The Old Course at St Andrews has hosted The Open more than any other venue, with the Major held there on no fewer than 30 occasions.
Despite that, it is always a special occasion when The Open comes from the Home of Golf, with its next visit coming just a year from now for the 155th edition.
In 2022, the Old Course was the scene of the 150th Open, and it produced a climax befitting the occasion, when Cameron Smith came from four back of third-round leaders Rory McIlroy and Viktor Hovland, eventually edging out Cameron Young by one.
Other memorable Open moments at the Old Course include Costantino Rocca’s miracle putt on the 18th before missing out to John Daly in 1995, Tiger Woods’ dominant display in 2000 and Jack Nicklaus’s farewell appearance five years later.
It’s not just the players who wow golf fans each time The Open returns to the Old Course either.
The layout is as revered as those who tee it up there thanks to its rich history, famous landmarks, including The R&A Clubhouse and the Swilcan Bridge, and challenges including 112 bunkers and the notorious Valley of Sin, from which Rocco made his famous putt in 1995.
As a result, demand for tickets – even at prices that have left golf fans divided – is sky-high.
So, how can you get them?
The Open will be held the week of July 11th to the 18th and the primary route for fans to acquire general admission tickets is via The Open ticket ballot.
Tickets are priced at £150 ($202) for the opening two rounds, £170 ($229) for Saturday and £190 ($256) for Sunday's final round.
However, under-16s go free when accompanied by an adult.
Applications via the ballot are being accepted until 3pm BST (10am ET) on Friday July 24th 2026. To enter the ballot, fans need to be a member of The One Club, a free-to-join membership program that requires registration.
There, fans can also upgrade to One Club Advantage to have a better chance of acquiring tickets through the ballot.
Once you’ve registered for The One Club, you can enter your details via the ticket ballot section of The Open website.
Be warned, though - there is no guarantee of a ticket. Chief executive of The R&A Mark Darbon spelled out the incredible demand via the ticket ballot, saying: "The ballot for the 155th Open Championship at St Andrews opened last week, and we're seeing that demand continue to grow.
"We've already had approaching three-quarters of a million applications for tickets in just the first nine days of that process."
Not surprisingly, there is likely to be more chance of acquiring tickets for practice days than championship days, with ticket applications for the four rounds around 10 times oversubscribed in the past.
There is also the Ticket Plus option, which offers access to a special area offering exclusive food and beverage options. Championship days are sold out, but there is the option to join the waiting list in case anything else becomes available.
For those wishing to guarantee tickets to The Open, there are Hospitality and Destination packages, which are currently available. However, they are selling fast, with some options already sold out.
Destination packages combine any ticket type with tailored accommodation and travel options, from The Open Camping Village, with prices beginning at £355 (around $477) per person, to various hotel packages.
