St Andrews BallotBuddy Service
Single Golfers: How to find an Old Course Ballot Partner

Did you know …

As a single golfer you cannot apply for an Old Course ballot tee time?

There must be at least 2 golfers on the application.

But now …

My unique, free and simple-to-use BallotBuddy service helps you find an Old Course ballot partner.

Score a date match so you and your fellow golfer are eligible to submit an Old Course ballot application together.

Can BallotBuddy help you?

YES if you are a single golfer without an advanced tee time

Currently your only option is to ‘walk-up’ on the day. Get up early and join the line outside the Old Pavilion.

Chances of play that day are reliant entirely on gaps on the draw sheet and your place in the line.

So why not try BallotBuddy?

Go to BallotBuddy Sign-up

How does it work?

Step #1

Register
  • Decide when you are coming to St Andrews to play the Old Course via a ballot time.
  • Register for my free BallotBuddy service.
  • Submit up to 5 dates.
  • It’s better to be able to play at any time. If you can’t, submit your available start time.

Step #2

Spread the News
  • Post the news of your BallotBuddy registration on your social media accounts.
  • Share widely with your friends & contacts.
  • Ask them to share your news too!

Step #3

What Next?
  • Your dates/available start times will be added to a database of other BallotBuddy golfers looking to team up.
  • If you get a date/time match with a 2nd golfer (or more, up to 4), I will connect you to your BallotBuddy via email introduction.

Go to BallotBuddy Sign-up

The more people know that you are looking for a ballot partner the better chance you have of finding a BallotBuddy

Success thanks to BallotBuddy!

  • “It was amazing …
    May 2019
  • “Play away gentlemen …
    May 2019
  • “Had such a great time out there …
    May 2019
  • What a thrill. Two days on the Old Course …
    April 2019

 
 
Apr 9, 2019
by Michael Collins on Ginger Beer Golf Travel
 
BallotBuddy Match
 

The BallotBuddy Match which Chris, from the Ginger Beer Golf Travel, has initiated is a super service. As a single golfer visiting St Andrews from South Africa I was fully aware of how difficult it would be to play the Old Course. However Chris paired me with other single golfers and we were then able to enter the Old Course Ballot. I was successful on three occasions playing with fellow golfers from around the world. Whilst it does not guarantee that you will be successful in the ballot, it provides an opportunity to enter. It is truly a super initiative which Chris offers at no charge. Thank you Chris.

Go to BallotBuddy Sign-up

Date/time match?

Congratulations!

As a 2 ball you are now eligible to apply for an Old Course ballot time.

It is down to you and your BallotBuddy from this point forward.

More than 2 golfers with a date/time match? You should apply together for a ballot time (up to a maximum of 4 golfers).

No BallotBuddy?

Don’t despair

You can still use the ‘walk-up’ option and wait in line to play.

Read more about your chances of play in my in-depth report on the Single Golfer at St Andrews.

Sign me up!

BallotBuddy Registration

Golf is a game known for the honesty and integrity of its players.

Likewise, the success of this service relies 100% on your goodwill and honest intentions. I’m sure you would no more want to let down your BallotBuddy than be let down by them.

So please only submit dates if you are committed to playing. And if your available start time is limited, make sure you submit the time you are available to play.

Your Ballot Checklist:

  • To enter the ballot there must be at least two players and all names, Home Clubs and handicaps will be required.
  • If successful, a current official handicap card (Golf Club affiliated to a Golf Union/Association), record or certificate must be presented to the starter prior to play. Maximum handicaps – 24 Men, 36 Ladies. Letters of introduction from your local Club Professional are not accepted.
  • Duplicate ballot entries will be disqualified. Only the named golfers on the ballot entry are permitted to play.

Current BallotBuddy date match requests for 2019:

Last updated: June 26, 2019
Day
Month
All dayFirst
to 10:00		First
to 13:00		10:00
to 13:00		10:00
to last		13:00
to last
Sat, 1
Sun, 2
Mon, 3 June11
Tue, 4 June1
Wed, 5 June1
Thu, 6 June1
Fri, 7 June1
Sat, 8 June1
Sun, 9
Mon, 10 June2
Tue, 11
Wed, 12 June2
Thu, 13 June1
Fri, 14 June2
Sat, 15
Sun, 16
Mon, 17 June3
Tue, 18 June2
Wed, 19 June2
Thu, 20 June4
Fri, 21 June3
Sat, 22 June1
Sun, 23
Mon, 24 June1
Tue, 25 June2
Wed, 26 June2
Thu, 27 June21
Fri, 28 June2
Sat, 29
Sun, 30
Mon, 1 July1
Tue, 2 July2
Wed, 3 July1
Thu, 4 July1
Fri, 5
Sat, 6
Sun, 7
Mon, 8 July12
Tue, 9 July31
Wed, 10 July1
Thu, 11 July1
Fri, 12
Sat, 13 July1
Sun, 14
Mon, 15 July1
Tue, 16 July1
Wed, 17 July1
Thu, 18 July2
Fri, 19 July4
Sat, 20 July41
Sun, 21
Mon, 22 July2
Tue, 23 July3
Wed, 24 July1
Thu, 25 July1
Fri, 26
Sat, 27
Sun, 28
Mon, 29
Tue, 30 July1
Wed, 31 July11
Thu, 1 August1
Fri, 2 August11
Sat, 3 August1
Sun, 4
Mon, 5 August2
Tue, 6 August1
Wed, 7 August11
Thu, 8 August1
Fri, 9 August1
Sat, 10
Sun, 11
Mon, 12 August1
Tue, 13 August11
Wed, 14 August11
Thu, 15 August1
Fri, 16 August1
Sat, 17 August1
Sun, 18
Mon, 19 August31
Tue, 20 August2
Wed, 21 August3
Thu, 22 August2
Fri, 23 August2
Sat, 24 August1
Sun, 25
Mon, 26 August1
Tue, 27
Wed, 28
Thu, 29 August1
Fri, 30
Sat, 31
Sun, 1
Mon, 2
Tue, 3
Wed, 4
Thu, 5 September21
Fri, 6 September2
Sat, 7 September1
Sun, 8
Mon, 9
Tue, 10
Wed, 11
Thu, 12
Fri, 13
Sat, 14
Sun, 15
Mon, 16
Tue, 17
Wed, 18
Thu, 19
Fri, 20
Sat, 21
Sun, 22
Mon, 23
Tue, 24
Wed, 25
Thu, 26
Fri, 27
Sat, 28
Sun, 29
Mon, 30
Tue, 1
Wed, 2
Thu, 3
Fri, 4 October1
Sat, 5 October1
Sun, 6
Mon, 7
Tue, 8
Wed, 9
Thu, 10
Fri, 11
Sat, 12
Sun, 13
Mon, 14
Tue, 15
Wed, 16
Thu, 17
Fri, 18 October2
Sat, 19 October2
Sun, 20
Mon, 21 October1
Tue, 22 October1
Wed, 23
Thu, 24
Fri, 25
Sat, 26
Sun, 27
Mon, 28 October2
Tue, 29 October1
Wed, 30
Thu, 31
BallotBuddy table notes:
  • Golfers are invited to register to find a BallotBuddy, specifying their availability to START play:
    ‘All day’ – golfer(s) available to start play at any time on that day.
    ‘First to 10:00’ – golfer(s) available to start play only between the first tee time and 10:00.
    ‘First to 13:00’ – golfer(s) available to start play only between the first tee time and 13:00.
    ’10:00 to 13:00′ – golfer(s) available to start play only between 10:00 and 13:00.
    ’10:00 to last’ – golfer(s) available to start play only between 10:00 and last tee time.
    ’13:00 to last’ – golfer(s) available to start play only between 13:00 and last tee time.

    Note: First and last tee times will vary according to time of year and may be found when specifying your availability as part of your Old Course Ballot application with the St Andrews Links.

  • Dates and times with a number indicate where there has been a BallotBuddy date & time request and / or a BallotBuddy date & time match has been found.
  • The numbers indicate the current number of golfers registered for a date & time:
  • 1 golfer seeking a date & time match with another golfer (3 slots remaining)
  • 2 golfers with a date & time match (2 slots remaining)
  • 3 golfers with a date & time match (1 slot remaining)
  • 4 golfers with a date & time match (0 slots remaining). Group is now closed.
    Where your preferred date & time already has 4 golfers and 0 slots remaining (and the group therefore is now closed) you are still encouraged to register on BallotBuddy. We will publish the date & time a second time, and indicate there is another golfer seeking a BallotBuddy.

Go to BallotBuddy Sign-up

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