Top 6 Open Championship Golf Courses in England

There are currently nine courses in rotation for hosting the Open Championship (also known as the British Open). These are made up of five Scottish and four English golf clubs. This is a list of the English golf clubs in rotation, as well as two previous hosts of the Open.

1Royal St George’s Golf Club

• Location: Sandwich, Kent
• Years hosted: 1894, 1899, 1904, 1911, 1922, 1928, 1934, 1938, 1949, 1981, 1985, 1993, 2003, 2011
• Last winner: Darren Clarke (2011)

This stunning links course on the south coast of England offers some of the most challenging conditions to golfers. Thick rough, wild winds and blind shots have lead to Royal St George’s being branded “the world’s biggest pinball machine”. The course was also famous for hosting a golf match between James Bond and Goldfinger under the fictional name “Royal St Marks”.

2Royal Liverpool Golf Club

• Location: Hoylake, Merseyside
• Years hosted: 1897, 1902, 1907, 1913, 1924, 1930, 1936, 1947, 1956, 1967, 2006, 2014
• Last winner: Tiger Woods (2006)

As well as hosting the Open Championship, Royal Liverpool Golf Club is famous for contributing to amateur events. The club hosted USA vs GB & Ireland in 1921, which later became known as the Walker Cup.
The links course is known for it’s tricky conditions, however it was uncharacteristically still when Tiger Woods won the Open in 2006.

3Royal Lytham & St Annes Golf Club

• Location: Lytham St Annes, Lancashire
• Years hosted: 1926, 1952, 1958, 1963, 1969, 1974, 1979, 1988, 1996, 2001, 2012
• Last winner: Ernie Els (2012)

Royal Lytham & St Annes is another coastal links course – the brisk sea winds often having an adverse impact on scores. Known for it’s early contribution to ladies golf, the club hosted the 1893 British Ladies Amateur Golf Championship in 1893.

4Royal Birkdale Golf Club

• Location: Southport, Merseyside
• Years hosted: 1954, 1961, 1965, 1971, 1976, 1983, 1991, 1998, 2008
• Last winner: Pádraig Harrington (2008)

Yet another stunning links course on the coast, this time just north of Liverpool. The course was designed by three generations of Hawtrees – Frederick G, Frederick W and Martin Hawtree. It has previously been voted the best in Britain, as well as being regarded as one of the best in the world.

Two more courses which are no longer user for the Open Championship:

5Royal Cinque Ports Golf Club

• Location: Deal, Kent
• Years hosted: 1909, 1920
• Last winner: George Duncan (1920)

6Prince’s Golf Club

• Location: Sandwich, Kent
• Years hosted: 1932
• Last winner: Gene Sarazen (1932)