The average tennis player will not get to play at Wimbledon and the humble club footballer can never experience the pleasure of a kickaround at Wembley or Croke Park.

But anyone with a handicap certificate and determination can travel and play all of the great championship golf courses of Ireland and beyond.

They can wallow in history at St Andrew's and penetrate the mysterious private innards of Muirfield.

They can attempt the great shots by Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods previously witnessed on television.

A tempting proposition now that the golf season is in full flow. But, oh yes, they must not forget to bring the credit cards!

Because all the best things in life are not free. In fact, some of them can be quite expensive - as a player will discover if he sets his mind on tackling all eight links used for the British Open Championship.

It will cost as much as 325 to play the ultra-private Royal Troon - with lunch included and a game on the non-championship links in the afternoon if so desired - or as little as 170 at the publicly-owned Carnoustie, which will host this year's Open next month.

To play all eight links will cost you 1,595, which averages out at just under 200 per game.

Not for the faint-hearted budget traveller, especially when accommodation and incidental expenses are added. A winter visit would appear a more sensible option, allowing extra time in case the weather misbehaves, when the links will be quieter and the price reduced by approximately 50% across the board. Being links, of course, all will be very playable all year - with temporary greens a rarity, although mats will be in use to save the fairways at some locations.

At Muirfield, a website has been introduced which shows when times for visitors are available.

Unless you know someone, the site indicates that there is no chance of a game until November but times can be booked from then through to July next year. The bad news is that the green fees will go from 214 to 236 in 2008.

It is easier at St Andrew's, where they pack them in and handle 40,000 rounds per annum on the Old Course.

Logging on to their web timesheet this Friday morning showed that there were spaces available for 16 people, including some twosomes, to queue up and get a game at times scattered from 6.40am.

to 4.30pm. But, it might not be as good on the day of one's visit and that is the risk that must be taken or else plan a year - or two - ahead for a summer game surrounded by Americans, Japanese, Germans and sundry others with different golfing backgrounds and attitudes.

This can be quite trying if one forgets to take one's medication.

The last time this column played at Kingsbarns we were paired with an older man from Louisiana and a young fellow from New York.

Neither wanted to talk a lot as they got very intense on the game and seemed intent on winning the 'longest putter throw' competition, with added points for invective.

It wasn't until about the sixth hole that they calmed a little - just enough to realise that their brand-new Irish friend wasn't putting out on the greens.

This was a ploy to keep the game moving along in a herd of fourballs which threatened to move faster than our threeball and it was also very soothing giving oneself all the gimmes! "I know I can make those little six-footers, " I explained, "I'm the only one not three-putting and I'm the only one who is happy!"

They got it and we got along better for the remainder of the experience.

Scotland has become an expensive summer golf game.

Apart from the championship venues, one will be asked to pay 236 at the lovely artificial "links" at Kingsbarns and 177 at both Royal Aberdeen and Western Gailes.

A midweek game on lovely Gailes will be a tad cheaper at 162, with lunch included in a picture window in the clubhouse affording magnificent views over the links - but it is 15 more expensive on Sundays and you pay for lunch.

Moving inland, at Gleneagles - which is one of the most glorious places on earth in summer - a game costs 192, with afternoon tea in the majestic old hotel to round off a lovely day.

There is no doubting that Scotland has become expensive for golf and with Donald Trump striving for a foothold with a new links at Menie House above Aberdeen it looks like more of the same is to come.

GREEN FEE$

This is what it will cost you to play at the British Open venues:

325 Royal 288 Royal Birkdale ( 244) 236 Turnberry 214 Muirfield 185 St Andrew's Old 177 Royal Lytham 177 Royal St George's 170 Carnoustie

These are the greenfees at other notable Scottish venues:

236 Kingsbarns 192 Gleneagles 177 Royal Aberdeen 177 Western Gailes 162 Prestwick 148 Gullane 130 Royal Dornoch