The Open 2026: Six Weeks Out. Everything You Need to Have Sorted by Now.

Six weeks out from The Open at Royal Birkdale and the window for doing things properly is closing fast. Here is what you need to have sorted, what is still achievable, and what to accept you have probably missed.

Accommodation: Last Chance

Southport hotels for Open week are either full or at premium pricing. If you have not booked, your options at this point are: self-catering in Southport or Birkdale, Airbnb in the surrounding area, accommodation in Formby or Crosby (20 to 30 minutes from the course), or Wigan and Preston if you are comfortable with a longer drive each day.

Blackpool is 45 to 50 minutes from Royal Birkdale in normal traffic. During Open week, add 15 to 20 minutes on championship days. Blackpool is where you end up if everywhere closer is full. Some people make it work. It is not my first choice.

If you have already sorted accommodation: well done. That is the hardest part of this trip.

Tickets

Championship day tickets (rounds 1 to 4) went on the primary sale months ago and resale pricing is steep. Practice rounds (Sunday 12 July to Tuesday 14 July) are still available via The R&A at face value on some days. These are excellent value and I genuinely prefer practice rounds to championship days for the experience on the course.

If you are attending on championship days and buying resale, do it from a legitimate secondary market. The R&A has guidance on authorised resellers. Do not buy from individuals on social media without verification.

Transport

The championship shuttle buses run from Southport town centre and from designated park-and-ride sites. Do not drive to the course and attempt to park nearby on championship days. It does not work and Birkdale is not set up for it.

Train from Liverpool Central to Southport on Merseyrail, then shuttle bus from Southport to the course. That is the cleanest option if you are coming from Liverpool or further south. The trains will be busy on championship days. Go early.

• →Park-and-ride sites are clearly signposted. Pre-book if booking is available.
• →Merseyrail Southport line runs direct from Liverpool Central.
• →Shuttle buses run from Southport station forecourt on championship days.
• →Do not park on residential streets near the course.
• →Leave at least 90 minutes from Liverpool city centre to the course.

Restaurants: Book Now

Every decent restaurant in Southport will be full for the evenings of the first two championship days (Thursday and Friday). The Bold, Warehouse Kitchen, Bistrot Pierre, anything on Lord Street that takes bookings.

Birkdale village is closer to the course and slightly less crowded. The restaurants there will also fill. Book now. If you cannot get a table at your preferred place, Southport Market on Market Street does not take bookings and is a genuine fallback.

What Else to Play

If you are building a golf trip around The Open week, the courses to play are Hillside (next door to Birkdale, genuinely world-class), Southport and Ainsdale (Ryder Cup venue, excellent links), and West Lancashire (for something a bit different and less hectic).

June is the time to play these courses before Open week pricing and demand arrives. Book now if you want to play any of them as part of the trip.