GOLF.com: A Links Pilgrimage Through England's Open Championship Venues

Play Where The Open Is Decided

You don't have to watch The Open from your couch. England's northwest coast is home to a cluster of legendary links venues — 14 Open Championship courses in total across the UK — that are open to visiting golfers who plan ahead.

The Northwest Royal Trio

Royal Lytham & St. Annes

The logical starting point flying into Manchester or driving north from London. Stay at the Dormy House adjacent to the practice green for an authentic members-style experience, including early tee access before general play begins.

Royal Birkdale

Host of the 2026 Open Championship, Birkdale's iconic art deco clubhouse and freshly repainted honors board set the scene. Next-door Hillside is a worthy bonus round that many links purists rate as Birkdale's equal.

Royal Liverpool (Hoylake)

A club with 157 years of championship history, Hoylake delivers both a world-class links test and a warm welcome. Its lunch is also widely praised — a welcome bonus after a hard morning on the course.

Don't Overlook the Supporting Cast

Formby, Southport and Ainsdale, West Lancs, and Wallasey round out a full week's itinerary. Wallasey holds a notable distinction: it owns the original Bobby Jones portrait, a replica of which hangs at Augusta National — not the other way around.

Logistics: Plan Well in Advance

Securing tee times at England's Open venues requires 8 to 10 months' lead time. Fix your dates, designate a trip organizer, or engage a specialist golf travel operator to handle bookings.

Strokeslab's Take

Links golf rewards course management over raw power. Before making the trip, reviewing your SG: OTT and SG: APP trends is worth the effort — wind management and ball flight control are the true differentiators on these historic fairways.