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?

Register now!

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.

Number of golfers who have joined BallotBuddy …

162

And counting …

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

Register now!

 
 
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.

Success thanks to BallotBuddy!

  • BallotBuddy - Playing the Old Course August 19
    “Had an incredible time August 2019
  • BallotBuddy - Playing the Old Course July 19
    “Kirk had an amazing day July 2019
  • BallotBuddy - Playing the Old Course July 19
    “We were able to enjoy a wonderful round at a spectacular placeJuly 2019
  • BallotBuddy - Playing the Old Course July 19
    “It was a special day July 2019
  • BallotBuddy - Playing the Old Course June19
    “I’ve never been so nervous on a 1st tee June 2019
  • BallotBuddy - Playing the Old Course May 19
    “It was amazing May 2019
  • BallotBuddy - Playing the Old Course May 19
    “Had such a great time out there May 2019
  • BallotBuddy - Playing the Old Course May 19
    “Play away gentlemen May 2019
  • BallotBuddy - Playing the Old Course April 19
    “What a thrill. Two days on the Old Course April 2019

Joseph Housey, August 19

“Chris, we had a blast yesterday! One of the greatest experiences on a golf course I’m sure I will ever have. Thank you so much for all you did.

Larry Thorner, August 19

“Chris, thanks for a fantastic connection today and the opportunity, at least for me, of a lifetime! Cross St. Andrews off my bucket list in stellar fashion 😉 We got lucky with the weather and just a great day out there.

Dean Hicks, August 19

“Hey Chris, just wanted to reach out to you and say thanks for hooking me up for a time at the old Course. Without your service I would have had to wait overnight on line as a single. Had an incredible time, thanks again.

C.J Batten, July 19

“It was such an awesome experience playing the Old Course with you all.  It was the perfect day…
Hard to believe we got chosen and 75 others didn’t.  I had figured it was a complete long shot, but we are definitely a success story for Ballot Buddy.  I asked the starter how many people camped out overnight, and he said there were 20, with the first person arriving at 3:30am.  I had been planning on getting there at 2am, so it looks like that would have worked out.  So glad I didn’t have to do that!

Eric Dake, July 19

“BallotBuddy worked as good as advertised. I went to Scotland with my wife who doesn’t golf, so BallotBuddy gave me the chance to meet a group of 3 really great guys and we were all able to have the time of our lives on the Old Course. We ended up drinking all night at the Dunvegan Inn afterwards. Just an amazing experience.

Kirk Dietz, July 19

“Kirk had an amazing day, and it couldn’t have happened without you. Eric, Ross and CJ were excellent golfing companions and I never realised how far you have to walk on a golf course 😌 ha ha. We really can’t thank you enough. 

Scott Hamilton, July 19

“We really lucked out with the ballot and the weather and we were able to enjoy a wonderful round at a spectacular place. Playing shots into the 18th green with the sounds of seagulls and bagpipes in the background was surreal and something I won’t soon forget and it wouldn’t have been possible without your help.

Charles Johnson, June 19

“I remember watching the #17 road hole on TV but never thought I would actually play it. Thanks to Chris and Ginger Beer Golf, that dream came true!

Michael Collins, April 19

“The BallotBuddy Match which Chris, from the Ginger Beer Golf Travel, has initiated is a super service…It is truly a super initiative which Chris offers at no charge. Thank you Chris

Register now!

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: August 21, 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
Thu, 1 August3
Fri, 2 August21
Sat, 3 August3
Sun, 4
Mon, 5 August4
Mon, 5 August2
Tue, 6 August4
Wed, 7 August11
Thu, 8 August2
Fri, 9 August2
Fri, 9 August2
Sat, 10 August11
Sun, 11
Mon, 12 August22
Tue, 13 August412
Wed, 14 August31
Thu, 15 August41
Thu, 15 August1
Fri, 16 August21
Sat, 17 August4
Sun, 18
Mon, 19 August41
Mon, 19 August3
Tue, 20 August4
Tue, 20 August2
Wed, 21 August41
Wed, 21 August2
Thu, 22 August4
Fri, 23 August41
Fri, 23 August1
Sat, 24 August4
Sat, 24 August1
Sun, 25
Mon, 26 August4
Tue, 27 August4
Tue, 27 August1
Wed, 28 August2
Thu, 29 August12
Fri, 30 August11
Sat, 31 August11
Sun, 1
Mon, 2
Tue, 3 September1
Wed, 4 September1
Thu, 5 September4
Fri, 6 September4
Sat, 7 September3
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 September11
Sun, 22
Mon, 23
Tue, 24
Wed, 25
Thu, 26
Fri, 27
Sat, 28
Sun, 29
Mon, 30 September3
Tue, 1 October21
Wed, 2 October3
Thu, 3 October1
Fri, 4 October21
Sat, 5 October2
Sun, 6
Mon, 7 October11
Tue, 8 October2
Wed, 9
Thu, 10
Fri, 11
Sat, 12
Sun, 13
Mon, 14
Tue, 15
Wed, 16
Thu, 17 October1
Fri, 18 October2
Sat, 19 October2
Sun, 20
Mon, 21 October2
Tue, 22 October21
Wed, 23 October1
Thu, 24 October1
Fri, 25
Sat, 26
Sun, 27
Mon, 28 October2
Tue, 29 October1
Wed, 30
Thu, 31
Fri, 1 November1
Sat, 2
Sun, 3
Mon, 4
Tue, 5
Wed, 6
Thu, 7
Fri, 8
Sat, 9
Sun, 10
Mon, 11
Tue, 12
Wed, 13
Thu, 14
Fri, 15 November1
Sat, 16 November1
Sun, 17
Mon, 18 November1
Tue, 19
Wed, 20
Thu, 21
Fri, 22
Sat, 23
Sun, 24
Mon, 25
Tue, 26
Wed, 27
Thu, 28
Fri, 29
Sat, 30 November1
Sun, 1
Mon, 2
Tue, 3
Wed, 4
Thu, 5
Fri, 6
Sat, 7
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, 31
Wed, 1
Thu, 2
Fri, 3
Sat, 4
Sun, 5
Mon, 6
Tue, 7
Wed, 8
Thu, 9
Fri, 10
Sat, 11
Sun, 12
Mon, 13
Tue, 14
Wed, 15
Thu, 16
Fri, 17
Sat, 18
Sun, 19
Mon, 20
Tue, 21
Wed, 22
Thu, 23
Fri, 24
Sat, 25
Sun, 26
Mon, 27
Tue, 28
Wed, 29
Thu, 30
Fri, 31
Sat, 1
Sun, 2
Mon, 3
Tue, 4
Wed, 5
Thu, 6
Fri, 7
Sat, 8
Sun, 9
Mon, 10
Tue, 11
Wed, 12
Thu, 13
Fri, 14
Sat, 15
Sun, 16
Mon, 17
Tue, 18
Wed, 19
Thu, 20
Fri, 21
Sat, 22
Sun, 23
Mon, 24
Tue, 25
Wed, 26
Thu, 27
Fri, 28
Sat, 29
Sun, 1
Mon, 2
Tue, 3
Wed, 4
Thu, 5
Fri, 6
Sat, 7
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, 31
Wed, 1
Thu, 2
Fri, 3
Sat, 4
Sun, 5
Mon, 6
Tue, 7
Wed, 8
Thu, 9
Fri, 10
Sat, 11
Sun, 12
Mon, 13
Tue, 14
Wed, 15
Thu, 16
Fri, 17
Sat, 18
Sun, 19
Mon, 20
Tue, 21
Wed, 22
Thu, 23
Fri, 24
Sat, 25
Sun, 26
Mon, 27
Tue, 28
Wed, 29
Thu, 30
Fri, 1
Sat, 2
Sun, 3
Mon, 4
Tue, 5
Wed, 6
Thu, 7
Fri, 8
Sat, 9
Sun, 10
Mon, 11
Tue, 12
Wed, 13
Thu, 14
Fri, 15
Sat, 16
Sun, 17
Mon, 18
Tue, 19
Wed, 20
Thu, 21
Fri, 22
Sat, 23
Sun, 24
Mon, 25 May 20201
Tue, 26 May 20201
Wed, 27 May 20201
Thu, 28
Fri, 29
Sat, 30
Fri, 1
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.

Register now!

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