The golf courses The Open forgot

Sadly, the Open Championship outgrew some of the UK’s finest links courses.

There is usually a lot of chatter about the golf course that could host an Open. The list is long and includes the likes of Royal Porthcawl, Royal North Devon and a number of notable venues on the Northern Irish coast.

But what about the venues that played their part in the early days of the Open Championship only to be left behind as the event evolved in the modern world?

It is a sad quirk of fate that the success of the championship meant it had to leave behind some of the venues that made it that success.

Despite these courses not have the necessary infrastructure to host a modern major championship, you can still go and experience what the likes of Old Tom Morris and pals did back in the day. Without doubt, these venues retain their legendary status and are classic linksland throwbacks.

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PRINCE’S

Sandwich, Kent

Yards 6,860 Par 72

Prince’s goes down as the Open championship venue with the least appearances. The Claret Jug made the trip to Sandwich, Kent, once and never went back. That was in 1932, but as you’re wondering why Prince’s needs remembered, it’s because seven-time major winner Gene Sarazon set a new scoring record for the Championship that year. Nonetheless, the American invented the sand-wedge the year before and inevitably had far less issue escaping the course’s pot bunkers than his competitors. Right next door to Royal St. George’s, the championship course along the Southeast coastline was met with kind conditions, inviting lower scoring across the tournament.

PRESTWICK

Ayrshire

Yards 6,908 Par 71

It’s 100 years since the Open championship was last played at the South Ayrshire track, but Prestwick still claims bragging rights as the birthplace of the famed championship. Only eight golfers contested that inaugural event in 1860 and Willie Park, Sr. wrote his name into golf folklore before winning the championship three more times on the west coast. Steeped in tradition, the course still anchors a stone cairn near the clubhouse to mark where the first Open tee shot was struck. While the Ayrshire venue might’ve been left behind, the legacy of past winners lives on, with the likes of Old Tom Morris and Harry Vardon among the champions.

ROYAL CINQUE PORTS

Deal, Kent

Yards 7,245 Par 71

Known as ‘Deal’, because of the Kent town it resides in, Royal Cinque Ports went one better than Prince’s in hosting The Open twice. Ironically, though, the course had struck an agreement to welcome more Opens, but due to winter flooding and the outbreak of World War Two, it was no deal for the Kent links. However, in its short championship history, Royal Cinque Ports has been buried in the history of The Open. In 1909, J.H. Taylor lifted the Claret Jug, but its most noteworthy edition was in 1920 when The Open returned after World War One. Scotsman George Duncan recovered from a 13-stroke deficit at the halfway stage and started his comeback with a new driver he purchased from the exhibition tent – who needs the best gear?

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MUSSELBURGH LINKS

Musselburgh, East Lothian

Yards 2,874 Par 34

As the oldest golf course in the world, it wouldn’t be a surprise to present-day golf fans that Musselburgh Links is a forgotten Open venue. But when you dive into the history of a course that hosted six championships between 1874 and 1889, it’s clear that shouldn’t be the case. Held every three years, The Open was first won in East Lothian by Mungo Park, who took home £8 for his triumph, and if you thought that wasn’t much bang for his buck, Mungo’s brother Davie pocketed ten shillings for a tied sixth finish. The family success continued in the heart of Scotland when Willie Park, Sr. won the 29th Open championship, the last on the grounds of Musselburgh racecourse, and his second Claret Jug in three years. Remarkably, the holes on this nine-hole course have hardly changed, with evidence suggesting golf has been played here since 1672.

John Turnbull A graduate of the University of Stirling, John joined the bunkered team in 2023 as a Content Producer, with a responsibility for covering all breaking news, tour news, grassroots content and much more besides. A keen golfer, he plays the majority of his golf at Falkirk Tryst Golf Club. Top of his 'bucket list' is a round of Pebble Beach... ideally in the company of Gareth Bale.