Your chance to play golf at Royal Birkdale for under £100
By: Kieran Clark | Edited: Thu 26 Mar 2026
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Royal Birkdale - considered by many knowledgeable minds to be the finest championship links in England - will stage the 154th Open this summer, but you could feel part of that celebration too thanks to an incredible new opportunity created by the club.
The Birkdale Ballot has been launched to offer a limited window for golfers based in England, Scotland, Wales or Ireland to play this remarkable layout.
We have written extensively about the price it costs to play the Open venues these days, but those successful in this process will take advantage of a spectacular deal.
Those who make it through the ballot will play the course at a preferred fourball rate of £396, meaning that each individual golfer would be charged less than £100.
If you have an active WHS handicap and are a member of a recognised club in any of the Home Nations, then you are eligible to enter the Birkdale Ballot.
The club explains the terms: "Entrants will nominate two preferred tee times from a published list, with successful applications drawn at random. Full payment is required upon confirmation."
Interested golfers can now submit their entry with the Ballot closing at 11pm on Tuesday 31st March 2026, meaning that you have plenty of time to stake your claim for a chance to experience one of the world's greatest courses.
(Image Credit: Kevin Diss Photography)
2026 will mark the 11th occasion that Royal Birkdale has hosted the oldest and grandest championship in the game. Peter Thomson, Arnold Palmer, Lee Trevino, Johnny Miller, Tom Watson, Ian Baker-Finch, Mark O'Meara, Padraig Harrington and Jordan Spieth have all lifted the Claret Jug here, a list of champions that underlines the pedigree of this revered course.
Golfshake Ambassador Matt Holbrook played here in 2022 and he wrote: "Royal Birkdale gives all visiting golfers an amazing golfing experience from start to finish. I can see why it ranks so highly in many of the Golfshake course lists. The condition cannot be faulted. The tee boxes are flat, the bunkers well sanded and raked, the roll-off areas run pure and the green are immaculate. It's just an impeccable place to play golf."
Impeccable, indeed. And now, thanks to the Birkdale Ballot, that dream tee time is a more enticing prospect.
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About the author
Kieran Clark is the Digital Editor of Golfshake. He oversees editorial content, community engagement, forums, and social media channels. A lifelong golfer from the Isle of Bute in Scotland who has now lived in St Andrews for a decade, he began playing at the age of five and maintains a passion for exploring courses, with a particular affection for historic layouts. Kieran regularly contributes in-depth opinion pieces and features, drawing on his enthusiasm for the game and its culture.
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