What It’s Really Like Attending The Open Championship: Tips From Our First Trip

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Attending The Open Championship had been on our travel list for a while. We watch plenty of golf at home and play ourselves, but watching a major championship on TV and actually spending several days walking the course are two very different experiences.

We attended The Open as part of a longer UK trip that also included the Shetland Islands, Liverpool, and London. While we did plenty of research beforehand, there were still a few things we didn’t fully appreciate until we were there, especially how much walking we’d do and how we’d actually spend our time once we were on the course.

If you’re considering attending The Open Championship for the first time, here’s what we learned and what we’d do again.

Expect to Walk. A Lot.

We knew we’d be walking, but this was probably the part of the experience we underestimated the most.

The Open isn’t like attending a sporting event where you walk from the parking lot to your seat and stay there. Part of the fun is exploring the course, following different groups, and stopping at different holes. We logged between 15,000 and 20,000 steps on each of the two days we attended. 

Comfortable shoes were easily one of the most important things we brought. This isn’t the trip to break in a new pair or choose shoes based solely on how they look. I wore my New Balance 928 walking shoes, which I’d already worn for plenty of long walking days. They worked well for the distance and uneven ground.

We also spent plenty of time standing, so even if you don’t plan to follow players around the entire course, I’d still prepare for a very active day.

You Don’t Have to Follow Every Shot

Before attending, I pictured us choosing a favorite group and following them around the course. We did some of that, but we quickly realized there are several good ways to experience The Open.

Sometimes we followed a particular group. Other times, we found a good spot and watched several groups come through. The grandstands were also a nice option when we wanted to sit for a while and still see plenty of golf.

It took us a little while to figure out how we liked to watch. We ended up looking for spots where we could see the tee shots land and then watch the approach shots. If we could see some of the putting too, even better. We’d watch a few groups come through and then move on. 

We also spent some time in the grandstand at the 18th. It was a good place to take a break from standing while still watching some of our favorite groups finish their rounds. 

By our second day, we had a much better feel for how we wanted to watch. We’d follow a group for a while, find a good hole and stay there for several groups, or head to a grandstand when we wanted a break..

My advice for anyone attending The Open Championship for the first time would be not to over-plan your day. Have a few players you’d like to see, but give yourself time to explore the course and change plans as the day unfolds.

Be Prepared for the Weather

I fully expected we’d get at least a little typical UK weather while we were there, so we came prepared with rain jackets and layers. Instead, temperatures reached the low 80s and we didn’t get any rain either day. 

We never needed the rain gear we’d brought, but I wouldn’t leave it behind on a future trip. The Open takes place at coastal courses around the UK, and the weather isn’t always going to cooperate as nicely as it did for us.

What we did use was sunscreen. You’re outside for hours with very little protection from the sun, and on a warm, dry day that ended up being much more important than our rain jackets.

What I’d bring again:

• Lightweight rain jacket: Stayed in our bag this time, but I’d pack it again.
• Sunscreen: This stick sunscreen is perfect for touchups throughout the day.
• Hat 
• Golf/Athletic Skirt: This skirt did double duty at The Open and for sightseeing on warm days.

If The Open is part of a longer UK trip, my Scotland Summer Packing List covers what we packed for the rest of our trip as well.

What We Carried With Us

With all that walking, we tried to keep what we carried around the course to a minimum. There were a few things we were glad to have with us

Portable Charger

We used our phones throughout the day for photos, videos, scores and tee times, so a portable charger was worth carrying.

Refillable Water Bottle

With temperatures in the low 80s and 15,000–20,000 steps each day, we went through plenty of water. The course had water filling stations, but the lines could get long, so we tried to refill when we passed one with a shorter line rather than waiting until we were out of water. 

Small Bag

We carried this foldable backpack, which was large enough for the basics without becoming something we regretted carrying around all day.

NOTE TO ADD: Tournament policies can change, so check the current year’s official spectator information before deciding what bag or other items to bring.

I’ve also put together my Golf & Tournament Day Essentials Amazon Storefront List with the golf and tournament-day items we actually use.

Food, Drinks and Taking a Break

There were plenty of places to grab food and drinks, but the lines could get long, and the seating areas were pretty crowded around lunchtime. We didn’t want to spend a big chunk of the day waiting for food and potentially miss groups we wanted to watch, so we started eating later than the typical lunch rush.

That worked well for us. The lines were shorter, and it was easier to find somewhere to sit and take a break before heading back out on the course.

With all the walking and standing, we appreciated having a chance to sit down for a little while. We just tried to time our breaks around the golf we wanted to see rather than automatically stopping for lunch at noon.

For current information about food and drink policies, prohibited items, accessibility and other spectator rules, check the official The Open spectator information before your trip.

Make a Golf Trip Out of It

Because we like to play a round when we travel, we wanted to fit some golf into this trip too. None of us had been playing our best recently, so we weren’t looking for an expensive or particularly serious round. We mostly wanted to get out and play somewhere new between our days at The Open.

We ended up at Southport Golf Links, England’s first municipal golf course. It wasn’t the best course we’ve ever played, but that wasn’t really the point. We had fun, got to play golf in England, and it was an easy addition to the trip.

We also needed to rent clubs, which narrowed our options more than I expected. Several of the higher-end courses offered rentals, but we didn’t want to spend that much for what we intended to be a casual round. Southport had rental clubs and warned us in advance that they weren’t in great shape. They weren’t kidding! The clubs were pretty rough, but we made them work and had fun anyway.

If you play golf and you’re attending The Open Championship, I’d definitely look at courses near wherever you’re staying. You don’t necessarily need to book one of the famous courses or turn it into a major golf outing. A casual round at a local course can be a fun way to add some golf to the trip without taking an entire day away from everything else you want to do.

If you’re traveling without your clubs, check rental availability before booking a tee time. We found that club rentals weren’t available everywhere, and the quality can vary depending on the course.

This is also something we’ll probably continue doing on future trips. We enjoy finding a way to fit in a round when we’re traveling without making the entire vacation revolve around golf.

Is Attending The Open Championship Worth It?

For us, yes.

One of the things I enjoyed most about attending The Open Championship was getting to experience the course in a completely different way than you can on television. You get a much better sense of the terrain, distances, weather and just how good these players are.

I also liked that we didn’t have to experience the tournament one particular way. We could follow a favorite player for a few holes, find a spot and watch several groups come through, wander around the course, or sit in the grandstands for a while.

One of the biggest surprises for us was how much we enjoyed the Tuesday practice round. I had always assumed players simply went out and played a normal round before the tournament started, but that’s not really how it works. We watched players drop balls in different spots, try different shots and clubs, and spend time figuring out how they wanted to approach certain holes. Getting to see how some of our favorite players prepared for the course ended up being one of our favorite parts of the entire experience. 

We would absolutely go to The Open again (my ballot was accept for St. Andrews 2027). And knowing what we know now, I’d buy practice-day tickets again too. Tuesday turned out to be one of our favorite days of the trip. 

Frequently Asked Questions

What should I wear to The Open Championship?

I wouldn’t wear anything you aren’t comfortable walking and standing in all day. I wore walking shoes and a golf skirt, and we brought layers and rain jackets in case the weather changed. We ended up with temperatures in the low 80s, so the rain gear stayed in our bags and sunscreen became much more important. 

Can you bring a bag into The Open?

Bag and prohibited-item policies can change, so check the official The Open spectator information for the year you’re attending rather than relying on information from a previous tournament.

How much walking should I expect at The Open?

Potentially a lot. On each day we attended, we walked 7–8 miles, or about 15,000–20,000 steps. That was despite being fairly strategic about when we moved around the course. Instead of constantly following groups from hole to hole, we often chose a good viewing spot. This allowed us to watch several groups come through before moving on. Twice, we also spent time in the grandstands to sit down and take a break. Even with that approach, a day at The Open is a very active one.