The Open Championship course

The Open Championship is one of the most fantastic golf tournaments ever and the season's last major. Like every major tournament, it takes place every year and has been taking place for centuries as it started in 1860 for the first time. R&A is the organiser of this tournament.

Just like every other traditional tournament, the Open has been following traditions since the 1860s, and it's played on the third Friday of July. Though it might be similar to several other majors holding on to tradition, it's also a bit different as the championship is being conducted on a different course every year. Ten of the fourteen that have been utilised so far are included in the rota. Every course listed on the schedule is a link course.

Where is the 2024 Open Championship to be held?

The 2024 Open Championship is set to be held at the Royal Troon Golf Club in Troon, Scotland, between the 14th and 21st of July. Home to the 152nd Open Championships, this is one of the most famous courses in the UK and the world!

The course has already hosted the Open more than 10 times, making it one of the golfer's favourite courses in the world. Initially established in 1878, Royal Troon's Old Course was extended to 18 holes ten years later. Five-time champion golfer James Braid redesigned the course in preparation for its inaugural Open in 1923. Troon is a lot similar to the Old Course at St Andrew's as it's laid out in a classic out-and-back style of the Old Course. It starts gently through some of the most visually stunning links territory of any Open venue, and it ends with a back nine that is as difficult as any finish in the world.

What are the different courses of the Open?

Here’s a detailed table of each of the courses under the Open. The courses mentioned here are both, no longer on the Open rota or in rota with the next hosting not yet assigned.

Details of the most popular Open Courses:

• Prestwick Golf Club: Home to the Open Championship, in Prestwick Golf Club, the tournament has been played over 24 times from 1860 to 1925. The Prestwick Golf Club, a golf course, is located in Prestwick, South Ayrshire, Scotland, approximately 30 miles (50 km) southwest of Glasgow, the largest city in Scotland. The course can be pretty challenging to play on as it is built on the undulating sandy terrain between the ocean and the hinterland; Prestwick is a quintessential links course (all Open courses are link courses).

• Old Course at St Andrew's: The Old Course at St Andrew's is probably one of the world's most famous courses and a golfer's paradise. It's often known as the Old Lady or even the Grand Old Lady course, as it is the world's oldest golf course to exist! According to a newly implemented parliamentary act, the St Andrews Links Trust, located in St Andrews, Fife, Scotland, is tasked with overseeing the upkeep of this public course on common property. Other clubs that have access include St Andrews Golf Club, The New Golf Club, St Regulus Ladies Golf Club, and The St Rule Club.

• Murifield: The Open Championship has been held at Muirfield sixteen times, with Phil Mickelson winning the trophy there most recently in 2013. Muirfield is located in the Gullane, East Lothian, Scotland, and offers views of the Firth of Forth. Murifield, just like the other courses, is also a links course, but unlike the rest, Murifield is quite different from the rest. It's different because it has two sets of nine holes facing nearly the same direction, which makes the course extremely challenging. Why is it difficult? The players have to study wind directions exceptionally well, as every hole on the course has a different apparent wind direction from the tee, assuming the wind direction stays constant throughout a round.

Royal Liverpool Golf Club: One of the most popular Open courses is the Royal Liverpool Golf Club. The Open Championship has already occurred over 13 times here, the most recent being in 2023! Unlike most of these courses, the Royal Liverpool Golf Club is in England. It is located in Wirral, Merseyside. The Liverpool Hunt Club's link and racecourse site was where the Royal Liverpool Golf Club was established in 1869. In 1871, courtesy of support from Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught—a younger son of Queen Victoria—the club received its "Royal" title. The course has undergone several changes, redesigns, and expansions. The few notable ones were done by Robert Chambers, and George Morris, the younger brother of Old Tom Morris, initially laid out the course. By 1871, it was expanded to include 18 holes. A renowned golf course architect, Harry Colt, undertook a course redesign in the early 20th century. Since that redesign, various revisions have been made to the course, primarily due to advancements in golf equipment.