How Many Open Qualifying Golf Courses Have You Played

By: Kieran Clark | Fri 16 Jun 2023

Ahead of The 151st Open Championship at Royal Liverpool, such has been the demand for entries, two new venues have been added for Regional Qualifying.

Burhill and Lindrick will stage qualifying events on Monday 26 June in addition to those being played at Alwoodley, Caldy, County Louth, Ferndown, Goswick, Hesketh, Kedleston Park, Kilmarnock (Barassie), Minchinhampton, Moor Park, North Hants, Northamptonshire County and Rochester & Cobham Park.

Golfers will play an 18 hole stroke play competition with successful qualifiers advancing to Final Qualifying being held on 4 July at Dundonald Links, Royal Cinque Ports, Royal Porthcawl and West Lancashire.

Johnnie Cole-Hamilton, Executive Director - Championships at The R&A, said, “We have received a high number of entries from golfers aiming to qualify for The Open this year and so we have added two venues for Regional Qualifying to cater for this demand.

“We would like to thank Burhill and Lindrick for agreeing to stage these events and look forward to seeing who emerges to take place at Final Qualifying in July.”

This got us thinking about how many of these outstanding courses that we had played. How many have you ticked off?

First, we start by looking at the 15 Regional Qualifying Venues in 2023...

Alwoodley Golf Club

Location: West Yorkshire

Golfshake Rating: 4.90

Review Comment: "The level of difficulty was just right for me and the greens were interesting to play. The views were also very nice. The course also had a great sense of history and was in good condition. It was definitely one of the best heathland courses I've ever played in Yorkshire."

Burhill Golf Club

Location: Surrey

Golfshake Rating: 4.14

Review Comment: "Great course layout, great condition. Pretty open but still tricky. Greens were fantastic and lightning quick."

Caldy Golf Club

Location: Merseyside

Golfshake Rating: 4.14

Review Comment: "I was extremely impressed with the overall layout and condition of the course. The greens were true and the members were really friendly and welcoming. The course was interesting and challenging, especially when the wind picked up."

County Louth Golf Club

Location: Louth

Golfshake Rating: 4.88

Review Comment: "Great golf course, one of the best on the East Coast of Ireland. The greens had been hollow tinned when I played it but the rest of the course was really good. They have recently done some super work on the course including adding in grass paths and upgrading the runoffs on a number of greens."

Ferndown Golf Club

Location: Dorset

Golfshake Rating: 4.91

Review Comment: "Played Ferndown as a guest, it was everything I expected. Well maintained despite the dry conditions. Greens in immaculate condition, although a small piece of one had been attacked by a burrowing animal. Try not to go in the heather, ball finding is difficult. All things considered, a fine challenge played in good company!"

Goswick Golf Club

Location: Northumberland

Golfshake Rating: 4.40

Review Comment: "This course is a great test for every aspect of your game. The fairways and greens are in great condition. It's a challenging links course that is beautifully presented and in great condition."

Hesketh Golf Club

Location: Merseyside

Golfshake Rating: 4.28

Review Comment: "Played this course a couple of times with a society and it never disappoints. Great layout and always in really condition giving a proper challenge to pretty much all skill levels. I would definitely recommend giving the place a try."

Kedleston Park Golf Club

Location: Derbyshire

Golfshake Rating: 4.56

Review Comment: "Lovely course in a beautiful setting. Always in great condition and a joy to pay. Members are welcoming, pace of play excellent, fairways well maintained and greens always top class - nothing less than you would expect from an Open Qualifying venue."

Kilmarnock (Barassie) Golf Club

Location: Ayrshire

Golfshake Rating: 4.46

Review Comment: "This is one of the best links courses I've played. Slightly expensive but worth it if you love playing golf."

Lindrick Golf Club

Location: Nottinghamshire

Golfshake Rating: 4.93

Review Comment: "Second visit to Lindrick - had forgotten what a good course this is. Was in pristine condition, greens were excellent (and fast) - a real mix of challenging holes."

Minchinhampton Golf Club

Location: Gloucestershire

Golfshake Rating: 4.29

Review Comment: "The layout of bunkers was challenging and the variety of fairway shapes and elevations kept it interesting. The fact that there are two courses to choose from (Cherington and Avening) only adds to the variety."

Moor Park Golf Club

Location: Hertfordshire

Golfshake Rating: 4.46

Review Comment: "The greens and fairways were in excellent condition when I played. There are two courses available, and both offer a variety of holes to keep things interesting."

North Hants Golf Club

Location: Hampshire

Golfshake Rating: 4.40

Review Comment: "I had an amazing time playing here. The course was in great condition and it was such a beautiful setting. It was a great challenge and I'm already looking forward to coming back."

Northamptonshire County Golf Club

Location: Northamptonshire

Golfshake Rating: 4.62

Review Comment: "I played the course just after Open Qualifying and was told the course has never been in better condition. They weren't wrong, it was quite honestly faultless - reminded me of Hollinwell in places and all the best courses in Surrey. In that condition, this course walks into the top 50 in England."

Rochester & Cobham Park Golf Club

Location: Kent

Golfshake Rating: 4.53

Review Comment: "A super location and course in really good condition. Always a pleasure to play and I will always go back whenever I can."

Golfers who make it through from those sites will progress to the Final Qualifying, where they will be competing on these four exceptional courses.

Dundonald Links

Location: Ayrshire

Golfshake Rating: 4.93

Review Comment: "Played this for the first time, great course layout and very challenging for all handicaps."

Royal Cinque Ports Golf Club

Location: Kent

Golfshake Rating: 4.94

Review Comment: "Superb traditional out and in links. Fantastic staf f, welcoming environment in the clubhouse, course in immaculate condition and extensive practice facilities. Their new putting green must be one of the largest in the country and is excellent."

Royal Porthcawl Golf Club

Location: Mid Glamorgan

Golfshake Rating: 4.95

Review Comment: "The location and condition of this course are outstanding. The sea views are superb, the fairways and bunkers are awesome. It's a true links course and very welcoming."

The West Lancashire Golf Club

Location: Merseyside

Golfshake Rating: 4.91

Review Comment: "I had the opportunity to play this fantastic course recently and it was an absolute pleasure. The course was in great condition and the layout was superb. The classic links design and challenging yet fair conditions made this a classic course that I would highly recommend."