Future Open Venues

[StoutKing]

What's your prediction for future Open venues?  We know for sure about Birk and the Old Course.  What's next after that?  They really need to bring back Muirfield, Turnberry and Lytham IMO.  RP will be back before Rory gets too old, you can bank on that.

 

2026 - Birkdale

 

2027 - Old Course

 

2028 - 

 

2029 - 

 

2030 - 

 

2031 - 

 

2032 - 

 

2033 - 

 

2034 - 

[Shriner]

Going to be interesting.  I love how they don't select the courses twenty years out as it gives them more flexibility.

 

Carnoustie is what I want to see in 2028, but I seem to recall they were undergoing renovations.

[tiderider]

?? ... 'bring back Muirfield'? ... it hasn't gone anywhere ... it's about once every ten years ... it's on the rota, along with St Georges, Troon, TOC, Carnoustie, Birkdale, Portrush and a couple of others ... they just haven't announced the scheduling yet ... Turnberry has some issues with the usual lack of room for logistics, in addition to its other issues ... 

 

 

[Dutch1008]

According to the Fired Egg...

 

Core:

St Andrews

Liverpool

Troon

Portrush

Birkdale

St Georges

 

Likely In:

Portmarnock

Muirfield

 

In Limbo:

Turnberry

Carnoustie

 

Likely Out:

Lytham

[StoutKing]

1 hour ago, tiderider said:

?? ... 'bring back Muirfield'? ... it hasn't gone anywhere ... it's about once every ten years ... it's on the rota, along with St Georges, Troon, TOC, Carnoustie, Birkdale, Portrush and a couple of others ... they just haven't announced the scheduling yet ... Turnberry has some issues with the usual lack of room for logistics, in addition to its other issues ... 

 

 

If they bring back Muirfield it will already be 15 years in 2028.  That would be three Opens at TOC before returning to Muirfield, so yes I'd say it's off the rota until it's back.  Too bad because it's a great test of golf.

[StoutKing]

8 minutes ago, Dutch1008 said:

According to the Fired Egg...

 

Core:

St Andrews

Liverpool

Troon

Portrush

Birkdale

St Georges

 

Likely In:

Portmarnock

Muirfield

 

In Limbo:

Turnberry

Carnoustie

 

Likely Out:

Lytham

Portmarnock is a nice course but it shouldn't host the Open IMO.  I'm old school admittedly.

[m d g]

Not sure they would have it in the Republic of Ireland...but I loved playing Ballybunion.

 

But it is a very small town and probably doesn't have the infrastructure.

 

The ugly clubhouse doesn't help : )

[elwhippy]

Turnberry has no chance. The R&A want a minimum of 250k punters in Open week. There is no infrastructure around Turnberry and the course couldn't handle those numbers.

 

Muirfield and Royal Lytham are on the backburner. RL has spent a fortune altering holes, installing a new driving range, and freeing up space for stands and concessions. Next years Ladies Open may be a trial run. 

 

Portmarnock is in Ireland. A separate nation state, and has its own perfectly good open championship. Taking The Open outside the UK would be the end of its status in many fans eyes. You wouldn't host the US Open in Mexico. 

 

Portrush is guaranteed two more in quick succession as the Northern Ireland Government have subsidised the alterations and improved logistics (which are still poor).

 

Carnoustie is not "sexy" enough for the R&A marketing gurus, despite offering a magnificent test. 

 

RSG is the safest venue. Nothing else in the area and London less than 60 miles away. Also brings in European fans. 

 

 

[StoutKing]

14 minutes ago, elwhippy said:

Turnberry has no chance. The R&A want a minimum of 250k punters in Open week. There is no infrastructure around Turnberry and the course couldn't handle those numbers.

 

Muirfield and Royal Lytham are on the backburner. RL has spent a fortune altering holes, installing a new driving range, and freeing up space for stands and concessions. Next years Ladies Open may be a trial run. 

 

Portmarnock is in Ireland. A separate nation state, and has its own perfectly good open championship. Taking The Open outside the UK would be the end of its status in many fans eyes. You wouldn't host the US Open in Mexico. 

 

Portrush is guaranteed two more in quick succession as the Northern Ireland Government have subsidised the alterations and improved logistics (which are still poor).

 

Carnoustie is not "sexy" enough for the R&A marketing gurus, despite offering a magnificent test. 

 

RSG is the safest venue. Nothing else in the area and London less than 60 miles away. Also brings in European fans. 

 

 

Nice post.  I'd rather it return to Deal over Portmarnock.  Plenty of fields around for extra space.  Great course too.

[Duct Tape]

From simply a golf course lovers perspective I hope to see Muirfield, Turnberry and Carnoustie again soon. 

[Mr.Cleeks]

On 7/22/2025 at 12:23 PM, Dutch1008 said:

According to the Fired Egg...

 

Core:

St Andrews

Liverpool

Troon

Portrush

Birkdale

St Georges

 

Likely In:

Portmarnock

Muirfield

 

In Limbo:

Turnberry

Carnoustie

 

Likely Out:

Lytham

Exactly what I was thinking. St Andrews is on a 5 yr rotation, that's a given. The R&A loves going to Birkdale, Troon, and Liverpool. They get massive crowds at those venues and to me it seems like those venues will get an Open once every 8-9 years. ( Birkdale is my favorite Open course). I wonder if Portrush is gonna be a once a decade venue if they start going to Portmarnock (closer to dublin)

My ideal core is these 5 courses: St. Andrews, Portrush, Birkdale, Troon, and Liverpool.  RSG sucks, the worst course on the Rota by a mile. It looks like a detonation site with all of the humps and bumps.  Lytham is sick, just a quirky course all around and the par 3 opening hole is so cool. Hope they go back their at some point

[Dutch1008]

On 7/22/2025 at 10:18 AM, elwhippy said:

Portmarnock is in Ireland. A separate nation state, and has its own perfectly good open championship. Taking The Open outside the UK would be the end of its status in many fans eyes. You wouldn't host the US Open in Mexico. 

 

Eh, they kind of did this to themselves. Growing up, this was warmly known outside the UK as The British Open. That implies Scotland/England/Wales. Media, players, international fans all called it "the British". Now the R&A insist on The Open Championship, which is territorially neutral. And sure, the Irish Open exits (I wish they'd make that another co-sanctioned event), but so does the Scottish Open. Should it then be contained to England and Wales? Truthfully, I don't really care.  I have no dog in this fight. If the R&A wants to host in Dublin because they think they can make more money, more power to them. All I really care about it that it's on a firm, fast, championship caliber, links course where wind and rain occasionally cause havoc. 

 

Regarding the US Open, perhaps if the USGA insisted in calling it the North American Open or New World Open, there'd be an argument to include Mexico. But that hasn't happened yet. 

[StoutKing]

56 minutes ago, Mr.Cleeks said:

Exactly what I was thinking. St Andrews is on a 5 yr rotation, that's a given. The R&A loves going to Birkdale, Troon, and Liverpool. They get massive crowds at those venues and to me it seems like those venues will get an Open once every 8-9 years. ( Birkdale is my favorite Open course). I wonder if Portrush is gonna be a once a decade venue if they start going to Portmarnock (closer to dublin)

My ideal core is these 5 courses: St. Andrews, Portrush, Birkdale, Troon, and Liverpool.  RSG sucks, the worst course on the Rota by a mile. It looks like a detonation site with all of the humps and bumps.  Lytham is sick, just a quirky course all around and the par 3 opening hole is so cool. Hope they go back their at some point

I really like Sandwich, it would play much better with a rollback though.  

 

I actually feel like the Open has gotten worse over recent years.  Super low scores, lack of exciting finishes, excluding some of the best venues, Mackenzie / Ebert messing up the rota courses - those things all contribute IMO.  Still a great tournament but seems to lack the juice of years ago.

Edited July 24 by StoutKing

[TiScape]

Hopefully someplace w/far worse (more appropriate) weather. Checked in on the tournament Sunday while I was “gone” and it was sunshine & shadows! 

[Mr.Cleeks]

51 minutes ago, StoutKing said:

I really like Sandwich, it would play much better with a rollback though.  

 

I actually feel like the Open has gotten worse over recent years.  Super low scores, lack of exciting finishes, excluding some of the best venues, Mackenzie / Ebert messing up the rota courses - those things all contribute IMO.  Still a great tournament but seems to lack the juice of years ago.

Agreed. I'd say from 2013-2018 the Open was without a doubt my favorite major and it had the best finishes. 

2013 - One of the best final rounds in major history by Phil; 2015 - Spieth coming up a shot short of the 3rd leg of the calendar slam; 2016 - arguably the best final round duel in major history; 2017 - just a chaotic back 9, Spieth went berserk that final hour; 2018 was also sneaky good, at one point Tiger had the lead and then Rory/Spieth were tied. Just a fun Sunday.

I'm not super familiar with what Mackenzie / Ebert have done, but I feel like a lot of it is attributed to the equipment. The only defense these courses have is weather and if we even get 2.5 benign days like we did last week, scores will be super low.  Scottie could've easily shot -20 last week. He only played the par 5s -5, didn't drive the ball great, and made really a dumb double on 8 on Sunday.  9 guys finished the week -10 or better and I remember seeing guys fly bunkers off the tee last week that were intended to be in play. To me this is a ball/equipment problem not a venue or set up problem. 

Edited July 24 by Mr.Cleeks

[Buddon _Burn]

On 7/25/2025 at 2:57 AM, Mr.Cleeks said:

Agreed. I'd say from 2013-2018 the Open was without a doubt my favorite major and it had the best finishes. 

2013 - One of the best final rounds in major history by Phil; 2015 - Spieth coming up a shot short of the 3rd leg of the calendar slam; 2016 - arguably the best final round duel in major history; 2017 - just a chaotic back 9, Spieth went berserk that final hour; 2018 was also sneaky good, at one point Tiger had the lead and then Rory/Spieth were tied. Just a fun Sunday.

I'm not super familiar with what Mackenzie / Ebert have done, but I feel like a lot of it is attributed to the equipment. The only defense these courses have is weather and if we even get 2.5 benign days like we did last week, scores will be super low.  Scottie could've easily shot -20 last week. He only played the par 5s -5, didn't drive the ball great, and made really a dumb double on 8 on Sunday.  9 guys finished the week -10 or better and I remember seeing guys fly bunkers off the tee last week that were intended to be in play. To me this is a ball/equipment problem not a venue or set up problem. 

I attended 2013 and 2018 and definitely agree re them - Phil’s round was one I wasn’t aware of for a while as I was following the leading groups (I think the final group was something like Mahan and Westwood). I’d count 2012 in with that as well and it’s such a shame that Lytham is out of favour - the run of holes late in the background are brutal a create and create and excellent theatre for drama. Sure Adam Scott was off line/wrong clubbed coming in but the run home is a proper test and it’s tough to hang on to a lead there.

Edited July 26 by Buddon _Burn

[KrazyTrain18]

If we had to limit this to a 5 course rotation, I would like to see the following however I understand things are going in a different direction.  

 

1. St. Andrews

2. Muirfield

3. Royal Lytham

4. Royal Troon

5. Turnberry