the University. All Saints Golf scholars within the performance programme at St Andrews can apply for an Arnold Palmer Scholarship.

  The R&A Foundation Scholarships

  The R&A Foundation Scholarship programme supports in the region of 170 individuals, each year. All Saints Golf scholars within the performance programme at St Andrews can apply for a Foundation scholarship.

  How to apply
  For more information and details on how to apply for our golf scholarships please visit the Sport Scholarships section of the Saints Sport website.

• Golf programme

  

  The University of St Andrews has developed one of the best supported golf programmes in the UK. Athletes on the performance golf squad get access to a full support package including:

  • Specialist coaching support
  • Full access to the St Andrews Links Academy
  • Sport specific Strength & Conditioning
  • Physiotherapy support
  • Sports psychology
  • Team clothing and bags
  • Tournament expenses
  • Opportunity to travel for tournaments/training camps
  • Leadership programme
  • Personal development workshops

• Competitive golf

  

  British Universities and Colleges Sport (BUCS) championships

  Student golfers can access both individual stroke play events and team match play leagues throughout the season in the British Universities and Colleges Sport (BUCS) championships. The BUCS golf programme is supported by The R&A, helping to enhance the standard of competition and continue to develop golf at university level.

  Team Championships – Match Play
  The University currently supports four competitive BUCS teams who compete in weekly matches and knockout competitions as part of the BUCS team championships programme.

  The mixed 1st Team compete in BUCS Premier North and were back to back BUCS National Match Play Team Golf Champions in 2021-22 and 2022-23. The 1st Team squad is formed from Saints Golf Scholars and is part of the University’s performance sport programme.

  Individual Championships – BUCS Order of Merit (Golf Tour) – Stroke Play
  The BUCS Golf Tour is played at some of the UK’s most prestigious courses and takes place over two periods, between September to October and March to April. The Order of Merit is decided over nine qualifying tour events followed by the Tour Finals.

  

  R&A Student Tour Series

  Student golfers also have the opportunity to play on world class courses as part of the R&A Student Tour Series. This series is aimed to allow students to experience competitive golf across Europe at five different venues.

• Facilities

  

  St Andrews Links Golf Academy

  The performance golf programme is incredibly fortunate to be able to use the world renowned St Andrews Links Golf Academy as their practice base. Situated adjacent to the Old Course and only a few minutes’ walk from town it provides the ideal venue for students to work on their games.

  This world-class facility provides a year round training venue for our top golf scholars and features cutting edge technology including:

  • 60 flood-lit bays
  • 22 indoor bays
  • TrackMan Range
  • V1 High Speed Video Analysis
  • Boditrak Pressure Mat
  • K-Vest 3D
  • Putting Room with SAM Putt Lab System
  • Expansive short game area featuring 3 greens and distinctive links style bunkers

  

  Performance Centre

  Following a multi-million pound redevelopment of the Performance Centre, students at St Andrews have access to some of the best sports facilities in Scotland.

  Saints Sport offers a wide range of indoor and outdoor sports facilities, which are available all year round.

  Indoor facilities

  • dedicated performance suite
  • modern, spacious gym
  • exercise studio
  • four-court sports hall
  • new technical climbing wall
  • eight-court arena
  • four-court indoor tennis centre

  Outdoor facilities

  • 13 grass pitches
  • full-size floodlit 3G synthetic pitch
  • sand-dressed synthetic pitch
  • four tennis courts
  • additional multi-sport grass pitches
  • multi-sport courts

  Saints Golf scholars make use of the top class Performance Suite – a dedicated Strength and Conditioning gym that provides a private space for the performance squad to train undisturbed. Sessions are run by expert Strength and Conditioning accredited coaches who develop golf specific programmes for our athletes.

• Links Ticket

  Full time University of St Andrews students have the unique opportunity to purchase a Links Ticket giving them year round access to all seven St Andrews Links courses at the Home of Golf, including the Old Course.

  With six of these courses being within walking distance of University halls of residence and all of them being open and in excellent condition year round, there is no other university in the UK that can come close to matching the playing opportunities our students have.

  Application forms can be downloaded from the link below and should be emailed to [email protected] with a copy of your matriculation card, a head and shoulders photo (selfie) and handicap certificate (36 or below) if applying for a full student ticket.

  More information and student guidelines, including prices and how to apply, can be found on the St Andrews Links website.

  Student Application Form 22-23 Renew your Links Ticket Student Guidelines 2022-2023

• Courses

  Courses

  Students at St Andrews have unrivalled year round access to to all seven St Andrews Links courses at the Home of Golf, including the Old Course. The yearly Links Ticket is valid from 1 September – 31 August and allows play on the following courses:

  

  Old Course

  

  The Castle Course

  

  New Course

  

  Jubilee Course

  

  Eden Course

  

  Strathtyrum Course

  

  Balgove Course