Championship Golf Courses in the UK — Open Venues and Major Hosts

Few countries host as many of golf’s great events as the UK. The Open Championship, the oldest of the four men’s majors, began at Prestwick in 1860. Since then it has moved around a small group of links courses. Meanwhile, the Ryder Cup has visited Surrey, the Midlands, Wales and Perthshire.

Better still, most of these courses take visiting golfers. Some ask for a handicap certificate, while one uses a daily ballot. A few limit visitors to set days. So with some planning, you can play most of them. This guide covers what makes each course special and how to get a tee time.

The Open Championship rota

The Open is always played on a links course. Today’s rota has nine venues: four in Scotland, four in England and one in Northern Ireland. For more on the style itself, read our guide to the best links golf courses in the UK.

Royal St George’s, Sandwich, Kent

Royal St George’s has hosted the Open 15 times, most recently in 2021. The course sits among the dunes of Sandwich Bay, where the wind off the Channel changes every hole. Visitors can book, although the club asks for a handicap certificate. Our guide to golf courses in Kent covers its neighbours too.

Royal Liverpool, Hoylake, Wirral

Hoylake looks flat, yet it is one of the most strategic links in Britain. It has hosted 13 Opens, most recently in 2023. In 2006, Tiger Woods won here while hitting his driver only once all week. Rory McIlroy won here in 2014. For nearby courses, see our page on golf courses near Liverpool.

Royal Birkdale, Southport

Royal Birkdale sits among tall dunes on the Sefton coast. It has hosted the Open 11 times, from 1954 to 2026. The dunes frame each fairway, so the course feels fair while still testing your game in the wind. Demand for tee times is high, so book well ahead.

Royal Lytham & St Annes, Lancashire

Lytham is an unusual Open venue, since it sits among houses rather than open dunes. It has hosted the Open 11 times, most recently in 2012. Its many bunkers make accuracy more important than length. Lytham also pairs well with Birkdale on a Lancashire coast trip.

Royal Troon, Ayrshire

Royal Troon sits on the Firth of Clyde, looking out to Ailsa Craig. It has hosted the Open 10 times, most recently in 2024. It is home to the Postage Stamp, the par-3 8th at just 123 yards. Visitor days are limited, so check the club’s season and booking rules.

Carnoustie, Angus

Carnoustie has a fearsome name. At the 1999 Open, Jean van de Velde needed a six on the last hole to win, yet he took seven and lost the play-off. In 2018, Francesco Molinari became the first Italian major winner here. Carnoustie Golf Links is public, so anyone can book a tee time online.

The Old Course, St Andrews

The Old Course is known around the world as the home of golf. It has hosted the Open 30 times, more than any other venue. The St Andrews Links Trust runs it as a public course, and many tee times go through a daily ballot. If the ballot misses you, the Trust has other courses on the same links. For instance, the New and Jubilee courses run alongside the Old.

Muirfield, East Lothian

Muirfield is home to the Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers. It has hosted 16 Opens, most recently in 2013. The club voted to admit women members in 2017, and it hosted the Women’s Open in 2022. Visitor days are few, so plan far ahead.

Royal Portrush, County Antrim

Royal Portrush is the only Open venue outside Scotland and England. It first hosted in 1951, then again in 2019 and 2025. The Dunluce Links runs along the Causeway Coast. Our guide to golf in Northern Ireland covers Portrush and its neighbours.

You can browse every course we list in Scotland to plan a links trip around these venues. For Edinburgh-based trips, our directory of golf courses near Edinburgh lists the East Lothian clubs.

Ryder Cup venues you can play

The Ryder Cup has visited several UK courses that take visitors. In particular, these four are the easiest to book.

The Belfry, Warwickshire

The Belfry has hosted the Ryder Cup four times: in 1985, 1989, 1993 and 2002. That is more than any other venue in the world. Today it is a resort, so visitors can book the Brabazon Course most days.

Celtic Manor, Newport

Celtic Manor built its Twenty Ten Course for the 2010 Ryder Cup. It was the first course built just for the event. Because it is a resort, booking is simple. Our page on golf courses near Cardiff covers other clubs nearby.

Gleneagles, Perthshire

Gleneagles hosted the 2014 Ryder Cup on its PGA Centenary Course, a Jack Nicklaus design. It also hosted the 2019 Solheim Cup. The older King’s and Queen’s courses are James Braid designs, and resort guests can play all three.

Walton Heath and Wentworth, Surrey

Walton Heath hosted the 1981 Ryder Cup at short notice, after The Belfry was not ready in time. Wentworth hosted the 1953 match and still stages the BMW PGA Championship each year. Our guide to golf courses in Surrey and our guide to heathland golf cover both clubs. If you are coming from the capital, see our directory of golf courses near London.

How to get a tee time

Handicap certificates

Many championship courses ask visitors for a handicap certificate. Some also set a maximum handicap, which can differ for men and women. If you do not have one yet, our guide on how to get a golf handicap in the UK explains the steps. Meanwhile, public courses such as Carnoustie and the St Andrews links are easier to book.

Booking ahead

Summer tee times at the famous venues go early, so book months ahead where you can. Spring and autumn are often quieter. Still, the weather can be just as good, especially in May and September. Always check the club’s own visitor page for current prices and rules, since they change each year.

Courses that welcome visitors

Not every great course is a championship venue. Our guide to golf courses open to visitors in the UK lists clubs that make visitors welcome. Similarly, our guide to the best parkland golf courses covers inland courses with big-event history.

Plan a championship golf break

Playing one of these courses is a highlight for any golfer. Playing several in one trip is even better. For example, you could base yourself in Ayrshire for Troon and Prestwick, or in Fife for St Andrews and Carnoustie. Our UK golf breaks guide helps you plan the travel. You can also browse every course we list in England to build a route south of the border.

On the kit side, our guides to comparing Motocaddy and PowaKaddy and rangefinders may help.