The Open returns to Royal Birkdale in 2026 with several significant changes since the Claret Jug was last contested here in 2017. Here’s how every hole will play, where the danger lies, and what the world’s best players have said about the famous Southport links.
There are few courses on The Open rota that enjoy quite the same reputation as Royal Birkdale.
Since it first staged golf’s original Championship in 1954, no other course outside of St Andrews has hosted more Opens and produced more Champion Golfers than Royal Birkdale.
Set among the towering dunes of England’s Golf Coast, the Southport venue has staged some of the championship’s most memorable finishes and crowned legends including Peter Thomson, Arnold Palmer, Lee Trevino, Tom Watson, Johnny Miller, Pádraig Harrington, and Jordan Spieth.
Unlike some traditional links, Royal Birkdale rarely relies on blind shots or quirky bounces to defend itself. Instead, it places a premium on quality ball-striking, intelligent course management, and patience. Fairways are generally visible from the tee, the punishment for a poor shot is obvious, and the player who performs best over 72 holes usually wins.
That’s one of the reasons it’s held in such high regard by the professionals.
“I’ve always thought Birkdale is one of the best courses on the Open rota,” said Rory McIlroy ahead of the 2026 championship.
Tommy Fleetwood, who grew up just a few miles away, rates it even higherc.
“Birkdale is one of the best Open venues. It’s an amazing golf course and an amazing venue. Wherever I’ve been in the world, it always stands in my top five or so.”
Players returning from the 2017 Open, however, will discover a noticeably different golf course.
Several holes have been redesigned, including a drivable fifth, a completely new par-three 15th, and a transformed back nine that promises an even sterner examination than the one Jordan Spieth conquered nine years ago.
Here’s what awaits the field.
Hole 1
Par 4 | 447 yards
Royal Birkdale wastes no time asking questions, with the opening hole regarded as one of the toughest.
The opening hole isn’t brutally long by modern standards, but it’s a superb examination of opening-day nerves. Out of bounds hugs the right-hand side, thick fescue lurks beyond the fairway, and the green is subtly protected rather than dramatically defended.
Many players will choose a club that guarantees the fairway instead of immediately reaching for driver. The reward is a much more straightforward approach into one of the smaller targets on the outward nine.
Walking off with a par here feels like a positive start to the championship.
Watch for: Players favouring position over power from the opening tee.
Hole 2
Par 4 | 419 yards
The second continues Royal Birkdale’s philosophy that angles matter almost as much as distance, and will see plenty opt for something other than driver off the tee.
Although the landing area appears generous, simply finding the fairway is only half the challenge. Players still need to leave themselves a comfortable angle into the green, where well-positioned bunkers place a premium on a precise approach. Miss the short grass and attacking the flag becomes considerably more difficult.
Miss it and the bunkering around the green suddenly becomes much more difficult to negotiate.
It’s another reminder that this isn’t a golf course where players can simply overpower the architecture.
Watch for: How players position themselves for the best angle into the green.
Hole 3
Par 4 | 450 yards
Into the prevailing wind, the third can feel considerably longer than the scorecard suggests.
Players will favor the left side of the fairway to give a clear shot into the green.
Finding the fairway is essential, but equally important is controlling the trajectory of the approach. Depending on the wind and firmness of the course, players may choose to use the natural contours and release the ball onto the green rather than flying it all the way to the flag.
Birdies are available, but only after two exceptionally well-executed shots.
Watch for: Long-iron approaches landing short and releasing onto the green.
Hole 4
Par 3 | 219 yards
The first par three has undergone one of the subtler redesigns on the course.
Although it has gained around 25 yards in length, the biggest change comes at the front of the green, where the reshaped bunker now allows players to use the contours and bounce the ball onto the putting surface depending on the wind direction and pin location.
Rather than demanding the same high, soft shot every day, the fourth now encourages creativity. Into the wind, players may choose to land the ball short and let it release. Downwind, a more direct aerial approach could be the preferred option.
Like every great Open par three, the conditions will dictate the strategy.
Watch for: Players using the redesigned front approach to feed the ball onto a green that’s 40 yards long from front to back.
Hole 5
Par 4 | 321 yards
If there’s one hole that spectators should keep a close eye on throughout the week, it’s the fifth.
Completely redesigned since 2017, the hole has been shortened into a genuine drivable par four. The removal and remodelling of the dunes on the right has also eliminated the blind tee shot, allowing players to see exactly what lies ahead.
That’s both reassuring and dangerous.
At just 321 yards, virtually everyone in the field has the power to reach the green, but doing so brings a collection of deep revetted bunkers into play around the putting surface.
“It’s a good drivable par four,” said McIlroy. “There’s a bit of a penalty if you go for it and you miss.”
The six-time major champion suggested the water to the right isn’t the feature players will fear most. Instead, it’s the huge bunkers surrounding the green that are likely to dictate strategy, plus a severe run-off if you go long.
Late on Sunday afternoon, expect scoreboards to influence decision-making. Players chasing the Claret Jug may feel compelled to attack, while those protecting a lead could opt for an iron and wedge.
Whatever route they choose, this hole has all the ingredients to become one of the defining moments of the championship.
Watch for: One of the biggest risk-and-reward decisions of the championship.
Hole 6
Par 4 | 514 yards
The sixth is the longest par four on the course and one of Royal Birkdale’s most demanding examinations.
There’s little opportunity to ease into the hole. Players must first negotiate a tee shot that places a premium on both distance and accuracy, avoiding two bunkers on the right and one on the corner of the dog-leg, before facing what is often a long-iron or even hybrid approach into a well-defended, elevated green. When the prevailing wind blows into players’ faces, reaching the putting surface in regulation becomes a significant achievement.
The hole showed its teeth the last time The Open visited Royal Birkdale, ranking as the toughest on the course in 2017 with a scoring average of more than 4.4. It’s easy to see why. Even two excellent shots don’t always guarantee a realistic birdie opportunity, while a slightly wayward drive can quickly turn par into an excellent score.
Watch for: Players hitting long irons, hybrids and even fairway woods into the green, particularly if the wind is blowing into their faces.
Hole 7
Par 3 | 151 yards
The seventh might be almost 70 yards shorter than the fourth, but don’t be fooled into thinking it’s the easier of Royal Birkdale’s two front-nine par threes.
One of the course’s most eye-catching redesigns, the hole has been completely reimagined since the 2017 Open. A new teeing ground has rotated the hole by around 45 degrees, changing both the line from the tee and the way the prevailing wind influences club selection. It now plays from the opposite side of the sixth green, presenting players with a very different visual challenge.
The reduction in yardage, from 177 to 151 yards, suggests birdie opportunities should increase, but the new green complex tells a different story. The putting surface has been raised, creating much steeper run-off areas around the edges, while three of the seven bunkers have been removed to place greater emphasis on precision rather than simple sand avoidance. The famous donut-shaped bunker remains, providing one of Royal Birkdale’s most distinctive visual features. The bunkers are the deepest on the entire course.
Sir Nick Faldo believes the redesign has given the hole “extra teeth” despite the shorter yardage, and it’s easy to see why. Miss the green in almost any direction and players are faced with awkward recovery shots from tightly mown slopes rather than straightforward bunker play.
It’s a hole that perfectly illustrates the thinking behind Royal Birkdale’s recent changes. The challenge doesn’t come from sheer length, but from asking players to control both trajectory and distance with absolute precision.
Watch for: Players missing the green by only a few yards before watching their ball disappear down one of the new run-off areas.
Hole 8
Par 4 | 459 yards
If the seventh offers a brief chance to attack, the eighth quickly restores order.
This is one of Royal Birkdale’s classic two-shot par fours, framed by towering dunes that create a spectacular natural amphitheatre and reinforce the feeling of isolation that makes the course so distinctive. From the tee, the fairway appears inviting enough, but the landing area quickly begins to tighten at driving distance, particularly if the wind starts to influence the flight of the ball. Finding the fairway is essential if players are to control their approach into the green.
A well-positioned drive down the left side leaves players with a better angle into a large green. Approaches played from the rough become far more difficult to judge, especially when trying to generate enough spin to hold firm links turf. A new sand trap has been introduced on the right, posing a fresh challenge to those taking a bold approach.
Watch for: Players shaping tee shots into the wind rather than trying to overpower it.
Hole 9
Par 4 | 414 yards
The outward half concludes with one of the better birdie opportunities on the front nine, although Royal Birkdale still refuses to hand anything away.
The ninth bends gently through the dunes and, like so many holes at Royal Birkdale, rewards players who prioritise control over outright distance from the tee. Players who find the short grass can attack a receptive angle into the green, while those drifting into the rough often have to play far more conservatively. Bigger hitters can take on the corner, but it’s a big risk, with gorse on the other side.
Like many greens at Birkdale, subtle contours rather than dramatic slopes provide the defence. Being on the wrong level can quickly turn a birdie chance into a testing two-putt, making distance control just as important as accuracy.
Watch for: Caddies placing as much emphasis on leaving the correct yardage as they do on finding the fairway.
Hole 10
Par 4 | 397 yards
Royal Birkdale’s inward nine begins with one of the shortest par fours on the course and, on paper at least, another opportunity to pick up a shot.
That doesn’t mean players can become overly aggressive.
The fairway narrows in the ideal landing area, encouraging many competitors to favor accuracy over distance from the tee. Players who find the short grass are rewarded with a much more straightforward approach, while those in the rough immediately become defensive.
Depending on the wind direction, some of the longer hitters may consider taking on more of the hole and trying to clear the bunker on the left, but could find themselves running out of fairway and finding deep rough. A controlled tee shot followed by a precise wedge or short iron is often the percentage play.
As the championship enters its closing stretch over the weekend, this could become a genuine momentum hole. A birdie here offers the perfect platform before the course begins to ask much sterner questions.
Watch for: Players resisting the temptation to overpower one of the shortest par fours on the course.
Hole 11
Par 4 | 434 yards
The 11th is a superb example of why Royal Birkdale is so admired by the game’s best players.
There are no hidden tricks, no blind shots, and no unfair bounces to contend with. Everything is visible from the tee. The challenge comes from executing two excellent golf shots under pressure.
A well-struck drive is rewarded with the opportunity to attack the green, but any tee shot that drifts into the rough or finds one of the fairway bunkers quickly turns the hole into an exercise in damage limitation.
The approach demands similar discipline, with bunkers waiting to punish any attempt to chase a difficult pin.
The putting surface is long, with a distinct ridge running down the middle. A wayward approach landing on the wrong side of this ridge could spell real trouble.
It’s the sort of hole that rewards patience over ambition. Competitors who continue taking their medicine and accepting pars whenever birdie isn’t realistically available often find themselves climbing the leaderboard by the end of the week.
Royal Birkdale has built its reputation on holes exactly like this.
Watch for: Players aiming for the heart of the green rather than firing directly at tucked Sunday pin positions.
Hole 12
Par 3 | 186 yards
The final par three before the dramatic closing stretch is every inch an Open Championship hole.
Playing almost 190 yards, the 12th asks players to judge both distance and trajectory perfectly, particularly if the Irish Sea breeze begins to swirl among the dunes. Club selection can change dramatically from one day to the next, with conditions often dictating whether competitors attack through the air or use the contours around the front of the green.
The putting surface offers little margin for error. Miss on the correct side and an imaginative up-and-down remains possible. Miss on the wrong side and saving par becomes considerably more difficult.
It might not attract the same attention as the redesigned holes that follow, but don’t be surprised if the 12th quietly plays a significant role in deciding who lifts the Claret Jug.
Watch for: Players taking extra time over club selection as the ever-changing wind becomes an increasingly important factor.
Hole 13
Par 4 | 502 yards
No hole at Royal Birkdale is more closely associated with modern Open history than the 13th.
It was here, during the final round in 2017, that Jordan Spieth’s wayward tee shot finished on the practice ground, leading to one of the most extraordinary recoveries ever seen in a major championship. After taking a free drop and playing from an area spectators never expected to see feature in The Open, Spieth somehow escaped with a bogey before birdieing four of the final five holes to lift the Claret Jug.
While that remarkable sequence is unlikely to be repeated, the hole itself has evolved since then.
Subtle changes to the fairway now create more of a dogleg than in 2017, while the removal of a bunker closer to the green offers players greater flexibility if they’re forced to recover after an errant drive. One thing has also changed beyond the architecture: tournament infrastructure now makes Spieth’s famous route from the practice ground effectively impossible to recreate.
At more than 500 yards, the 13th remains one of the sternest par fours on the course.
Players will aim to miss bunkers positioned to the right of the fairway, while avoiding a ditch running down the left side. A strong tee shot opens up an approach into a picture-perfect green surrounded by large sand dunes.
Finding the fairway is essential, but length alone won’t guarantee success. Players still face a demanding long-iron approach into a beautifully defended green where simply finding the putting surface is an achievement.
Watch for: Commentary teams inevitably revisiting Spieth’s unforgettable recovery from 2017 – and explaining why it couldn’t happen today.
Hole 14
Par 5 | 602 yards
If any hole encapsulates Royal Birkdale’s transformation since 2017, it’s the 14th.
This was once the easiest hole on the golf course. Back then, it measured 542 yards, offered genuine eagle opportunities, and regularly gave players a chance to build momentum heading into the closing stretch.
Not anymore.
Following the redesign, the former 15th now plays as the 14th and stretches to a daunting 602 yards. Add in the fact it typically plays into the prevailing wind and it becomes one of the most demanding par fives on The Open rota.
For most of the field, reaching the green in two will simply be unrealistic unless conditions are unusually benign. Instead, strategy revolves around finding the fairway from the tee, avoiding bunkers positioned. on both sides, before laying up to the ideal wedge distance and avoiding the mistakes that can quickly lead to dropped shots.
The redesigned green adds another layer of difficulty. Rebuilt and relocated as part of the course changes, it asks searching questions of players trying to control spin and distance after two long shots into the wind.
While birdies remain possible, they’ll need to be earned.
It’s a remarkable transformation. A hole that once provided relief now feels like one of the championship’s biggest examinations, particularly on Sunday afternoon when players know opportunities are beginning to run out.
Watch for: Players abandoning any thoughts of reaching the green in two and instead focusing on finding the perfect lay-up yardage.
Hole 15
Par 3 | 241 yards
The newest hole on the course could also become one of its defining moments.
Built from scratch on the location of the old 14th hole, the 15th is now the longest par three on the course at 241 yards and presents a fascinating strategic puzzle.
From the tee, the green appears surprisingly generous. Walk closer, however, and a very different picture emerges. The entrance is much narrower than it first appears, making the target feel considerably smaller for players trying to flight long irons or hybrids into a firm links green.
Pádraig Harrington was among the first former champions to experience the new hole, and he came away impressed.
“Players don’t mind how difficult the test is, as long as it’s fair. That’s all we want. We actually prefer a really strong test that’s fair.”
His verdict after playing it was that the hole offers multiple ways to succeed rather than demanding one perfect shot. Into the wind, players can use the ground to feed the ball onto the green. Downwind, a higher, softer approach may be the better option.
Harrington also noted that appearances can be deceptive. The bunkers are relatively straightforward to play from, while the steep run-off to the right is likely to cause far more problems. He even suggested he’d rather miss slightly long or left than finish short right, where the tightly mown slopes leave a particularly awkward recovery.
“There’s nothing crazy about this hole at all,” Harrington said. “It gives a lot of options.”
That may ultimately prove the redesign’s greatest success. Rather than relying on tricks or severe punishment, it challenges players to make smart decisions under immense pressure.
Watch for: Balls narrowly missing the green to the right before running well away from the putting surface, leaving one of the toughest up-and-downs on the course.
Hole 16
Par 4 | 393 yards
After the drama of the new 15th, the 16th – which used to be the 15th – presents one final opportunity to reset before Royal Birkdale’s closing crescendo.
At under 400 yards, it’s one of the shorter par fours on the course and may tempt the biggest hitters, but that shouldn’t be mistaken for an easy birdie chance.
A well-positioned tee shot favoring the right side gives players the best chance of controlling their approach into a green that offers little forgiveness for anything slightly offline.
With only two holes remaining, the psychology of championship golf begins to take over. Leaders may become slightly more conservative, while those chasing know opportunities to make a move are rapidly disappearing.
As is so often the case at Royal Birkdale, restraint frequently proves the wiser option.
Watch for: Competitors carefully managing their emotions before the demanding final two holes.
Hole 17
Par 5 | 566 yards
The penultimate hole offers one final chance to attack before the championship reaches its conclusion.
At 566 yards, the 17th is reachable in two for those who manage to thread a drive between the towering sand dunes. For everyone else, it’s a classic three-shot par five that rewards patience and intelligent positioning.
That strategic choice makes the hole particularly intriguing late on Sunday. Players protecting a lead may happily accept par by laying up, while those needing birdie – or even eagle – to challenge for the Claret Jug may have little option but to take on the green.
The approach demands nerve, with bunkers perfectly placed to catch any attempt that’s even slightly offline. Equally, a conservative lay-up still leaves work to do, with distance control on the third shot proving crucial.
Like the fifth earlier in the round, the 17th has the potential to create dramatic swings on the leaderboard. It rewards bravery, but only when that bravery is backed up by flawless execution.
Watch for: Players near the lead weighing up whether to chase the green in two or trust their wedge game.
Hole 18
Par 4 | 508 yards
Every Open champion dreams of making the walk up Royal Birkdale’s final fairway with the Claret Jug within touching distance.
The club’s redesign ensures there are no easy conclusions.
The closing hole has been lengthened by around 25 yards and the tee shifted slightly to the left, removing the old dogleg and giving players a full view of the challenge ahead. Visibility has improved, but the task has become considerably more demanding.
Six fairway bunkers now sit waiting for any tee shot that strays from the ideal line, placing enormous pressure on one final drive. Find the short grass and players still face a lengthy approach to a green that offers little forgiveness under the intense scrutiny of Sunday afternoon.
Sir Nick Faldo believes the alterations have created a fitting conclusion to one of golf’s greatest championships. Everything is visible. Nothing is hidden. The player standing on the 18th tee knows exactly what must be done – they simply have to execute under the greatest pressure imaginable.
It’s a finish that perfectly reflects Royal Birkdale itself.
Demanding without being unfair. Strategic without becoming overly complicated. A course that consistently asks the best golfers in the world to hit the right shot at precisely the right moment.
Whoever survives the final climb up the 18th is likely to have earned every ounce of their place as Champion Golfer of the Year.
Watch for: Players favoring accuracy over distance from the tee. One final visit to the fairway bunkers could end hopes of lifting the Claret Jug.