Attending the Open Championship and Golfing Around Scotland

The Open Championship is also referred to as the British Open and it has been held in the British Isles almost continuously since 1860, making it the granddaddy of the four major championships. There are currently nine Open Championship locations in the rotation; five in Scotland and four in England.

This year's tournament will be held at Royal Lytham and St. Anne's' in Blackpool which is near Liverpool; made famous as the home of the early Beatles. Been there?
Anyone who is a golfer and a fan of the majors has dreamed of attending an Open Championship. It is the most storied of the majors and it most certainly has the lowest American attendance of the majors. But why?
Most American fans who want to attend the Open believe that it's too difficult to get there; it really isn't. Generally speaking, if you plan to attend one of the Open venues in the north, you fly into Edinburgh (Edinburrow) and if your tournament is south, you fly into Glasgow. This year the tournament is being hosted at Royal Lytham and St. Anne's so your destination from the States is Manchester, England; 54 miles away from the golf course.

I've attended seven Open Championships and initially worried the most about the cost of lodging in tournament towns. Pricey it is, but I learned early on that the Brits have persisted in finding ways to transport golf fans to the venues. The British Isles are considerably smaller than the state of Wisconsin in square miles so transportation is quite simple.....and better.

They want this tournament to be the best sporting event in the world......and it is! If you are willing to increase the length of the commute from your lodging, you will be pleased with the ease with which you can travel to the tournament. Buses and trains have served them well. They have had transportation longer than we've been a nation.

Driving one's rental car into St. Andrews, for example, can be a daunting commute....especially for those intrepid travelers unfamiliar with roundabouts. It can be done but the Brits should have adopted Greyhound's old mantra; "Leave the driving to us." They are experts. Their system for getting golf fans around is remarkable. To start with, the golf train embarks from many outposts and on a schedule which accommodates nearly any fan's needs. The cost is reasonable; and where else can you enjoy a refreshment and eat a tasty sandwich while talking to the most knowledgeable golf fans in the world? Sitting face to face with friendly fans who are willing to engage you in spirited conversation across a linen tablecloth is worth the modest fare. And you don't have to worry about driving back to your lodging after a couple of pints.

The first Open I attended was at St. Andrews in 1990. We were nervous and excited to be going so we ordered our tickets months in advance. They arrived, and after that it was just a matter of keeping track of them. We found that there was an abundant supply of tickets at every Championship so we never purchased tickets ahead, again. We walked up to the gate and bought them. You get a break if you buy a 4-day pass.
We've always played some of the fabulous links courses nearby, either before and/or after the tournament and to be in Scotland/England and to not play is definitely a wasted opportunity. The courses around St. Andrews include Kingsbarns, Carnoustie, North Berwick, Muirfield, Lundin Links and many others; including no fewer than five additional courses at St. Andrews. Every Open venue is surrounded by golf courses which you may not have heard about but they offer great values. Many of them are Open qualifying courses so just because they're not Open venues, don't discount them. The finest players in the world struggle to qualify for the Open Championship at these links courses. They are outstanding, memorable tracks.

Securing lodging requires some logistical planning. Staying in St. Andrews, for example, will likely cost you more than $500 per night. The Old Course Hotel, now owned by the Kohler Corporation, will be among the priciest as it is located along the 17th and 18th holes of the oldest golf course in the world. If you are well-heeled, this is the place for you. You can watch the final round from your balcony; sipping a single malt or a mimosa and monitoring your player on the scoreboard behind the 18th green.

More modest digs can be had at the Lundin Links Hotel in Leven, Fife. This old tudor hotel is situated next to the Lundin Links GC, an Open qualifying course which is less than 30 minutes from St. Andrews. Our visit there was quiet and the understated elegance was as appealing as the hospitality was gracious. We paid 80 UK or about $150. The spacious, cheerful bar area featured a vast array of single malt scotches; all available for the same price. This bartender-friendly pricing method allows for sipping an 18 year-old, smoky beauty for the same price as an 8 year-old blended Johnny Walker. It's a popular, post-round gathering place where golf is spoken. The cost of lodging is reduced as you distance yourself from the venue so keep in mind that the public transportation is available from most towns. Exceptions require a short commute to a train station nearby.

Making tee times is not a problem. You can email your requests with contact information obtained from course websites. This is a painless process and you are very likely to eventually meet your correspondent face-to-face when you check in. The Scots are a gracious, fun-loving people who still like Americans so start planning for your golf adventure today. You won't regret it.