GOLFERS in Scotland will be able to play at the historic Old Course at St Andrews for less than £50 this year. A major new initiative will give Scots the chance to play at the home of golf for a hugely discounted rate. The Old Course will host The Open once again in 2027 but before then, Scottish golfers will have the opportunity to follow in the footsteps of the sport's greats for a fraction of the normal cost. The St Andrews Links Trust have launched a new initiative called 'Drive' that aims to give more golfers the chance to play on the historic course. In May this year, punters will be able to tee-up at the world's most famous golf course for just £42.50. It's a massive reduction on the normal green fees during the high season which come in at £340. 179 tee times will be on offer across a number of St Andrews Links courses at the reduced rate and will be made available to 'golf enthusiasts who live in Scotland.' In terms of the Old Course, a ballot is open for 11 tee times - it's for two-balls and they'll all tee-off between 9.10am and 10.50am on May 21. A further ballot for dates across May and June is open for the Eden Course with green fees reduced to just £9.50 from a usual £75. Further dates across the Eden, Castle and Jubilee Courses will be made available at a later date with tee times across September and October. The Old Course ballot is open to Scottish residents, while the early Eden Course ballots all have a different requirement, with one open to Armed Forces members and another for women. St Andrews Links Trust Chief Executive Neil Coulson said: “As the Home of Golf, St Andrews Links Trust takes its responsibility to the sport incredibly seriously. That is why we are so excited to launch a new initiative offering golfers across Scotland the opportunity to play our historic and iconic courses at a lower price. "Widening access to golf is a key objective for us, and over the coming years we hope we can continue to provide opportunities to golfers of all ages and abilities. "Golf has become increasingly popular in recent years and with this demand for our courses has surged to unprecedented levels. We will continue to ensure that our ticket holders and visitors have the best experience possible, while ensuring that one of the country’s most precious golfing assets is available for the public too." Locals who live in St Andrews can already benefit from a bumper saving to play across seven different links courses. For £386 a year, they can play not just the Old Course, but other idyllic settings including the Castle Course and New Course. The Old Course, which has hosted 31 Open Championships, was this week named the second-best golf course in the UK and Ireland. That's according to Golf Monthly, who revealed their list of the top 100 places to play. The Old Course was pipped to the number one spot by Royal Count Down. The course in Northern Ireland retained its place at the top of the rankings. The other four courses in the fop five were all from Scotland, while Carnoustie also landed a top 10 spot. Keep up to date with ALL the latest news and transfers at the Scottish Sun football page