Show up and check in with the starter as early as 4:30 AM!

You can also enter the lottery and they draw the names the day before you play.

Yeah no lining up option anymore, you need to turn up day before in person and enter the singles ballot. If you are successful you will find out at about 5:30pm that day (i.e day before you'll play). If you book at any of the other StA courses they will happily cancel or move your booking at those courses if you are successful in the ballot.

Its not exactly the same, but book to play New or Eden would be my suggestion. Both have holes that play right along The Old so you get a little of the feels.

Good luck!

Good to know lining up at 4:30 is no longer an option. Curious if there are days of the week with better odds on getting lucky. If there 20 slots a day and the pool ran from 25 to 80, I’d shoot for the 20 of 25 day. I was led to believe lottery entry from The Old Course Hotel entrants were luckier than others. At least when I stayed at the Hotel, they handled submitting my name and I got on. That was 2018. The world changed after COVID.

I have been successful in the 48hr 2+ person ballot twice now, in 2018 and last year, 2025. 2018 was in April so def not peak season, can't recall the day, but last year we stayed in StA for a week during July. We'd heard Thursdays and Saturdays were generally your best chance. We were successful as a two on the Thursday and another of our party selected as a single on the Saturday, so it seemed to ring true. I was #11 on the singles draw on the Wednesday, thought I may have had a chance, but only got down to 6. The starters did make the comment in the morning that there were quite a few tour companies booked in that day so they felt the chances were low.

Not sure re: the Old Course Hotel having some sway in the ballot selection, doesn't hurt to know people... ;)
Currently, the 48 hour ballot is online and can only be entered as a group of 2/3/4. No singles.
The single ballot must be entered in person at either the starters hut or the new Club House, and they take a picture upon entering, so you can't enter for someone else.

Was interesting being No.11 and just hanging out at the hut for an hour or so to get an understanding of likelihood for the day, the No. of people that just turned up seeing if there were any spots, trying to sweet talk the starters and even wanting to pay whatever for a round. The starters were very professional in their dealings. :)

Played the Old Course twice as a single...was paired with other threesomes each time, once with two St. Andrews University team golfers and their coach. One of the more memorable rounds of my life. So it is possible if you are diligent and a bit lucky. But I agree with Waz...New or Eden are good options and while not the Old Course, are OK alternatives if it doesn't work out getting on the Old. Best of luck!