The Open Championship Week 2027 —
Special Visitor Booking Conditions
Balcomie Links — 12–19 July 2027 Inclusive
Crail Golfing Society looks forward to welcoming visiting golfers to Balcomie Links during The Open Championship period in St Andrews. With The 155th Open taking place at St Andrews and exceptionally high demand for golf expected throughout Fife, Balcomie Links will operate an extended visitor tee sheet during this period, with tee times available from approximately 06:30 until 18:30.
To allow us to manage this exceptional period fairly and maximise the availability of golf, all visitor reservations on Balcomie Links between 12 and 19 July 2027 inclusive are subject to the following Special Booking Conditions. These conditions supplement Crail Golfing Society's standard 2027 Visitor Reservations Terms & Conditions and take precedence where there is any conflict.
Payment and Confirmation
Full payment is required to secure a reservation during this period. A tee time is not confirmed until payment has been successfully received and booking confirmation has been issued by Crail Golfing Society. Golfers should check all booking details carefully before completing payment.
Non-Refundable Reservations
All Balcomie Links visitor reservations between 12 and 19 July 2027 inclusive are non-refundable once confirmed. Due to the exceptional demand for tee times during this period, Crail Golfing Society's standard cancellation and refund policy does not apply to these reservations. Golfers should therefore ensure that their travel arrangements, accommodation and group details are suitable before completing their reservation.
No refund or credit will be provided where a golfer subsequently chooses or becomes unable to play, except where Crail Golfing Society is unable to provide the booked golf as set out in Section 13. We strongly recommend that visiting golfers arrange suitable travel insurance before making their reservation.
Reductions in Group Size
No refund or credit will be provided for reductions in the number of golfers after a reservation has been confirmed. For example, where a reservation is made and paid for four golfers but subsequently reduces to three, the green fee paid for the fourth place will not be refunded or credited. A genuine replacement golfer may be permitted in accordance with the Changes to Golfer Names section below.
No-Shows
Golfers who fail to attend their confirmed tee time will forfeit the full green fee. No refund or credit will be provided for a no-show, including where only some members of a group fail to attend.
Arrival and Late Arrival
Golfers should report to the Professional Shop 30 minutes before their confirmed tee time. Due to the exceptionally busy tee sheet during this period, golfers arriving late may lose their reserved tee time.
Where possible, Crail Golfing Society will endeavour to accommodate late-arriving golfers at another available time on the same day. This is entirely subject to availability and cannot be guaranteed. Missing a confirmed tee time through late arrival does not entitle the golfer to a refund or credit.
Travel Disruption, Illness and Personal Circumstances
Crail Golfing Society cannot accept responsibility for circumstances affecting a golfer's ability to attend their reservation. No refund or credit will be provided as a result of: delayed or cancelled flights; ferry, rail or other transport disruption; changes to travel arrangements; illness or injury; accommodation problems; changes to a golfer's itinerary; attendance at The Open Championship; alternative golf arrangements; or other personal circumstances.
The non-refundable booking conditions will continue to apply in these circumstances. We strongly recommend that all visiting golfers arrange suitable travel insurance covering golf reservations and associated travel costs.
Changes to Tee Times
Where availability permits, the Reservations Team may consider a request to move an existing reservation to another available tee time during the Special Booking Period. Any amendment is entirely subject to availability and cannot be guaranteed. The ability to request an amendment does not create an entitlement to a refund or credit where an alternative tee time is unavailable.
Crail Golfing Society also reserves the right, where reasonably necessary for operational purposes, to adjust a confirmed tee time by up to 30 minutes either side of the original booking time. Reasonable efforts will be made to notify the lead golfer of any material change.
Concessionary Golf
During 12–19 July 2027 inclusive, normal concessionary green-fee arrangements will not apply to visitor reservations on Balcomie Links unless specifically advertised otherwise by Crail Golfing Society. This includes any normally available Scottish or resident rates; PGA, BIGGA or other golf-industry rates; reciprocal arrangements; promotional or discounted rates; and other concessionary visitor green fees. All golfers must pay the applicable published visitor rate for this period.
A reservation confirmed at the published visitor rate cannot subsequently be changed retrospectively to a concessionary, promotional or discounted rate.
Changes to Golfer Names
Genuine substitutions of individual golfers within an existing reservation may be permitted provided that the total number of golfers remains unchanged. Any name change should be notified to the Reservations Team before play. Name changes must not be used to transfer or commercially resell a tee time.
Transfer and Resale of Tee Times
Reservations are intended for the personal use of the golfer or group for whom they were made. Tee times must not be advertised for resale, commercially resold, auctioned or otherwise transferred for financial gain without the prior written permission of Crail Golfing Society. Crail Golfing Society reserves the right to cancel a reservation where there is reasonable evidence that a tee time has been purchased for unauthorised commercial resale. This condition does not prevent genuine golfer substitutions within an existing reservation.
Groups of Fewer Than Four Golfers
Visitor tee times are based on groups of up to four golfers. Bookings containing fewer than four golfers may be paired with other golfers at Crail Golfing Society's discretion. Booking fewer than four places does not guarantee exclusive use of the tee time.
Weather and Suspension of Play
Links golf is played in a wide variety of weather conditions and golfers should arrive prepared to play unless advised otherwise by Crail Golfing Society. Where Balcomie Links remains open for play, a golfer choosing not to commence or complete their round because of weather conditions or personal preference will not be entitled to a refund or credit.
Where play is temporarily suspended because of weather or safety concerns, golfers must follow the instructions of Crail Golfing Society staff and await further information. A temporary suspension of play does not automatically constitute cancellation of the reservation.
Course Closure or Cancellation by Crail Golfing Society
Where Crail Golfing Society declares Balcomie Links unplayable, closes the course or is otherwise unable to provide the booked round, the Society will endeavour to offer a suitable alternative tee time or date where practicable. Where a suitable alternative cannot be provided, the applicable green fee will be refunded.
The non-refundable conditions applying during this Special Booking Period relate to cancellation or non-attendance by the golfer. They do not remove the golfer's entitlement to an appropriate remedy where Crail Golfing Society is unable to provide the booked golf.
Caddies
Caddies may be requested in advance, but availability cannot be guaranteed. Crail Golfing Society will make every reasonable effort to fulfil confirmed caddie requests. Where a caddie has been allocated and is subsequently cancelled within the applicable cancellation period, the Society's standard caddie cancellation conditions will apply.
The inability to provide a requested caddie does not affect the validity of the golf reservation or create an entitlement to cancel the green fee outside these Special Booking Conditions.
Golf Buggies
Golf buggies are available for medical reasons only and are subject to availability, course conditions and approval by Crail Golfing Society. To use a golf buggy, the golfer must provide a valid and up-to-date medical certificate confirming the medical requirement for a buggy, and a valid driving licence. Both documents must be provided to Crail Golfing Society before the buggy can be authorised for use.
Golfers requiring a buggy are strongly encouraged to make their request at the time of booking, as the number of buggies available is limited. The Society cannot guarantee buggy availability and reserves the right to restrict or prohibit buggy use where course or weather conditions make their use unsuitable or unsafe.
Conduct and Pace of Play
All golfers are expected to observe Crail Golfing Society's normal standards of golf etiquette and maintain an acceptable pace of play. Golfers must follow the reasonable instructions of the Starter, Professional Shop, Course Marshal and other authorised members of staff. The Society reserves the right to take appropriate action where a golfer's behaviour, conduct or pace of play materially affects the enjoyment or safety of other golfers.
Relationship with Standard Terms & Conditions
Crail Golfing Society's standard 2027 Visitor Reservations Terms & Conditions continue to apply during this period except where specifically varied by these Special Booking Conditions. Where there is any conflict between the standard Terms & Conditions and these Special Booking Conditions, these Special Booking Conditions will take precedence.
Acceptance of Special Booking Conditions
By completing a reservation for Balcomie Links between 12 and 19 July 2027 inclusive, the lead golfer confirms that they have read, understood and accepted these Special Booking Conditions on behalf of all golfers included within the reservation. In particular, the lead golfer acknowledges that:
the reservation is non-refundable once confirmed; reductions in golfer numbers are non-refundable; no-shows are non-refundable; normal concessionary rates do not apply during this period; travel disruption, illness or changes to personal arrangements do not create an entitlement to a refund; and the booking remains subject to Crail Golfing Society's standard 2027 Visitor Reservations Terms & Conditions where those terms have not been varied above.
Golfers should ensure that they are satisfied with their arrangements and have appropriate travel insurance before completing payment.