What Date Is the British Open Golf?

The Open Championship, often called the British Open, is traditionally held each year during the third week of July. This article answers that question in detail for this year and beyond, explains why it's always scheduled then, and gives you a guide to watching a true links golf masterpiece.

The 2024 Open Championship: Dates and Details

The 152nd Open Championship is set to take place from July 18th to July 21st, 2024. The world's best golfers will head to Scotland to compete for the iconic Claret Jug.

This year's host is the legendary Royal Troon Golf Club in South Ayrshire, Scotland. This will be the tenth time Troon has hosted The Open, a history stretching back to 1923. Known for its challenging and picturesque layout, Royal Troon presents a classic links test.

Players and fans will be watching a few holes with particular interest:

• The "Postage Stamp" (8th hole): This is perhaps the most famous par-3 in major championship golf. At just over 120 yards, it demands absolute precision. Miss the tiny green, and you're in one of several deep, pot bunkers waiting to ruin a scorecard. It proves that a hole doesn't need to be long to be incredibly difficult.
• The Railway (11th hole): This long par-4 is one of the toughest tests in golf. A wall runs down the entire right side of the hole boundary, next to the railway line. The tee shot is blind, demanding complete faith and feel.

Why Is The Open Always in July?

Having The Open set for the third week of July isn't an accident, it's a practice steeped in tradition, logistics, and a good dose of smart scheduling. There are a few main reasons for this consistent timing.

1. The Great British Weather

The most straightforward reason is the weather. While the UK's maritime climate can be unpredictable year-round, July typically offers the best chance for favorable, or at least playable, conditions. Hosting The Open during this month maximizes daylight hours and generally provides the warmest, driest window. Of course, this is links golf, so wind and rain are always part of the potential challenge, which is what makes it so exciting. But a July date prevents the organizers from contending with the colder, wetter, and darker months of the British year.

2. Its Place in the Major Schedule

The modern men's major championship season has a distinct rhythm. The Open holds the prestigious final slot, making it the last chance for players to win a major in the calendar year until the next Masters.

• The Masters: Kicks off the season in April.
• The PGA Championship: Moved to May in 2019.
• The U.S. Open: Held in June.
• The Open Championship: Wraps things up in July.

This mid-summer finale gives The Open a unique "last shot at glory" feeling. Players come into it knowing this is it for the year's big four, adding to the pressure and excitement.

3. Tradition

The Open is golf's oldest major championship, first played in 1860. While its early scheduling varied, it has settled into this July timeframe for decades. It has become a hallmark of the summer for golf fans worldwide, a reliable and anticipated event that signals the peak of the championship season.

The British Open Future Schedule (The Open Rota)

One of the most wonderful things about The Open is that it's played over a select group of legendary links courses in the UK. This "rota" system, or rotation, means the championship returns to celebrated venues on a recurring basis. Planning ahead? Here are the confirmed dates and locations for the next couple of years.

The R&A, which organizes the event, announces venues several years in advance, giving fans and players ample time to get excited. Knowing the rota helps you understand the different characters of The Open from year to year, the flat, strategic challenge of St Andrews is vastly different from the blind shots and towering dunes of Royal St. George's.

Confirmed Future Venues and Dates

The 153rd Open at Royal Portrush

Date: July 17th - 20th, 2025
Location: Royal Portrush Golf Club, Portrush, Northern Ireland

The Open's return to Royal Portrush in 2019 was a spectacular success, and it's quickly back on the schedule. The emotional victory of Irishman Shane Lowry created one of the great athletic atmospheres of the last decade. The Dunluce Links is a stunning, rugged course that will once again provide a stern but beautiful test.

The 154th Open at Royal Birkdale

Date: July 16th - 19th, 2026
Location: Royal Birkdale Golf Club, Southport, England

Often considered one of the finest links layouts in the world, Royal Birkdale is a spectator's dream. The fairways are generally nestled between imposing sand dunes, creating a natural amphitheater effect around many of the greens. It was the site of Jordan Spieth's dramatic 2017 victory, which included his famous recovery shot from the practice range.

A Golfer's Guide to Watching The Open

Watching The Open is about more than just seeing an event, it's about understanding a different kind of golf. Here’s how you can best enjoy the championship, whether you’re on the couch or thinking about playing a links-style round yourself.

How to Watch on TV and Stream

In the United States, primary broadcast rights belong to NBC and its afilliates. You'll find extensive coverage across NBC, USA Network, and their streaming service, Peacock. Peacock is fantastic for The Open as it often carries featured group and featured hole coverage, letting you dive deeper into the action. In the United Kingdom, Sky Sports Golf is the home of The Open, offering round-the-clock coverage, analysis, and highlights.

Tips for Watching Like a Coach

• Appreciate the Ground Game: Pay attention to how often players use the contours of the land. They aren't always flying the ball to the pin like you might see at Augusta. They'll use slopes to feed the ball toward the hole, and they’ll putt from 30 yards off the green. This is called the "bump-and-run," a shot that's extremely valuable in firm, windy conditions.
• Watch Trajectories: Notice how the best players control the height of their iron shots. In heavy wind, they'll hit low, piercing "knock-down" shots that stay under the wind's main influence. They achieve this by playing the ball slightly back in their stance, taking less loft, and making an abbreviated, controlled follow-through.
• Look for Creative Escapes: Links golf creates weird situations. Watch how players handle deep pot bunkers. Sometimes, the only play is to hit the ball out sideways or even backward. Accepting your medicine is a huge part of scoring well at The Open. The goal is to avoid blow-up holes at all costs.

From a Coach's Perspective: Playing Your Own "Open"

As you watch the pros navigate Troon, it's a perfect time to think about your own game. You might not play on a true links course, but you can learn a ton from how they manage the conditions. On your next windy day at your home course, try to think like an Open champion.

1. Control Your Ball Flight

The standard "knock-down" shot is something every golfer should have. To try it, take one extra club (e.g., an 8-iron from your normal 9-iron distance), place the ball an inch or two back in your stance, and make a three-quarter swing. The goal isn't to hit it a full distance, but to hit it solidly with a lower, more piercing flight. It gives you far more control when the wind is up.

2. Master the Bump-and-Run

Next time you're just off the green with a lot of fairway in front of you, resist the urge to automatically grab a wedge. Try a 7-iron or 8-iron. Use your putting grip and make a putting-style stroke. The goal is to get the ball rolling on the ground as quickly as possible. It takes the variable of a delicate chip out of play and is often a much higher-percentage shot, especially under pressure.

3. Manage Your Strategy, Not Just Your Swing

The pros at The Open accept that a perfect shot can get a bad bounce, and a poor shot can get a good one. That's links golf. They focus on what they can control: their strategy. They play to the fat part of the green, they aim away from trouble, and they value bogey-avoidance. Adopting this mindset on your own course - prioritizing smart decisions over trying to pull off low-percentage 'hero' shots - will lower your scores more than any swing thought.

Final Thoughts

The Open Championship delivers a unique brand of golf in the third week of July anually, a tradition rooted in weather, scheduling, and the historical prestige of being golf's final major of the year. Watching them manage the wind, firm turf, and pot bunkers is a masterclass in strategy and creativity.

When you're watching the best in the world grapple with a tough lie in the fescue or decide between a risky approach and a safe layup, it makes you think about your own game. For those very moments, we built Caddie AI. Our goal is to give you that same strategic guidance in your pocket, whether you need a smart way to olay a new hole or want to know the best escape from a tricky position - you can even snap a photo of your lie for instant advice. It's about giving you the confidence to make smarter decisions and focus on hitting your best shot.