Ranking the Top Five Courses in British Open History
By Matt Coles
The British Open takes place at Royal Portrush this week, but where does it rank among our top five courses in the Championships’ history?
The British Open travels to Northern Ireland for the first time since 1951. Max Faulkner was the victor 68 years ago, with a score of -3, the only major win of his career.
Portrush is the only course on the British Open’s rotation that is not held on the main island of Great Britain, with the other 13 (9 current and 4 previous) on the mainland.
The first edition of the tournament was held in 1860 at Prestwick, which played host to the British Open 24 times before it dropped off the rotation list after the 1925 tournament.
Musselburgh Links (6 times), Royal Cinque Ports Golf Club (2) and Prince’s Golf Club (1) are the other courses no longer on the rotation, with Prince’s hosting the latest of the British Open’s on those four courses, back in 1932.
There are four English courses, with three of those situated close together in the North West, in Royal Liverpool, Royal Birkdale and Royal Lytham & St. Anne’s. Royal St. George’s is the other English course on the rotation, situated in Sandwich, in the south-eastern part of the country.
The other five venues are all situation in Scotland. The Old Course at St. Andrews hosted the most British Open’s with the 2021 tournament being its 30th. Then there is Muirfield, Carnoustie, Royal Troon and Turnberry, all stunning courses.
However, does Royal Portrush rank among the top five in the history of the tournament, though? Or do some of the Scottish beauties take the top spots?