The 154th Open was recently held at Royal Birkdale Golf Club in England with New Zealander Ryan Fox lifting The Claret Jug. Attention is already turning to what comes next: in 2027, golf’s original Championship returns to the Old Course at St Andrews for the 155th Open.
For golf travellers, this is one to plan for early. St Andrews doesn’t host The Open every year, and demand for the 2027 edition is already running well ahead of previous years as the last time it hosted The Open was its 150th year in 2022.
Why St Andrews Matters
The Old Course is the one venue every golfer recognises, even before they’ve played a round of golf.
Golf has been played on this land for more than 600 years, and St Andrews has hosted The Open more than any other course on the rota: 2027 will mark its 31st staging. The list of Champion Golfers here includes Bobby Jones, Jack Nicklaus, Seve Ballesteros, Tiger Woods and, most recently, Cameron Smith in 2022.
Part of what sets the Old Course apart is that it plays differently to almost anywhere else in the Championship rota. Split fairways, blind approach shots, and bunkers with names of their own (Hell, the Coffins, the Principal’s Nose) mean local knowledge counts for as much as length off the tee. The Road Hole 17th and the Swilcan Bridge on 18 are among the most recognised sights in golf.
The 150th Open here in 2022 drew a record 290,000 spectators. With St Andrews back on the rota for 2027 and no return date confirmed beyond that, this is being treated as a genuine bucket-list week for golf fans.
The 155th Open: Key Details
- Dates: 11–18 July 2027
- Venue: The Old Course, St Andrews, Scotland
- Organiser: The R&A
- Field: 156 players, determined through exemptions and qualifying events
Practice week traditionally includes the Last-Chance Qualifier and the Champions’ exhibition matches over the 1st, 2nd, 17th and 18th holes — both worth building into travel plans if you want to see the course before Championship rounds begin.
How to Attend: Two Routes
There are two ways for fans to get to St Andrews for The 155th Open, and they work quite differently.
1. The Public Ticket Ballot
This is the R&A’s official route to general admission tickets.
- Entry is via One Club, the R&A’s free membership programme
- The ballot typically opens several months out and closes several weeks later
- Applicants can apply for up to four tickets per day across Practice and Championship Days
- Under-16s go free with a paying adult
- Results are announced in stages after the ballot closes
- Championship Days are heavily oversubscribed — Practice Days generally offer better odds
The ballot secures tickets only. Accommodation, transfers, and everything else around the week is left to the traveller to organise — not a small task in a town the size of St Andrews during Open week, where rooms are booked out years in advance.
2. An Organised Package Through an Official Sub-Agent
The R&A also sells ticket-inclusive travel packages through a small number of Official Sub-Agents — appointed partners authorised to sell accommodation and hospitality bundled with genuine tournament tickets. Voyages.golf is Proud to be an Official Sub-Agent for the 155th Open Championship in St Andrews.
This route suits golfers who want certainty rather than a ballot outcome. A package typically includes:
- Confirmed accommodation in St Andrews or Edinburgh for the dates of your stay
- An Official ticket to the Championship, in the Ticket Plus category
- Daily breakfast (and often dinner if staying in St Andrews)
- Return airport transfers
- The option to add golf on courses such as Dunbar, or Dumbarnie Links during tournament week
Because tickets are secured directly through the R&A’s official channel rather than the open ballot, there’s no waiting on a result: you know your dates and your ticket before you book flights.
Ballot or Package: Which Suits You?
- Choose the ballot if you’re flexible on dates, comfortable arranging your own accommodation and transfers, and happy to wait for a result before locking in travel.
- Choose a package if you want your ticket, accommodation and transfers confirmed in one booking, particularly if you’re travelling from Australia or further afield and need certainty before booking long-haul flights.
Given how far in advance accommodation in St Andrews sells out during Open week, most overseas travellers find the package route the more practical option — regardless of the ballot outcome.
Planning Your Trip
With the 154th Open at Royal Birkdale showing just how quickly demand builds for a St Andrews return, early planning for 2027 is worth doing now rather than later. Packages, once sold out, are not reissued.
If you’re weighing up your options for The 155th Open, get in touch with the Voyages.golf team to discuss dates, packages and availability.
