Planning a St. Andrews guaranteed Old Course tee time golf vacation for 2012 can start now

The peak summer months of the 2011 St. Andrews golf season haven’t even hit yet, but that doesn’t mean you can’t start planning for 2012 and a guaranteed Old Course tee time already.

In 2012, the Old Course Lottery will change its announcement period from 24 hours to 48 hours. It’s tough to say how that will affect demand and lottery odds. If you don’t want to leave your Old Course tee time to chance, you can pay a premium and book a guaranteed golf package through Carr Golf Travel. The three-night St. Andrews package, which includes three nights, three rounds, lunch and dinner, runs an average of about $3200. For those who are going to Scotland for the first time and probably the only time, this may make the most sense.

Do it sooner rather than later. Generally, by the spring, guaranteed tee times, especially for larger groups, are slim pickings. Click here for more information about St. Andrews 2012.

You can also take your chances by writing the Links Trust for a tee time at the start of September for a tee time.

I was in St. Andrews last month and recently published reviews of two neighboring courses: Kingsbarns Golf Links and the Jubilee Course in St. Andrews. I was also in the town on a Sunday, which despite no golf on the Old Course, is still special.

Shots from a round on the Old Course in St. Andrews