The Open Championship venues you can play

One of the best things about the game of golf is the ability to walk in the footsteps of the game’s greatest players by taking on the same courses that staged some of their most memorable moments. There’s no older or more prestigious championship than The Open, and Golfbreaks customers can take on almost all of these iconic venues.

Check out some of our favourite (& playable) Open Championship venues below and begin to make your mark on some of golf’s most historic layouts.

Ranked the no.1 course in Scotland by Top 100 Golf Courses

Location: St Andrews, Scotland | Architect: Refined by Old Tom Morris | Par: 72| Founded: 1552 (formalised 1764)

The Old Course at St Andrews is the undisputed home of golf. With roots stretching back to the 15th century, it’s the most iconic layout in the world. From the Road Hole’s treacherous 17th to the Swilcan Bridge crossing the 18th, it’s less a round of golf and more a pilgrimage.

Despite its prestige, the Old Course is public and accessible via daily ballot or advanced booking. For any golfer, a round here is not just about score - it’s about soaking in history where legends have walked.

No. of times hosting The Open: 30 (1873, 1876, 1879, 1882, 1885, 1888, 1891, 1895, 1900, 1905, 1910, 1921, 1927, 1933, 1939, 1946, 1955, 1957, 1960, 1964, 1970, 1978, 1984, 1990, 1995, 2000, 2005, 2010, 2015, 2022)

Travel tips

• Fly into Edinburgh or Glasgow, then take a train or drive to St Andrews (approx. 1.5hours)

• Check out our article on advice on entering the ballot to play the Old Course

Ranked the no.2 course in Northern Ireland by Top 100 Golf Courses

Location: Portrush, Ireland | Architect: Harry Colt | Par: 71 | Founded: 1888

Royal Portrush stormed back into the Open spotlight in 2019, after a 68-year absence, with the Dunluce Links dazzling players and viewers alike. With dramatic elevation changes, cliffside vistas, and fierce bunkering, it is one of the most visually arresting links courses in the world.

Colt’s routing through natural valleys and headlands delivers thrilling variety. The infamous Calamity Corner 16th is as tough as they come. Scheduled to host The Open again in 2025, Portrush is one of the few major venues as loved by pros as it is by visiting golfers.

No. of times hosting The Open: 2 1951, 2019

Travel tips

• Book tee times well in advance; visitor access is limited

• Fly into Belfast International or City of Derry, then rent a car - public transport is sparse

Ranked the no.14 course in Scotland by Top 100 Golf Courses

Location: Troon, Scotland | Architect: Willie Fernie | Par: 71 | Founded: 1878

Set on Scotland’s rugged Ayrshire coast, Royal Troon is a traditional links course famed for its stern test and postcard-worthy holes. The Old Course, host to multiple Open Championships, begins relatively gently before building to a famously tough inward nine, where swirling winds and deep revetted bunkers make club selection crucial.

Its most iconic hole, the Postage Stamp 8th, is one of the shortest yet most perilous par-3s in the world, demanding laser precision. Expect rippling fairways, gorse-lined rough, and panoramic views of the Firth of Clyde. For purists of championship golf, Troon offers a blend of beauty and brutality that's hard to beat.

No. of times hosting The Open: 10 1923, 1950, 1962, 1973, 1982, 1989, 1997, 2004, 2016, 2024

Travel tips

• Fly into Glasgow Airport; drive or taxi to Troon (approx. 30 minutes)

• Book tee times early and consider staying in nearby Ayr for more accommodation options

Ranked the no.3 course in Scotland by Top 100 Golf Courses

Location: Turnberry, Scotland | Architect: Willie Fernie | Par: 70 | Founded: 1906

Few courses rival Turnberry’s Ailsa Course for drama, heritage, and scenery. With the iconic Turnberry Lighthouse overlooking the churning waters of the Firth of Clyde and the Isle of Ailsa Craig in view, the layout is nothing short of cinematic.

Redesigned in 2016 by Martin Ebert, the modernised Ailsa flows seamlessly along coastal cliffs, with standout holes like the par-3 9th, where the tee box juts into the sea, offering breathtaking theatre. Scene of the legendary 1977 “Duel in the Sun” between Watson and Nicklaus, Turnberry is a five-star golf experience steeped in Open Championship history.

No. of times hosting The Open: 4 1977, 1986, 1994, 2009

Travel tips

• Fly into Glasgow Airport and drive about 1 hour to Turnberry

• Stay on-site at the luxurious Trump Turnberry resort for convenience and full access to amenities

Ranked the no.6 course in England by Top 100 Golf Courses

Location: Lytham St Annes, England | Architect: George Lowe | Par: 70 | Founded: 1886

Tucked between red-brick architecture and sand dunes, Royal Lytham & St Annes is a true shotmaker’s course. With over 160 bunkers peppered across its fairways and greens, it demands strategic navigation more than brute strength. Despite its inland location, the course maintains a classic links feel, with firm ground, brisk breezes, and subtle elevation changes.

Eleven Open Championships have been held here, with champions ranging from Bobby Jones to Ernie Els. The closing stretch - tight, penal, and unforgiving - has produced some of the championship’s most dramatic finishes. A traditional links test with a Lancashire twist.

No. of times hosting The Open: 11 1926, 1952, 1958, 1963, 1969, 1974, 1979, 1988, 1996, 2001, 2012

Travel tips

• Fly into Manchester or Liverpool Airport and drive about an hour to the course

• Stay in nearby accommodation, including Hilton Liverpool and Waterfront Southport Hotel

Ranked the no.8 course in England by Top 100 Golf Courses

Location: Southport, England | Architect: F.G. Hawtree & J.H. Taylor | Par: 70 | Founded: 1889

Arguably England’s finest championship links, Royal Birkdale lies nestled between towering sand dunes, with fairways cut into natural valleys. The result? A visually striking and fair test, where good shots are rewarded and poor decisions punished.

The course hosted The Open ten times, including the historic 2017 edition when Branden Grace shot the lowest-ever major round (62). With a rugged yet regal atmosphere, Birkdale combines playability with challenge and is often considered the most straightforward Major venue in terms of fairness. And we'll no doubt see this again in 2026 for The 154th Open Championship.

Number of times to host The Open: 10 1954, 1961, 1965, 1971, 1976, 1983, 1991, 1998, 2008, 2017

Travel tips

• Fly into Liverpool or Manchester Airports; drive to Southport (Approx. 30-50 minutes)

• Book tee times early and stay in nearby accommodation, including The Vincent Hotel and Waterfront Southport Hotel

Ranked the no.16 course in England by Top 100 Golf Courses

Location: Hoylake, England | Architect: George Lowe | Par: 72 | Founded: 1869

Hoylake, as it’s affectionately known, is one of The Open’s oldest and most storied venues. Royal Liverpool’s wide, flat appearance belies its difficulty - strategic bunkering, thick rough, and capricious coastal winds can turn a good round into a grinding survival.

The site of Tiger Woods’ strategic masterclass in 2006 (using a driver just once) and Rory McIlroy’s win in 2014, Hoylake offers a cerebral golfing test. The new 17th hole - a visually striking short par-3 - added for the 2023 Open, adds modern flair to this timeless course.

No. of times hosting The Open: 13 1897, 1902, 1907, 1913, 1924, 1930, 1936, 1947, 1956, 1967, 2006, 2014, 2023

Travel tips

• Liverpool John Lennon Airport is the closest (20-minute drive to Hoylake)

• Stay in nearby Delta Hotels by Marriott Liverpool and Hilton Liverpool

Ranked the no.1 course in England by Top 100 Golf Courses

Location: Sandwich, England | Architect: Laidlaw Purves | Par: 70 | Founded: 1887

Set along England’s south-eastern shoreline, Royal St George’s is known for its wildly undulating fairways, cavernous bunkers, and famously tough opening hole. It was the first English course to host The Open, and has done so 15 times since 1894.

The course’s natural landscape is both beautiful and brutal, especially in windy conditions. Darren Clarke’s victory here in 2011 remains a fan favourite. Royal St George’s rewards imagination and precision, and its sheer variety of hole shapes makes for an exhilarating round.

No. of times hosting The Open: 15 1894, 1899, 1904, 1911, 1922, 1928, 1934, 1938, 1949, 1981, 1985, 1993, 2003, 2011, 2021

Travel tips

• Fly into London Gatwick or Heathrow, then drive around 1.5 hours to Sandwich

• Combine your visit with the nearby Prince's Golf Club

Ranked the no.5 course in Scotland by Top 100 Golf Courses

Location: Carnoustie, Scotland | Architect: Allan Robertson & Old Tom Morris | Par: 71 | Founded: 1842

Known affectionately - and fearfully - as 'Carnasty', this east coast monster is considered the most demanding course on the Open rota. Long, windswept, and deeply strategic, Carnoustie punishes indecision. Even its burn-lined fairways have become part of Open folklore - just ask Jean Van de Velde.

While brutally tough, the Championship Course remains fair. Golfers come for the challenge, the heritage (Ben Hogan’s only Open win came here in 1953), and the sense that every round could unravel at any moment. A true test of skill and nerve.

No. of times hosting The Open: 8 1931, 1937, 1953, 1968, 1975, 1999, 2007, 2018

Travel tips

• Fly into Dundee or Edinburgh, then take the scenic drive to Carnoustie

• Book accommodation early, packages include stays at Carnoustie Golf Hotel & Spa and Best Western Woodlands

Ranked the no.13 course in Scotland by Top 100 Golf Courses

Location: Prestwick, Scotland | Architect: Old Tom Morris | Par: 71 | Founded: 1851

The site of the very first Open Championship in 1860, Prestwick is a charming, quirky, and immensely historic links. Though no longer on the Open rota due to space limitations, it remains one of the most characterful layouts in the world.

Blind tee shots, deep revetted bunkers, and narrow fairways define the course. Modern players will find it an unusual test, but those with a love of golf history will feel like they’re stepping back in time. A true bucket-list course for traditionalists.

No. of times hosting The Open: 24 1860, 1861, 1862, 1863, 1864, 1865, 1866, 1867, 1868, 1869, 1870, 1872, 1875, 1878, 1879, 1880, 1881, 1882, 1884, 1887, 1889, 1890, 1893, 1896, 1898, 1903, 1908, 1914, 1925

Travel tips

• The course is near Glasgow Airport - just a short drive away

• Stay in nearby accommodation, including Marine Troon

Ranked the no.36 course in England by Top 100 Golf Courses

Location: Sandwich Bay, England | Architect: Charles Hutchings & Guy Campbell | Par: 72 | Founded: 1906

Often overshadowed by its illustrious neighbours, Prince’s Golf Club is a hidden gem with a genuine Open pedigree. It hosted The Open in 1932, when Gene Sarazen triumphed, and today it offers 27 holes of championship links golf divided into three nines: Shore, Dunes, and Himalayas.

The Shore & Dunes loop forms the main championship layout - modern, challenging, and beautifully routed through dunes and along the sea wall. Prince’s combines historical significance with slick conditioning and a fantastic coastal setting, making it a must-play on any Kent golf tour.

No. of times hosting The Open: 1 1931

Travel tips

• Accessible via London airports; train to Sandwich followed by a short taxi is convenient.

• Stay on-site at the Lodge for easy access to the course

Ranked the no.10 course in England by Top 100 Golf Courses

Location: Deal, England | Architect: Henry Hunter | Par: 72 | Founded: 1892

Located in the charming seaside town of Deal, Royal Cinque Ports (often simply “Deal”) is a tough, fast-running links course steeped in history. It hosted The Open in 1909 and 1920, and remains a favourite among top amateur and professional events thanks to its fierce layout and classic links character.

Running out and back in true traditional style, Deal is exposed to the elements, with wind and firm turf playing a huge role in how it plays day to day. Deep bunkers, quick greens, and tight undulating fairways make for a test as pure as any on the Open rota.

No. of times hosting The Open: 2 1909, 1920

Travel tips

• Check the weather and course conditions due to flooding history before traveling

• Reachable from London by train or car; stay in Deal for a seaside town experience

Ranked the no.2 course in Scotland by Top 100 Golf Courses

Location: Gullane, Scotland | Architect: Old Tom Morris | Par: 71 | Founded: 1891

Home of The Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers - the world’s oldest golf club - Muirfield is the epitome of strategic links golf. Designed in a unique circular routing (two loops of nine), it ensures shifting wind conditions throughout the round, demanding both shot-making and tactical discipline.

Renowned for its firm fairways, thick rough, and bunkering precision, Muirfield has hosted some of the most iconic Opens, including victories by Nick Faldo and Phil Mickelson. It is consistently praised for its immaculate conditioning and timeless challenge.

No. of times hosting The Open: 16 1892, 1896, 1901, 1906, 1912, 1929, 1935, 1948, 1959, 1966, 1972, 1980, 1987, 1992, 2002, 2013

Travel tips

• Fly into Edinburgh Airport and drive about 45 minutes east to Gullane

• Book tee times well in advance; visitor days are limited

Which golf courses have hosted The Open?

Current Open Rota (Active Venues): St Andrews (Old Course), Royal St George’s, Royal Birkdale, Royal Liverpool (Hoylake), Royal Lytham & St Annes, Royal Troon, Muirfield, Carnoustie, Royal Portrush, Past Hosts (No Longer on the Rota): Prestwick, Royal Cinque Ports, Prince’s Golf Club, Trump Turnberry (Ailsa Course)

What are the future Open Championship venues? 2026 - Royal Birkdale 2027 - St Andrews

How many golf courses have hosted The Open? 14 courses have hosted The Open Championship since it began in 1860.

What course has hosted the most Open Championships? St Andrews (Old Course) leads with 30 Opens

What course hosted the first Open Championship? Prestwick Golf Club in Scotland hosted the first Open in 1860.

How old is the Claret Jug? The Claret Jug was introduced in 1873, making it 152 years old as of 2025.

The Open Championship isn’t just the oldest major in golf - it’s the purest test of championship links golf. From the fabled fairways of St Andrews to the storied dunes of Royal Birkdale and Muirfield, each venue tells a piece of the sport’s living history.