The Open Championship Guide

The Open Championship 2027 at a glance

The Open Championship 2027 is the 155th playing of golf’s oldest major, held at the Old Course, St Andrews, in Fife. Championship week runs from Saturday 11 to Sunday 18 July 2027, with the four Championship rounds played Thursday 15 to Sunday 18 July. It is the 31st time St Andrews has staged the Championship and the first since 2022.

The R&A organises The Open and issues tickets through its official ballot and hospitality programmes. Most UK searches call the event the British Open; it is the same Championship.

TicketsToSee is an independent ticket specialist and is not affiliated with The R&A. Where independent access exists, we list it on our British Open tickets page.

The 155th Open at St Andrews

The Open Championship returns to St Andrews in July 2027 for the 155th playing of the oldest major in golf. It is the 31st time the Old Course has staged the Championship, and the first since 2022, when Cameron Smith won in front of the largest crowds the event had seen.

The Championship is officially titled The Open Championship. In the UK it is widely searched as the British Open, and in the United States it is often called the British Open Golf. All three refer to the same event, organised by The R&A.

St Andrews is not simply another stop on the rota. It is where the Championship began, and the Old Course carries more history than any venue in the sport.

British Open 2027 dates and Championship week

Championship week runs from Saturday 11 July to Sunday 18 July 2027.

Practice days at St Andrews

Practice rounds are played early in the week, before Championship play begins on Thursday. Practice days are usually quieter, with more freedom to walk the course, watch players prepare and see the spectator village before the crowds build. For anyone attending St Andrews for the first time, they are the easiest way to learn the ground.

The four Championship days

Thursday 15 July 2027 — Round One, the full field begins.
Friday 16 July 2027 — Round Two and the cut.
Saturday 17 July 2027 — Round Three, traditionally moving day.
Sunday 18 July 2027 — the final round and the presentation of the Claret Jug.

Tee times, gate times and the daily Order of Play are published by The R&A closer to the Championship and should be checked before travelling.

The Old Course explained

The Old Course is the oldest and most recognisable links in golf. It is defined by shared fairways, vast double greens where two flags sit on one enormous surface, and ground that runs firm and fast in July.

For spectators, the low, open terrain is unusually generous. You can stand in one position and see play unfolding across several holes at once, which is rare at a championship venue.

The Road Hole and the closing stretch

The 17th, the Road Hole, is the most demanding hole in Championship golf. It punishes caution and aggression in roughly equal measure, and over four days it will produce more incidents than any three holes elsewhere on the course.

The 18th is the most recognisable closing hole in the sport, with the Swilcan Bridge behind it and the grey stone of the town at its shoulder. Late on the Sunday, it is the single best place to stand on the property.

Wind, links turf and Fife weather

St Andrews sits on the Fife coast, exposed to the North Sea, and the wind is the defining variable of the week rather than a footnote.

A calm morning and a blustery afternoon play as two different golf courses, and the scoring reflects it. Dress for four seasons regardless of the forecast, wear footwear you can walk five miles in, and treat rain arriving sideways as part of the character of the week.

How British Open tickets work

Access to The Open is controlled, and there are three routes.

The Ticket Ballot

The R&A operates a ballot as the primary public route. Registration opens well in advance of the Championship and closes months before play begins. Successful applicants buy at face value. The ballot for 2027 has already closed.

Official hospitality and travel packages

The R&A runs an official hospitality programme with guaranteed admission across the Championship days, and The Open Experiences offers packages that combine official tickets with hotels and transfers. Both are arranged directly through The Open.

Independent and secondary routes

If the ballot is unsuccessful and official packages are unsuitable, some spectators consider independent access. Check the seller’s terms, delivery method, pricing and whether they are independent or officially appointed before committing.

TicketsToSee is an independent secondary market specialist. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by or an official partner of The R&A, The Open Championship or St Andrews Links Trust and any availability we hold is sourced independently. See our British Open tickets page for current options.

British Open tips for spectators

Following a group or holding a position

Two approaches work at St Andrews, and they suit different people.

Walking with a marquee group gives you the rhythm of a round as it is played — the recovery from a pot bunker, the long walk down a shared fairway, the moment a leaderboard changes and the crowd reacts. It is the closest a spectator gets to the competition. The cost is distance, and by the back nine most people feel it.

Settling at one hole gives you repetition and comparison: the chance to watch the whole field solve the same problem. The Old Course rewards this better than most venues.

Attending with guests or clients

If you are bringing people who do not follow golf closely, a fixed base changes the day entirely.

Walking a links course in July weather with no guaranteed seat and no shelter is a long day for anyone attending out of politeness. Somewhere to return to, sit down and eat properly lets guests dip into the golf on their own terms. It is the difference between a day people endure and a day people remember.

British Open golf winners at St Andrews

St Andrews has produced some of the defining champions in the sport’s history. Bobby Jones, Sam Snead, Peter Thomson, Jack Nicklaus, Seve Ballesteros, Nick Faldo, John Daly, Tiger Woods, Louis Oosthuizen, Zach Johnson and Cameron Smith have all lifted the Claret Jug on the Old Course.

Nicklaus and Woods each won there twice, and Woods completed his second Old Course victory in 2005. Smith’s win in 2022, at the 150th Open, is the most recent.

Open Championship locations and future venues

The Open rotates across a small group of links courses in Scotland, England and Northern Ireland. The current rota includes St Andrews, Royal Troon, Carnoustie, Royal Portrush, Royal Liverpool, Royal Lytham & St Annes, Royal St George’s and Royal Birkdale.

The 154th Open was played at Royal Birkdale in July 2026. After St Andrews in 2027, the Championship moves to Royal Lytham & St Annes in 2028.

British Open qualifying explained

The Open is the most open of the four majors, and the field is not closed to the world’s elite.

Exemptions cover past champions, leading players in the world rankings and winners of qualifying events across the global tours. Beyond that, Final Qualifying gives professionals and leading amateurs a route into the Championship through a small number of one-day events at links courses, usually held in the weeks before the Championship. This is why unfamiliar names appear in the field each July.

Getting to St Andrews

St Andrews is in north-east Fife, roughly an hour and a half from Edinburgh and under an hour from Dundee.

The town has no railway station. The nearest is Leuchars, about five miles away, with connecting buses and taxis. Edinburgh Airport is the main arrival point for international visitors, with Glasgow and Aberdeen as alternatives.

The town is small and accommodation across Championship week is booked far in advance. Many spectators stay in Dundee, Cupar or along the Fife coast and travel in. Park-and-ride is normally the practical option for anyone driving.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is The Open Championship 2027?

Championship week runs from Saturday 11 July to Sunday 18 July 2027. The four Championship rounds are played Thursday 15 to Sunday 18 July, with practice rounds earlier in the week.

Where is the British Open 2027 being held?

At the Old Course, St Andrews Links, in Fife, Scotland. It is the 31st time St Andrews has staged the Championship.

How do I get British Open tickets?

The R&A issues tickets through its official ballot, which has now closed for 2027. The remaining official routes are the hospitality programme and ticket-and-travel packages, both arranged directly with The Open. Independent and secondary market access exists outside those routes.

Is TicketsToSee an official partner of The Open?

No. TicketsToSee is an independent secondary market specialist and is not affiliated with, endorsed by or an official partner of The R&A, The Open Championship or St Andrews Links Trust.

Which day of The Open is best to attend?

It depends on what you want. Thursday gives you the full field and the easiest walking. Friday carries the tension of the cut. Saturday tends to offer the best balance of competition and atmosphere. Sunday is the deciding day and the most crowded.

What should I wear to St Andrews in July?

Dress for changeable coastal conditions. Layers, a waterproof outer and footwear you can comfortably walk five miles in. The wind off the North Sea makes a difference even on a dry day.

Who has won The Open at St Andrews?

Champions on the Old Course include Bobby Jones, Peter Thomson, Jack Nicklaus, Seve Ballesteros, Nick Faldo, John Daly, Tiger Woods, Louis Oosthuizen, Zach Johnson and Cameron Smith, who won the 150th Open there in 2022.

Where will The Open be played after 2027?

The Championship moves to Royal Lytham & St Annes in 2028. It rotates across a small group of links venues including Royal Troon, Carnoustie, Royal Portrush, Royal Liverpool and Royal Birkdale.