The Open Championship 2026

Fly into Manchester Airport (MAN, 45km south) or Liverpool John Lennon Airport (LPL, 30km south). Both have direct trains to Southport via Merseyrail — approximately 60 minutes. No car needed in Southport. The train station is a 20-minute walk from Royal Birkdale.

💡 The Merseyrail Northern Line from Liverpool Central to Southport runs every 15 minutes. Purchase an Open Championship shuttle pass from Southport Station to the course on arrival.

Practice round tickets (Monday–Wednesday) are significantly cheaper and give relaxed access to watch players in a friendly, informal atmosphere. Royal Birkdale's layout is genuinely beautiful — the undulating fairways between dunes create natural amphitheatres at several holes.

💡 The 12th hole at Birkdale (long par-4 through the valley between dunes) and the 18th (uphill finishing hole with grandstands on both sides) are the course's signature holes — position yourself there for the best viewing.

Southport's Victorian seaside architecture is impressive — the famous (almost always windy) seafront has a restored pier, Lord Street's cast-iron arcaded shopping street (allegedly the inspiration for Haussmann's Paris boulevards), and a charming town centre.

The Waterloo pub and Scarisbrick Hotel on Lord Street are both good for a traditional pre-Open beer. The atmosphere in Southport during Open week is excellent — a genuine mix of golf fans from around the world in a traditional English seaside town.

The Warehouse Brasserie on West Street, Southport, is the best restaurant in town — modern British cuisine, good wine list, and busy with Open visitors during championship week. Book ahead. Alternatively, Liverpool city centre (45 min) has world-class restaurants.

Gates open at 07:30. The wind at Royal Birkdale is the decisive factor — a calm morning can become a brutal afternoon gale, or vice versa. Check the forecast and if it's windy in the afternoon, be at Amen Corner equivalent (holes 11–14) to see the struggle.

💡 The British weather is entirely part of the Open experience — bring waterproofs regardless of the forecast. Watching golfers battle a 30mph coastal wind is part of what makes The Open unique.

Royal Birkdale's natural amphitheatres (created by the dunes framing each fairway) provide extraordinary spectator viewing. Walk the full 18 with a leading player to understand the course architecture — the undulations are invisible from television.

💡 The 6th hole (downwind par-4) and the challenging 12th (into the prevailing wind) play very differently depending on conditions — note the contrast.

The 18th at Birkdale has permanent grandstands holding 25,000 people — arriving by 13:30 gives you a good position to watch the afternoon leaders come home. The Claret Jug is presented on the 18th green on Sunday.

💡 The R&A always has a large presentation screen showing the full leaderboard on the 18th — you can watch the entire tournament while waiting for leaders to arrive.

The Open shop is the largest merchandise operation at any golf major — exclusive to the week and location. Branded Birkdale/The Open items are unique to this venue and year. The traditional yellow umbrella is the most recognised Open souvenir.

Liverpool is 45 minutes by train — the Albert Dock, Museum of Liverpool, and the Cavern Club (Beatles) make an excellent post-round evening. The Northern Quarter food and bar scene on Bold Street is outstanding.

💡 The last Merseyrail back to Southport runs around 23:30 — check times before you go.

Liverpool's Mathew Street area centres on the Cavern Club (the basement venue where the Beatles played 292 times between 1961–63) and the Beatles Story museum at Albert Dock. Both are essential cultural experiences in one of Britain's most historically significant cities.

💡 The original Cavern Club was demolished in 1973 — the current venue is a faithful recreation on the same street. The atmosphere is still extraordinary.

The Grade I-listed Albert Dock warehouse complex (1846) houses the Museum of Liverpool (free), Tate Liverpool (free), and the Beatles Story. The Dock waterfront provides stunning views of the Mersey and the Liver Building.

Liverpool John Lennon Airport (LPL) is 30 minutes by taxi from Albert Dock. Manchester Airport (MAN) is 45 minutes by Transpennine Express train from Liverpool Lime Street. Both have excellent connections throughout Europe and beyond.