The Dunhill Links: St Andrews, Golf, Celebrities & More

There are few places where you can walk through the streets of a university town and, within the space of an afternoon, encounter a Hollywood legend, a major international golfer and a group of students carrying takeaway coffee between lectures. Last October, St Andrews acquired that particular kind of unreality.

The Alfred Dunhill Links Championship had arrived, bringing with it some of the biggest names in golf – and a rather different collection of familiar faces from the worlds of film, music and culture. I got a chance to see American actors Michael Douglas and Bill Murray, while a fellow student met Justin Bieber in town.

Alfred Dunhill Links Championship
This year, the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship celebrates 25 years of links golf, having made its debut in 2001. Taking place across three of Scotland’s most celebrated courses – the Old Course at St Andrews, Carnoustie Golf Links and Kingsbarns Golf Links – the championship brings together professional golfers and celebrated amateurs from around the world. What makes the Dunhill particularly distinctive is this pairing of worlds. Professional golfers compete alongside well-known amateur partners from sport, film, music and culture, creating an atmosphere that feels as much about conversation and camaraderie as it does about competition. The 2026 championship runs from Thursday 1 October to Sunday 4 October. During the first three days, play rotates between St Andrews, Carnoustie and Kingsbarns, before the final round returns to the Old Course in St Andrews. For spectators, the first three days offer free admission, while tickets must be purchased in advance for the final day on Sunday.

St Andrews During Dunhill Links
St Andrews is lively throughout the year, but during the Dunhill Links it takes on a different rhythm. The town fills with golfers, visitors, familiar faces and international guests, while the university community continues around them. The contrast is part of the charm. Students move between lectures while players head towards the course; visitors wander the same narrow streets where, with a little luck, a celebrity might appear around the corner.

The town’s hotels and restaurants become an informal extension of the championship. The Old Course Hotel, Rusacks and Fairmont St Andrews are among the places where visitors, players and guests gather, while restaurants, cafés and local businesses embrace the occasion in their own ways. Even a visit to Fisher & Donaldson can become part of the Dunhill experience. The St Andrews institution is known for its pastries, cakes and famous doughnuts, and during the championship season, its displays can take on a suitably golfing touch.

There is something particularly enjoyable about this mixture of the extraordinary and the everyday. St Andrews does not stop being a university town because the Dunhill arrives; instead, the two worlds overlap. The Old Course and surrounding streets become busier, restaurants and pubs fill up, and the atmosphere of the championship spills naturally into the town.

How to Do Dunhill
When to go
Thursday to Saturday are ideal if you want to experience the championship without purchasing a ticket, while also having the freedom to explore St Andrews between rounds. Sunday is the finale, with the final round taking place on the Old Course. Admission requires a ticket, which should be purchased in advance. Ticket prices vary, including different options for adults, children and students, so it is worth checking the official championship website before traveling.

Where to watch
Do not assume that the best experience means standing in one place all day. Part of the pleasure of the Dunhill is moving around and experiencing the landscape from different perspectives. The Old Course is, naturally, the iconic setting, while Carnoustie and Kingsbarns offer their own distinct character. Walking alongside the players and following the action is one of the best ways to appreciate the scale of the event –  comfortable shoes are essential. The beauty of links golf is that the surroundings are part of the experience. Take your time, watch the players, but also look beyond the fairway.

What to wear
Scotland in October requires a little preparation. The weather can change quickly, sometimes within the same day, and conditions on the links can be particularly windy. Think beautifully practical: a warm, wind and waterproof jacket, knitwear, tailored trousers or dark denim, a good scarf and waterproof shoes. A hat can also be useful, particularly if you are spending several hours outdoors. The most important accessory, however, is a pair of comfortable shoes. You may be walking considerably further than expected.

Where to eat between rounds
There is plenty to discover throughout St Andrews, but if you want to stay close to the Old Course, there are several options worth considering.

– Breakfast & coffee before the course: Clarets Café & Brasserie, Dook, Herb’s
– Lunch between viewing spots: Clarets Café & Brasserie, The Jigger Inn
– A proper St Andrews dinner: Clarets Café & Brasserie, Haar Restaurant, Road Hole Restaurant, 18 Rooftop Restaurant
– A drink after play: Dunvegan, Hams Hame Pub & Grill, Road Hole Bar, 18 Rooftop Bar

Whether you are looking for a quick coffee before heading out to the course or somewhere to linger over dinner after the final group has finished, part of the pleasure is allowing the day to extend beyond the golf itself.

More Than a Golf Championship
Perhaps this is what makes the Dunhill Links so compelling. It is ostensibly a golf championship, but for a few days each autumn it becomes something larger: a meeting place between sport and culture, celebrity and ordinary life, traditionand the contemporary world. In St Andrews, those boundaries are unusually easy to cross. A world-class golfer can share a fairway with an actor; a Hollywood star can appear on a medieval street; a student can encounter a global celebrity on the way to a lecture; and a visitor who arrived for the golf can find themselves staying for the town. That is the particular pleasure of travelling: the unexpected becoming part of the itinerary. And perhaps, after all, that is what SAFAR means – not simply the journey from one place to another, but the stories we collect along the way.