Scotland's British Open Heritage

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Spring always has a way of putting everybody in a good mood -- the days are getting longer and warmer, the first daffodils are in bloom and winter is in retreat, or at least appears to be. For golfers who have been house-bound during a longer and harsher than usual winter, golf clubs have been pulled from closets and garages and they've already been dusted off in anticipation of local golf courses re-opening after the winter hiatus. There's a comforting normality returning to life as the first of the year's Major Tournaments is about to take place at Augusta, where every Masters has been held since 1934 -- the 2009 golf season is underway.

Prestwick - 149 years and 24 Opens later is still a tough links to remember.

Musselburgh old links is now officially the world's oldest golf course.

Royal Portrush, one of Ireland's top links, hosted The British Open in 1951.

St. Andrews Old Course hosts The Open for the 28th time in 2010.

Turnberry hosts The Open this year.

Royal Troon - an 8 time Open host that produces American Open Champions.

Carnoustie's disastrous ending for Jean Van de Velde in 1999.

Muirfield is a Tom Morris original and a regular Open venue since 1892.

Tiger and The Open have become the best of friends.

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At 75 years of age, The Masters is the youngest of the big four Major Championships and while Augusta gets its week in the golfing spotlight, frantic activity is taking place on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean. This year it will be Scotland's famous Turnberry Ailsa Course's turn to host the world's oldest Major - the 149 year old, British Open

Unlike The Masters, which has a permanent home at Augusta, The Open Championship (as it is properly called) is rotated between an elite grouping of the very best links courses in the entire British Isles. A grand total of just 14 British courses have ever been honored as Open venues during its century and a half existence, but progress has taken its toll and 5 of these are no longer on the rotation.

Sadly, Scotland's Prestwick, the original Open venue in 1860, was withdrawn from the rotation in 1925 after hosting the event for the 24th time. This grand old timer could simply no longer accommodate the fast growing crowds. The distinction of being the first Open venue to be eliminated from the elite list however belongs to Musselburgh; a remarkable, 9-hole course that hosted 6 Opens between 1874 and 1889. Political pressures brought by The Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers, which lobbied for their new 18-hole course at nearby Muirfield to replace little Musselburgh were successful and the 9-holer was struck from the rotation.

Gone too is Northern Ireland's Royal Portrush, after hosting The Open on a solitary occasion in 1951. The glory of being the only course outside of Scotland and England to ever be invited onto the honors list remains, but the impracticalities of the location and the poor transportation facilities of 50 years ago prevailed and Royal Portrush has never hosted again. In England, Royal Cinque Ports and Princes Golf Clubs, both located in the southeastern corner of the country, suffered similar elimination.

Of the 9 courses remaining on the rotation, 5 are Scottish links -- St. Andrews Old Course, Turnberry's Ailsa, Royal Troon, Carnoustie and Muirfield. The other 4 are the English minority -- Royal Birkdale, Royal Liverpool, Royal Lytham & St. Annes and Royal St. Georges.

But all 14 Open venues, past and present, remain in existence today, still operating as the true championship layouts they really are and all are available for visitors to play. Some are more difficult to secure a visitors time on than others, but with a little professional assistance from a knowledgeable golf travel company such as Golf International, they can all be accessed.

Each of these courses has its own story to tell and through their status as Open venues, all have played a role in shaping the game over the past 150 years and in some cases, even longer. But that's one of the many unique aspects of golf that sets our game apart from other sports; the most exalted arenas of the game are open for all to play -- all that is, except Augusta.

Nowhere is this accessibility more in evidence than with The Open courses located in Scotland -- The Home of Golf. With both the 2009 and 2010 Open Championships being held at Scottish venues, there will be no better time to experience golf's event of the year, up close and personal, than when it returns to its birthplace.

Play Scotland's 7 Open courses and you will develop a new found respect for golf and a greater appreciation for those golfers of old who mastered these testing layouts, armed only with hickory shafted clubs and gutty balls.

There's no better place to start than at Musselburgh and the ancient Old Links, recently added to The Guinness Book of World records as the oldest golf club in existence. Never extended beyond 9 holes, the current layout remains much the same as it was back in the 1880's when it was on every visitor's must play list. For a real taste of golf, the way it was intended, book two back-to-back rounds. Play the first with hickory clubs that can be rented by prior arrangement, then play the second with your own equipment -- your admiration for those early Open Champions will increase ten-fold.

Only a few miles along the coast is another piece of Scottish golf history, Muirfield, home to the Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers, the world's oldest golf club and one of the best links courses ever. Visitor times are not easily come by at the very exclusive Muirfield, but given enough advanced notice (a year or more is not too early) it is possible and if you are working with an experienced golf travel company, the process will be that much easier.

Little need be said about The Old Course at St. Andrews, which hosts The Open for the 28th time in 2010. Over 600 years of history and the course every golfer must play at least once in their lifetime, this is golf's heart and soul. Visitor times are always in short supply, but there are a number of ways they can be secured and a little professional help combined with early booking will help bring success.

A 45-minute drive north of St. Andrews, brings you to Carnoustie, scene of the most distressing end to the 1999 Open, when Frenchman, Jean Van de Velde, the certain winner, self destructed on the final hole. Carnoustie hosted for the 7th time in 2007 and is patiently waiting to be called to center stage again. Unforgiving and as tough as they come, play this layout for yourself and you will be far more sympathetic for Mr. Van der Velde and his 1999 woes at the 18th.

It's only a two and a half hour drive across Scotland to reach the West Coast and the final three of Scotland's Open layouts and the best place to start is at Prestwick, the original Open venue and the place where it all began in 1860. This is a piece of golf's most precious history, to be savored and enjoyed by every golf enthusiast.

Literally just around the corner is highly esteemed, Royal Troon, which hosted its 8th Open in 2004. Some maintain that Royal Troon is the most testing Open venue of all and as one that has always favored American Open Champions; you have every reason to give it a shot and come to your own conclusion.

For a grand finale, stay for a couple of days at one of Scotland's most luxurious resort hotels, Turnberry, and test your skills on the properties marvelous Ailsa Course, which hosts this year's Open in July. New owners are currently in the midst of major renovations to both the course and the hotel, which re-opens for the 2009 Open in July, so travel after that date if you plan on including Turnberry.

The Open is quite unique, even among the illustrious Majors and no other Championship brings out the same degree of excitement, the traditions and pageantry of the game, as this historic event - It's an experience that reaches its peak when a Scottish course is hosting. Everyone with any appreciation of golf, whether as a player or a spectator, must experience it in person, at least once and there will be an excellent opportunity this year at Turnberry. Have a little patience, waiting until next year and the very best opportunity of all will be with us when St. Andrews hosts The Open in July of 2010.

The combination of front row seats to witness the thrilling, final two days of The Open and playing a few of those other Open venues, perhaps while staying in St. Andrews for a week and really soaking up the history, sights and sounds of Scotland, might be the ultimate golf experience. For more ideas and suggestions on playing Scotland's Open venues and taking in golf's Event of the Year, click here.

©2009 David Brice / Golf International, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

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