UK and Ireland golfers offered chance to play 2026 Open course for under £100

In the build up to the 154th edition at Royal Birkdale, the Lancashire club has launched ‘The Birkdale Ballot’.

It is offering a fourball rate of £396, which, to put in perspective, is less than the rate for a single visitor from March through until October.

A post on social media read: “Royal Birkdale is proud to introduce a special 2026 initiative designed to celebrate the domestic game and give golfers across the Home Nations the opportunity to play our championship links during a landmark year for the club.

“As we prepare to host The Open Championship, interest in experiencing our course is understandably high. To mark the occasion, we have created ‘The Birkdale Ballot’ - a limited ballot offering UK golfers the chance to enjoy one of the world’s great championship venues at a preferred fourball rate of £396, equating to under £100 per player.

“The ballot is open to golfers holding an active WHS handicap at a recognised club in England, Scotland, Wales or Ireland. Entrants will nominate two preferred tee times from a published list, with successful applications drawn at random. Full payment is required upon confirmation.”

The Open is returning to Royal Birkdale in July for the first time since Jordan Spieth, the game’s dominant player at the time, got his hands on the Claret Jug in 2017.

‘Walk the same fairways as the great champions’

Since then, changes have been made to the course, including a redesign of the fifth and seventh, the removal of the existing 14th hole, the alteration of the existing par-5 15th to become the new 14th and a completely new par-3 15th hole.

The club’s social media post about ‘The Birkdale Ballot’ adds: “The initiative reflects our commitment to supporting golfers within the Home Unions and sharing a special Open year with the wider domestic golfing community - ensuring more players have the opportunity to walk the same fairways as the game’s greatest champions.”

Other Open winners at Royal Birkdale include Peter Thomson (twice), Arnold Palmer, Lee Trevino, Johnny Miller, Tom Watson and Padraig Harrington.