Ranking of all the courses of the rotation of the Open championship

CARNOUSTIE, Scotland – The Open dates back to 1860, a year when only eight competitors competed in the "championship" at Prestwick and won by Willie Park.

He did not find his place at Carnoustie until 71 years later

This week, he returns to the Scottish ties just for the eighth time when the 147th oldest tournament of the game starts on Thursday.

And yet, remarkably, during all this time, The Open has visited only 14 sites, of which 10 are in the current rotation of St. Andrews courses, considered the home of golf, leads the ball with 29 championships, and it will host the event again in 2021 when the Open is played for the 150th time In 1965 there were 95 Opens in Scotland, 50 in England and one in Northern Ireland.

We put the 10 places in order, followed by the four that are still playable but are no longer used Open

1. The Old Course, St. Andrews

S t. Andrews, Scotland (29 openings, the first in 1873, the last in 2015. Next scheduled: 2021)

The Old Course is the jewel of the Open, the spiritual home of the game – with a provision virtually unchanged since Tom Morris's father loved it in the late 19th century. Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus both won twice; Arnold Palmer and Tom Watson never did it. The course is so special that the tournament returns to St. Andrews more than any other venue. The R & A Clubhouse, which sits behind the first tee and the 18th green, was built in 1854 and became the home to the golf course (outside the United States) in 1897.

If we had to quibble: The Old Course is becoming dangerously close to being unable to challenge the best of the world. In the absence of strong winds or bad weather, most par 4's only need a wedge or iron approach 9. In 2015, the game was suspended in the third round because of the strong winds that made the balls swing on the greens. Most believe that the greens were allowed to go too fast, serving as a solitary defense of the course.

2. Muirfield

Gullane, Scotland (15 openings: the first in 1892, the last in 2013. Next: still to come.)

Known as the 39 Honorable Company of Edinburgh Golfers, Muirfield is one of the oldest clubs in the world and is often cited as the most fair of open places. The list of winners certainly confirms that the course produces the best champions: Harry Vardon, Walter Hagen, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus, Tom Watson, Nick Faldo, Ernie Els and Phil Mickelson. The course opened in 1891 and has become a frequent site of the Open, replacing Musselburgh nearby. It was not long ago, the club voted to admit its first female members, ensuring that Muirfield will be back in the rotation.

If we were to quibble: Muirfield is the most difficult of the 14 sites to launch into an underdog, which in fact highlights the fact that all the other sites are accessible in one way or another to the public . You can play Muirfield, but it takes some effort and planning and good luck.

3. Royal Birkdale

Southport, England (10 openings, first in 1954, last in 2017. Next: still to come.)

Birkdale, who won Jordan Spieth's spectacular victory there a year ago, is part of an incredible stretch of golf located along the northwestern coast of England, relatively close to Royal Lytham & St. Anne and Royal Liverpool. The course is a "newcomer" relative to open rotation, getting its first chance in 1951, when Peter Thomson won the first three-row first-round Arnold Palmer, Lee Trevino and Mark O-Meara were among other winners. has been a frequent guest of the Women's British Open.

If we were to quibble: The third round of Branden Grace, a year ago 62, the lowest score ever shot in a major championship, takes it a bit of shine

4. Carnoustie Golf Club

Carnoustie, Scotland (seven openings, first in 1931, last in 2007. Next scheduled date: this week.)

Carnoustie Logistics has long been the # Host of the championship from 1975 to 1999. Car Carnoustie has the well-deserved reputation of being one of the strongest links in the world and has produced excellent champions: Ben Hogan in 1953 in his only appearance at the Open, Gary Player in 1968 and Watson in 1975, winning his first of five Opens at his first try. Jean van de Velde infamated the 1999 Open, making Barry Burn part of the golfing tradition.

If we were to quibble: Carnoustie is the least attractive of the open rooms, much more beautiful than the beauty. 19659007] 5. Royal Troon

Troon, Scotland (nine openings, first in 1923, last in 2016. Next: still to be programmed.)

Site of the epic Henrik Stenson-Phil Mickelson duel in 2016, Troon has a round-trip setup similar to that of the Old Course. When Prestwick could no longer handle the demands of a "modern" Open in the 1920s, Troon became his replacement. The famous "postage stamp" is the eighth hole where Gene Sarazen made an Ace at age 71 in 1973 And Mark Calcavecchia's 1989 win (on Greg Norman and Wayne Grady) at Troon was the first Open to use a cumulative total.

If we were to quibble: Much like St. Andrews, Troon is likely to score low with no heavy wind or bad weather. Mickelson narrowly missed a 62 in the first round in 2016, and Stenson shot 63 in the final round setting an Open scoring record.

6. Royal Liverpool

Hoylake, England (11 openings, premiere in 1897, last in 2014. Not yet planned.)

Northwestern's first club in North-West. England to host an Open, Hoylake, as it is called, is the second oldest sea link in England and is home to a beautiful history. It was the venue of the first (British) amateur championship in 1895, and two of the three amateurs who won the Open, Harold Hilton and John Ball, were members of Hoylake. It's also there that another amateur, Bobby Jones, won the second stage of the Grand Slam in 1930. Hoylake was 39 years old between the Opens; Tiger Woods won in the return of The Open in 2006.

If we were to quibble: The R & A changes the course routing for The Open so that what is normally the 16th hole becomes the 18th – and with the # 39, interior out of bounds.

7. Turnberry (Ailsa Course)

Turnberry, Scotland (Four Opens, first in 1977, last in 2009. Not yet planned.)

This is the most picturesque of the # Open House The ownership group of US President Donald Trump has done a great job renovating several holes along the water near the iconic lighthouse. The last course to join the rota in 1977, Turnberry has not yet disappointed. Tom Watson's "Duel in the Sun" with Jack Nicklaus in 1977 followed by Greg Norman's first major title in 1986, a memorable final for Nick Price in 1994, and Watson's remarkable performance as the greatest champion at age 59 in 2009 The photos of Ailsa Craig off the coast of Turnberry are among the most popular in golf.

If we were to quibble: Trump's ownership of the course has led to speculation that R & A is disgusting. To return soon, even if the remote location of the resort is an important factor, making it one of the least profitable destinations: at the earliest, he will win the championship in 2022, but Muirfield will also a serious competitor

. Lytham and St. Anne

Lytham St. Anne's, England (11 openings, first in 1926, last in 2012. Not yet inscribed)

Before the last round of the 1926 championship, Bobby Jones forgot his competitor's ticket a da been prevented from accessing the course by an unknown attendee. Jones simply paid for his admission and then won the first of his three Opens, thus beginning the story of Lytham's Open

If we were to quibble: Lytham is running out of real estate, not only in the course but as part of the surrounding area and infrastructure. With Royal Birkdale and Royal Liverpool nearby, it is easier to move to Lytham.

9. Royal St. George

Sandwich, England (14 openings: first in 1894, last in 2011. Next scheduled date: 2020.)

This is the place most frequently used outside of Scotland, more in part because of its relative proximity to London than course attributes. It was the first time in England to hold the championship, and it is there that the author of Ian Fleming's "Goldfinger" was established – although the course called "Royal St Mark's ". Jack Nicklaus reportedly said that further south you go – St. George is the southernmost in the rotation – but there is no record of the quote, and the Golden Bear only sheepishly denied saying it. Located near the Kent coast, on a clear day you can see France from the surrounding area.

If we had to quibble: Royal St. George is in the small town of Sandwich and is easily the most original of all places, with many mounds and bumps sending perfectly struck shots to the rough.

10. Royal Portrush

Portrush, Northern Ireland (one Open, 1951. Next appointment: 2019.

Finally, the Royal Portrush is a magnificent place that is the one and only place outside of England or Scotland (there has never been an Open in Wales) for organize the championship, because of the logistics rather than all that is negative about the Portrush City hosts 2010 US Open International champion Graeme McDowell and 2011 Omnium champion Darren Clarke Rory McIlroy , a native of Holywood, has undoubtedly helped to give Portrush a new chance, as has the reorganization of a few holes.

If we were to quibble: For the whole size of the course, the surrounding area is tiny, which will make interesting logistics next year

The four sites are no longer used

1 Prestwick Golf Club [19659059] Prestwick, Scotland (24 Opens; first in 1860, last in 1925).

The original house of The Open, Prestwick, still ranks because of its impressive history, though it is no longer suitable for hosting the championship. The first 12 Opens were played at Prestwick, and 15 of its 24 were played on a 12-hole layout that was not reworked until the late 1880s. Today, only four of the original holes remain, but the original layout is steeped in history. In 1870, Tom Morris Jr. won for the third time in a row, having started the tournament with a 578-yard opening hole that was then playing as par 6. (1965, Royal Cinque Ports

Deal , England (two openings, 1909 and 1920)

Located a few miles from Royal St. George, Deal, as it is commonly called, would have hosted the championship much more often not for world circumstances. It lost its potential Opened in 1938 and 1949 when unusually high tides flooded the course.And the Open never came back.An interesting moment in the history of golf took place at Deal in 1920, when Walter Hagen challenged orders to change in the pro shop – as required of all professionals at the time.The pros were excluded from the club, but Hagen had his limousine fleet at the mast, where he was changing his shoes every day Hagen would win The Open four times. This test, Cinque Ports is not as equipped as the Royal St. George's nearby to accommodate a modern open.

3. Prince & # 39; s

Sandwich, England. (open: 1932).

Located next to Royal St. George 's, the course was three places a few kilometers from each other, but it had its only Open in 1932, when Gene Sarazen a scoring record that lasted 18 years. Much of the course was destroyed during the Second World War while the Royal Air Force used it to bomb the target. Although the Greens were left mostly intact, The Open would never come back, condemned by its proximity to Royal St. George's.

4. Musselburgh

Musselburgh, Scotland. (six openings, the first in 1874, the last in 1889)

Musselburgh only goes to the end of the list simply because it is the farthest course of the championship, the last in 1889. The nine-hole course, it's a loop that is primarily contained in an existing equestrian race track, and she played a big role in the early days of the championship because for a while she was alternated between Musselburgh, St. Andrews and Prestwick. Still a pleasure to play, the club maintains that golf was played for the first time on the field as early as 1672.