The Open Championship’s limited venue pool and new qualifying events unveiled

The R&A limits The Open Championship to a small pool of venues because only a few courses combine natural links conditions with the space and transport infrastructure needed for a modern major tournament. Historic factors, such as the early rota among Prestwick, St Andrews and the Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers, created the foundation of today’s venue pool, and courses like Royal Birkdale illustrate the current criteria of coastal dunes, large spectator capacity and operational accessibility.

For the 154th edition, the R&A introduced two new events: a Last Chance Qualifier on 13 July, where 12 golfers competed for a final Championship slot, and the Heroes Classic on 14 July, a three‑hole scramble featuring professional golfers and celebrities. Scoring technology partner SMT deployed on‑course handheld devices, network equipment and LED scoreboards to track every shot and feed data instantly to officials, broadcasters and fans, while contending with unusually warm weather and bright sunlight in the UK.

These developments highlight both the logistical constraints shaping the tournament’s venue rotation and the evolving event schedule and technology used to deliver the championship to a global audience.