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Key Takeaways
- Rotation Basics — The Rota is stubborn and predictable, with St. Andrews every five years and only a handful of links making the cut.
- Confirmed Slots — Royal Birkdale (2026), St. Andrews (2027), and Royal Lytham (2028) are locked in; after that, tradition rules.
- Future Bets — Muirfield and Turnberry are likely to reappear, but don’t expect any radical departures from the classic lineup.
The Rota Doesn’t Change — And That’s a Good Thing
Here’s the thing nobody talks about when it comes to the British Open: the rotation of venues, called the Rota, is as predictable as a Hogan four-iron. The R&A keeps a tight list of a dozen or so classic links, and they rotate them with the patience of a man reading the newspaper at breakfast. St. Andrews gets its turn every five years, like clockwork. It’s the same approach as Pebble Beach for the U.S. Open or Whistling Straits for the PGA — but with more tradition and less corporate noise.
Confirmed Dates: 2026 Through 2028
The R&A has announced — or quietly let leak — the next three years of the Open. They don’t bother with decade-long announcements because, honestly, they don’t need to. The courses speak for themselves.
- 2026 (July 16-19) — Royal Birkdale
- 2027 (July 15-18) — The Old Course at St. Andrews
- 2028 (August 3-6) — Royal Lytham & St. Annes
That’s it. No surprises. Birkdale is a fair test that rewards accuracy. St. Andrews is the old lady. Lytham is the toughest sleeper, with bunkers that don’t forgive a single misstep. Walk those courses, and you’ll understand why they don’t need bells and whistles.
What 2029 and Beyond Might Look Like
Bobby Jones figured this out in 1928: the best golf is played on the ground. The Rota is built for that. After 2028, two names keep showing up in discussions.
Muirfield — The shortest course in the modern Rota, Muirfield is a thinking man’s links. Phil Mickelson won there in 2013 at age 43, and by 2029 he’ll be 52. Could be a beautiful send-off for the left-hander, playing the way the game ought to be played: without a driver every hole.
Turnberry — Site of Tom Watson’s near-miss at 59 in 2009, Turnberry is stuck in political limbo as long as Donald Trump owns it. But the R&A will bring it back eventually — because the Ailsa course is that good. When it returns, I’ll be walking it with a hickory shaft in my bag just for the joy of it.
Recent Venues (A Quick Look Back)
The game doesn’t owe you anything, but it’s nice to remember where we’ve been. Here’s the recent run of Open sites I’ve been lucky enough to watch — and walk, in some cases:
- 2014 — Royal Liverpool
- 2015 — St. Andrews
- 2016 — Royal Troon
- 2017 — Royal Birkdale
- 2019 — Royal Portrush
- 2021 — Royal St. George’s
- 2022 — St. Andrews
- 2023 — Royal Liverpool
- 2025 — Royal Portrush
Notice a pattern? St. Andrews appears every five years. That’s not a tip — that’s a truth. The Rota is the same list we used fifty years ago, and it will be the same in fifty more. That’s why I love it.
Final Thoughts
I’ve played that shot a thousand times — except I’m talking about watching the Open on TV. The future venues are set through 2028, and after that, Muirfield and Turnberry will probably slide back in. Nothing revolutionary, nothing trendy. Just classic links golf, the way Hogan would have wanted it.
Playing golf since before GPS rangefinders existed. Eddie covers the classic game — courses, technique, and the stories worth keeping.