By Dave, The Carnoustie Caddie. On the bag since 1998. Updated 10 September 2026.
A round on the Championship Course at Carnoustie costs £360 in high season (1 May to 31 October) and £249 in April, in 2026. That is roughly $485 and $335. From 2027 it rises to £450 in high season and £342 in the shoulder season. The Burnside and the Buddon are £135 each in high season and £99 each in April. A caddie is £80 a bag plus a gratuity. Book through the Links, not a third party. You pay the same and skip the mark-up.
Prices below come from Carnoustie Golf Links’ own green fees page, which is where you should check before you travel. Correct at 14 September 2026. Dollar figures are rounded at about $1.35 to the pound and move with the rate.
What does the Championship Course cost in 2026?
£360 a round from 1 May to the end of October, about $485. £249 in April, about $335.
And from 2027 she goes to £450 in season, about $610. £342 from 29 March to the end of April, about $460.
That is the whole price. No cart, because you walk her. That is how she is meant to be played, and there are only two buggies on the property, kept for registered disabled golfers, £80 including a driver. No compulsory caddie. A tee time and eighteen holes on an eight-time Open venue.
For scale: it is the same money as a mid-range Florida resort course that has never hosted anything.
What do the Burnside and the Buddon cost?
The Burnside and the Buddon are £135 each in season, about $183, and £99 in April. In 2027 they go to £144 in season and £105 in the shoulder.
Don’t skip them. The Burnside is the course Ben Hogan qualified on in 1953, the year he won. Par 68, 5,943 yards off the whites, and no pushover. The Buddon has the best view in Carnoustie from its 18th tee, out over the bay with the whole town behind you. Play the Championship and one of the others and you have had the proper Carnoustie.
If you want all three, the Links sell them as a package inside three consecutive days. £480 in high season, £349.50 in April. That is about $650 for three rounds at an Open venue, and it is the best value on the property.
How much is a caddie at Carnoustie?
£80 a bag, about $108, plus a gratuity.
One thing Americans get caught by: caddies are self-employed and paid cash in hand at the end of the round, so bring notes, not a card.
For what you get, a man who knows which of the bunkers you cannot see, where the burns actually are, and what the wind is doing to your ball before you hit it, it is the best £80 you will spend on the trip.
Book a caddie by emailing caddies@carnoustie.com or calling +44 (0)1241 802288, and do it at least 24 hours ahead. In summer, do it a lot further ahead than that.
What else will they charge me for?
Push trolley £10 a day. Powered trolley £25 a round. Club hire £65 a day, which matters if you are flying in and not bringing sticks.
Is it cheaper to book Carnoustie through a tour operator?
No. The green fee is the green fee.
Tour operators earn by bundling: hotels, transfers, other courses. There is nothing wrong with that if you want the whole trip handled. But if all you want is the tee time, book direct at booking.carnoustie.com and keep the difference for the Buddon.
Every hole, every named bunker and every wind read you will never find in a yardage book. That is the guide I wrote. The Carnoustie Caddie: How the Course Really Plays.
Quick answers
How much is a round on the Championship Course at Carnoustie? £360 from 1 May to 31 October and £249 in April in 2026, about $485 and $335. It rises to £450 and £342 in 2027.
How much are the Burnside and Buddon courses? £135 each in high season and £99 each in April in 2026. £144 and £105 from 2027.
How much does a caddie cost at Carnoustie? £80 per bag, about $108, plus a gratuity. Caddies are self-employed and paid cash at the end of the round. Book on caddies@carnoustie.com at least 24 hours ahead.
Can you take a cart or buggy at Carnoustie? No. Carnoustie is a walking course. Two buggies are kept for registered disabled golfers, on production of documentation, at £80 including a driver.
Can you play all three Carnoustie courses on one trip? Yes. The Links sell a three-course package inside three consecutive days, £480 in high season and £349.50 in April in 2026.
Prices are Carnoustie Golf Links’ published rates and can change. Always check the official green fees page before booking. I am an independent caddie and this site is not affiliated with Carnoustie Golf Links.
Before you play Carnoustie
The Carnoustie Caddie: How the Course Really Plays is all 18 holes the way I would give them to you on the bag. The wind, the bunkers that actually cost you shots, where the burns sit, and the club to hit standing on the tee.
Signed copies, posted from Carnoustie, inscribed to whoever you want. Or get it on Amazon.