The conical summit of Schiehallion above forested Perthshire glens

Shoulder season

Golf in Scotland in March

The season stirs: clocks go forward, days lengthen quickly, and the courses are quiet.

Schiehallion, Highland Perthshire

March is a month of change. The clocks go forward on the last Sunday of the month, adding an evening hour of light, and the first signs of spring appear on the links.

Weather is changeable, with bright, breezy days between wetter spells. It suits flexible golfers who want the famous courses at their quietest, and are happy to pack waterproofs.

Daylight in March

On 15 March, in UK local time. The latest start allows about four hours to finish 18 holes before sunset.

Sunrise, sunset and daylight on 15 March
Place	Sunrise	Sunset	Daylight	Latest 18-hole start
St Andrews	06:27	18:14	11 hr 47 min	14:14
Troon	06:34	18:21	11 hr 47 min	14:21
Dornoch	06:32	18:18	11 hr 46 min	14:18

How late can you tee off?

Choose a course and a date to see sunrise, sunset and the latest start that should let you finish 18 holes in daylight, allowing about 4 hours for a round on foot.

CourseDate

Sunrise: –
Sunset: –
Daylight: –
Latest 18-hole start: –

Typical weather

Long-term averages for March on Scotland’s three main golf coasts. Averages smooth out a great deal: expect the odd glorious day and the odd wild one, sometimes within the same round.

Average climate in March, 1991–2020
Coast	Average high	Average low	Rainfall	Sunshine
St Andrews, Fife and the east coastLeuchars weather station	9.6°C	2.1°C	46 mm	124 hrs
Glasgow and the Ayrshire coastPaisley weather station	9.9°C	3.2°C	100 mm	103 hrs
The Highlands and the Moray FirthNairn weather station	9.4°C	2.2°C	41 mm	105 hrs

Monthly averages for 1991–2020 from Met Office station records. The Paisley and Nairn stations closed during this period, so their averages cover roughly twenty years. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Average sunshine by month, east coast

Hours of bright sunshine per month at Leuchars, beside St Andrews (1991–2020)

100

150

200

Plan your routePick your courses and see the best order, drive times and where to stay.Playing the Old CourseHow the ballot, advance times and Sunday closures work.

Thinking of March?

Tell us your dates and the courses you have in mind. We will advise honestly on what is realistic and design the journey around it.

Begin Planning Your Journey