Royal Birkdale Open 2026: How to Get the Most Out of Your Day at the Course

I live three miles from the first tee at Royal Birkdale. I have been on the course, I know its layout, and I have watched championships at major links venues. Here is how to make the most of your day at The Open 2026, whether you have a single day ticket or you are here all week.

The First Hour: Get Your Bearings

When you arrive, do not immediately follow the crowd to the 18th grandstand. Walk to the course map board near the main entrance and identify three or four holes you want to base yourself around. The temptation is to follow a specific pairing immediately, but you will spend most of the morning walking fast and seeing partial shots. Better to choose a stretch of the course and let the field come to you.

The practice area is worth visiting early. Players warm up in the hour before their tee time. You can get within metres of the range and watch how the best players in the world prepare. On practice round days this is even more accessible. On championship days the range fills up quickly.

Where to Watch

The 18th hole grandstand is the obvious destination and for good reason. The closing hole at Royal Birkdale is a genuine theatre. The grandstand on the left side of the fairway gives an excellent view of approaches and the green. Get there early to secure a seat because it fills up.

The 17th is consistently one of the best holes to watch at Birkdale. It is a long par 4 with a demanding approach and the gallery tends to be thinner than at 18. You can often get right up to the ropes.

Holes 6, 7 and 8 form a natural loop in the middle of the course away from the main grandstand areas. The gallery is lighter here and on good days you can follow a group through all three holes with space to move and a clear view. If you want to feel what links golf actually looks like from close range rather than from a grandstand, this stretch delivers it.

The dune ridges adjacent to several holes provide elevated viewing. These are not official grandstands but natural vantage points. On a busy day they fill up. Get there before the morning wave of play arrives.

Following a Group vs Staying Put

First time at a major: I would suggest a hybrid approach. Choose a stretch of four or five holes in the middle of the course. Follow one group through that stretch, then hold your position and watch the next three groups come through the same holes before moving.

Following a single group all 18 holes is exhausting, you spend most of your time walking, and the course gets very crowded near the featured pairings. The leaderboard groups always draw the biggest galleries. If you want a clearer view, follow someone ranked 30th rather than someone ranked first.

Practical Tips

• →Arrive early: the course opens to spectators before the first tee time and the best positions go quickly
• →Wear comfortable shoes: the course is over 6,800 yards and you will walk considerably further than that across the day
• →Check the restricted items list: no umbrellas, specific bag size restrictions, no selfie sticks inside the gates
• →The food and drink inside the course is expensive: eat before you arrive and bring what the bag policy allows
• →Phone signal inside a major championship can be poor with 40,000 spectators: download the R&A app and any maps before you go in
• →Scorecards and course guides are available at the gates: take one, it makes following the action much easier

Getting There and Back

Do not drive to the course. The official park and ride is the correct approach. Southport town centre shuttle buses run throughout championship days. If you are coming by train, Birkdale station is the nearest stop and it is an easy walk from there.