Alex Frolish has been a pilot for approaching 20 years and now travels to all corners of the globe in his role as a commercial airline pilot. His passion for flight is only equalled by his passion for golf and golf travel. Having picked up a golf club over 35 years ago when aged just 3 years old, Alex has played over 600 courses across every continent on planet earth furnished with a fairway. Over the next few months you’ll be able to follow Alex’s golfing travels as he brings you anecdotes of his life both in the air and on the course.
With no flying yet on the horizon, my October was free to pack in some autumnal links golf, and my plans had a distinctly regal feel to them. First off, a trip to the north west links playground of England, to play Royal Liverpool and Royal Birkdale. I had played both of these courses before, Hoylake a number of times over the years and Royal Birkdale just once in the year 2000, when my entry to the Royal Birkdale Junior Open cost me just £4. That day changed my outlook on golf and golf courses forever more. Walking upon the hallowed grounds of a major championship hosting golf course for the first time, that I had watched my heroes play up close and personal just a couple of years before in the Open Championship, had a profound effect on me. My enthusiasm for the game and golf courses was emboldened, and I believe that being able to walk where the greats of the game have walked is one of the most wonderful parts of our sport.
The contrast between the two courses is stark, but they are both endearing in different ways. The towering dune avenues at Royal Birkdale are grand and beautiful, truly a feast for the eyes and the camera lens. Hoylake is a subtle temptress however, more flat and bleak on first viewing, meaning the strategy and lines off the tees are much less easily defined. These two links courses are at opposite ends of the spectrum in terms of the land they inhabit, but both prove how brilliant links golf is in its many varied forms. My admiration for both courses was plentiful, and I spent the drive home as all of us golfing obsessives do, replaying all the holes in my mind and working out my favoured eclectic collection of holes between the two courses.
Photo credit: Kevin Murray
A special word on Mackenzie & Ebert’s ongoing impact across the two courses. At Birkdale, the team have recently broken ground on a bold set of course changes designed to significantly enhance the course in time for the 2026 Open Championship. This includes the designing and re-designing of a number of new holes in the middle of each nine, including a complete re-design of the 5th, which I think will certainly improve the offering here immeasurably, as this has long been regarded as one of the weaker holes on the Open rota.
I’m sure you will be aware of ‘Little Eye’, the infamous par 3 at Hoylake created by Mackenzie & Ebert for the 2023 Open Championship. Having played it just a couple of months after the tournament, my summary would be that the TV cameras don’t do this hole justice. Clearly everyone can play a good shot that nullifies the danger, but it is the scale of the challenge if you don’t hit a good shot that is terrifying for the average golfer. Of course it is penal and many won’t like that, although you can’t deny that it is an exciting and dramatic test to tackle so late in a round of tournament play. My other two observations would be that the hole might be so much easier on the eye if the tee were raised in elevation just a few feet, to make best of the wonderful views of the Dee estuary beyond the green. Secondly, the walk back from the green to the next tee is awkward in a routing sense, not so much of an issue in an Open Championship when the walk to the back tee is shorter, but more onerous for day to day golfers making the hike to the next set of tees of the day.
Anyway, the trip to the north west was a special one, but it was my travels later in the month to the northern coast of Ireland that I had been eagerly anticipating. Many of you will have travelled to play golf in Ireland, and will recognise that palpable rising level of excitement as a trip to the Emerald Isle approaches. It was my first ever flight across the Irish Sea with Loganair, who delivered me right to the heart of my itinerary with minimal disruption. The convenience of the flight from London Heathrow to Londonderry meant that only a few hours after setting off from home, we were cradling our first pints of Guinness in the grand and perfectly located Bushmills Inn, working our way hole by hole through the Dunluce Links, that would welcome us bright and early the following morning. At last orders, the barman persuaded us to take a couple of Bushmills whisky miniatures away to the course the next morning, an intervention I was very grateful for as the links wind began to bite on the back nine.
Photo credit: Larry Lambrecht
Royal Portrush is set on a dramatic stretch of cragged coastline, the backdrop to Game of Thrones and the home of the Giant’s Causeway. The golf courses on this coast match the glamour of those box office attractions and the Dunluce Links at Royal Portrush is the lead character in the show. Some golf courses grow on you and other instantly make their mark. As we wandered across the higher ground on the first few holes, I was already moving some big names in my ‘best courses played’ list aside to make way for this quite magnificent golf course. It is that good, and it isn’t a slow reveal, it is a great big panoramic smack in the face from the get go, with the expanse of the course and coastline on full display on those opening holes. The 5th and 16th (the par 3 named Calamity Corner) are the show stopping headline grabbers, but there is a consistent strength to the offering that is infectious and all consuming. On the current Open rotation, I have yet to fully decide, but I do feel the Dunluce may be my favourite of all.
As with all golfing itineraries, you never get long enough to take it all in, and after our post round tour of the clubhouse and raid of the pro shop, we were on our way along the winding roads (only a few miles as the crow flies but a couple of hours on four wheels) bound for Rosepenna Resort, where we would play the new Tom Doak designed St Patrick’s links the following morning.
St Patrick’s is a triumphant demonstration of architectural restraint. The historical back story of the land here is well documented, but it is what Tom Doak has chosen to do with this abundance of blockbusting links ground that is the real story of the piece. Enough space here for 36 holes, but utilising the best bits of the land to make an utterly magical 18 is a master stroke. What is even more brilliant, is that he has resisted the temptation to stretch the golf course into a modern monster, instead offering a varied strategically thought provoking and playable par 71, engaging for all standards. The course measures a little less than 7000 yards from the tips and crucially, is routed airily, so as to maximise the feeling of grandeur. It achieves that grandness in spades and although I have only played one of the three links at Rosapenna, I can’t imagine anything could be better than this triumph.
Photo credit: Clyde Johnson
Our stay again was fleeting, and although the winds buffeted us throughout our round at St Patrick’s, it would be nothing compared to the rage Storm Babet would throw at us at Ballyliffin the following morning. Coming from a 36 hole golf club at Saunton in England, I was interested to see how one of the finest Irish equivalents compared. The answer was extremely favourably on this initial visit. This northern coast of the Emerald Isle is cementing itself as a real destination for golf, and Ballyliffin is a key component of the attraction. Golf has been played at Ballyliffin for many years, but the Old course is in fact relatively young, having only been opened some 50 years ago, a juvenile in links terms. The club is located on one of the northernmost tips of Ireland, jutting out into the North Atlantic, leaving it exposed to the elements which have crafted a magnificent dunescape that the Old and Glashedy links benefit from. The Old inhabits the slightly less dramatic and more rolling ground, making it feel more classic in character, and it most definitely has an authenticity that belies its relatively young age. You’ll excuse my slightly less architecturally detailed review, such was the persistence of the downpour we experienced on our visit. The dampness reached its peak at the turn, and although all but one of my playing partners (we were a group of 8) decided they had reached their saturation limit, I was curiously compelled to play on, inspired by what I was seeing. I was rewarded for my insanity/persistence with a fine and memorable back nine set of links holes less hampered by the deluge. It really would have been a shame to miss it.
The drive back to Londonderry airport as always, was bittersweet. A trip to Ireland always leaves you wanting more. One more course, one more putt, one more pint of Guinness. However, I used the time on the trip home to craft my next Irish itinerary, one that will hopefully come into being sometime in 2024. Anyway, I hope that has whetted the appetite and sparked thoughts of planning an Irish jaunt of your own, and in the mean time, wherever you are reading this and whatever your November has in store, I wish you many well flighted wedges, friendly bounces and most importantly, plentiful happy rounds.
Golf's original championship returns to one of its most celebrated venues when The 154th Open takes place at Royal Birkdale from July 12-19, 2026. The iconic Southport links will host The Open for the 11th time, marking a historic occasion as the first venue to debut The Open Experiences – an innovative range of packages designed to bring fans closer to the action than ever before. Whether you're looking for premium hospitality, an immersive atmosphere, or the ultimate golf holiday combining tournament attendance with tee times at world-class courses, there's a package tailored to create your perfect Open experience. About The 154th Open at Royal Birkdale Royal Birkdale has been a cornerstone of Open Championship history since first hosting in 1954. The course has produced some of golf's most memorable moments, including Jordan Spieth's dramatic victory in 2017 when he edged Matt Kuchar in a thrilling final round. Past champions at this legendary links include Arnold Palmer, Tom Watson, Lee Trevino, Johnny Miller, and Padraig Harrington. The Championship runs across eight days, with bespoke practice days from Sunday, July 12 to Wednesday, July 15, featuring exciting new additions including a Last-Chance Qualifier and the Heroes Classic showcase event. Championship play begins Thursday, July 16, culminating in the crowning of the Champion Golfer of the Year on Sunday, July 19. Four Ways to Experience The Open 1. Attend. Stay. Play.: The Ultimate Golf Holiday For serious golfers who want to combine watching the world's best with playing some of England's finest courses, all wrapped together with the accommodation of your choice, The Open’s Destination Packages offer the complete championship experience. What's Included: Guaranteed tickets to The 154th Open Hotel accommodation ranging from budget-friendly camping to luxury options Optional tee times at top championship courses in the area Travel to and from the course Dedicated customer service Play England's Golf Coast: Southport is home to the UK's highest concentration of championship links courses, offering extraordinary golf within minutes of Royal Birkdale: Hillside Golf Club – Adjacent to Royal Birkdale, featuring what Greg Norman called "the best back nine in Britain" Southport & Ainsdale – Open Qualifier that has hosted the Ladies British Open Formby Golf Club – Stunning combination of heathland, pine forest, and coastal dunes Royal Liverpool (Hoylake) – Another famous Open venue, approximately 40 minutes away Royal Lytham & St Annes – Complete the "golden triangle" of Open venues in the region Formby Hall Golf Resort & Spa – Modern championship course with luxury hotel facilities These packages allow you to extend your Open experience into a comprehensive golf tour of one of the world's premier golfing destinations. Reserve your place today: Book Now 2. The Ticket Plus Experience For fans seeking an elevated experience with exclusive access and amenities, Ticket Plus offers the perfect blend of comfort and excitement. What's Included: Access to Links, a specially designed private area near the 4th hole Viewing platform overlooking the 4th green to watch the world's best players up close Private area with undercover and outdoor seating Large screens broadcasting all the action £25 food voucher for gourmet food trucks Private bars with drinks available for purchase Private toilet facilities Complimentary park and ride pass Complimentary access to grandstands throughout the course Pricing: From £270 (excluding VAT) per person Ticket Plus combines the freedom to follow your favourite players across the course with a comfortable home base to relax, refuel, and enjoy the championship atmosphere. Reserve your place today: Book Now 3. The Open Camping Village: An Unforgettable Experience For fans looking for an affordable, immersive way to experience The Open, The Open Camping Village offers your ticket, plus accommodation within walking distance of Royal Birkdale at Victoria Park in Southport. Accommodation Options: Standard Camping: Pre-erected tents available in 2-person, 4-person, and 6-person sizes Includes cots with mattresses, lighting, and USB charging ports Glamping Tents: Bell Tents with comfortable beds, duvets, and cozy décor Linens, sheets, pillows, and towels provided Solar-powered amenities Village Amenities: Clubhouse with diverse food vendors and bars Live entertainment and music each evening Panel discussions with former players Big screens showing tournament coverage Modern showers and toilet facilities Private wristband access for guests only 15% discount at merchandise stores on grounds Friendly, family-oriented festival atmosphere The Open Camping Village creates a unique community where golf fans from around the world come together to celebrate their shared passion for the game, making it perfect for families, couples, and groups of friends. Reserve your place today: Book Now 4. Premium Hospitality: Enjoy an elevated Championship experience with a choice of three hospitality packages. From relaxed dining spaces to exclusive lounges and prime on-course views, each option offers comfort, atmosphere and outstanding access to the action. What's Included: Premium Immerse yourself in The Open. Savour breathtaking views of the 15th green and 16th tee from the balcony of the Dunes House, our hospitality exclusive triple deck, where you will witness world-class golf unfold before your eyes. Step inside to unwind and indulge in a curated selection of gourmet dishes, expertly crafted by our chefs from an array of restaurants and bars. Additional Package Benefits Fast track to The Open Shop Q&A Session Standing platforms overlooking the 4th green, 7th green and 10th fairway Platinum Savour every moment at The Open. The Platinum experience gives you access to your dedicated lounge within Dunes House, where you will be able to access all three floors, providing stunning views of the 15th green and 16th tee as well as a variety of dining experiences. Your experience extends beyond Dunes House and Links, with entry to The Retreat, a luxurious Champagne lounge overlooking the par 3, 7th green. Enjoy unparalleled views from standing viewing platforms around the course, ensuring you witness every moment of the action up close. Additional Package Benefits Access to The Retreat Q&A session with a past or present player Fast track to The Open Shop Q&A Session Standing platforms overlooking the 4th green, 7th green and 10th fairway Signature A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity As one of the few guests in Signature, you’ll enjoy exclusive access to Clarets, perfectly positioned overlooking the 17th green at Royal Birkdale. Take in the iconic par 5, while indulging in world-class hospitality. Beyond Clarets, immerse yourself in the heart of the Championship with exclusive access to behind-the-scenes experiences. Witness the action up close with your reserved grandstand seat on the 18th green; you’ll be perfectly placed, never missing a moment of the drama. Additional Package Benefits Access to Clarets and The Retreat Behind-the-scenes experiences with unprecedented access to restricted areas Q&A session with a past or present player Photo opportunity with the Claret Jug Fast track to The Open Shop Reserved 18th grandstand seat Standing platforms overlooking the 4th green, 7th green and 10th fairway Reserve your place today: Book Now Why Choose The Open? Attending The Open is more than watching world-class golf; it’s an opportunity to be part of sporting history. With demand for tickets at an all-time high and Royal Birkdale set to deliver another unforgettable championship, these packages ensure everything is taken care of, so you can focus on soaking up the atmosphere, the drama, and the traditions that make The Open so special. From elevated Hospitality experiences and enhanced Ticket Plus options to the unique Open Camping Village or the ultimate golfer’s getaway through Destination Packages, every option offers exceptional comfort, convenience, and access. Whichever you choose, you’re not just attending a tournament; you’re securing an unforgettable experience at one of golf’s most celebrated venues. Book Your Open Experience Today Don't miss your chance to be part of The 154th Open Championship at Royal Birkdale. With packages selling quickly and limited availability, early booking is strongly recommended. Reserve your place today: Book Now For more information or assistance: Email: Experiences@TheOpen.com Phone: +44 (0) 1334 460090
Favourite Open Championship Courses Top 100 Editor finally gets round to playing all nine current Open Championship courses 5th October 2010 I recently played Royal Liverpool at Hoylake for the first time. Many people reading this will wonder why the Editor of Top 100 Golf Courses has taken until now to play one of – if not THE – most important and historical English golfing venue. The short answer is time, or rather lack of it. It takes a great deal of time – and money – to play different golf courses but I’m pleased to have played Hoylake even though it is my least favourite Open Championship course. I’ve now played all the current Open courses but my personal quest continues as I have yet to experience Musselburgh Old and Prince’s. The Open Championship was first played in 1860 at Prestwick and since then only fourteen venues have been used to host this reverent Major. Unlike many US Open venues, each and every one of these fourteen Open courses live up to their open reputation and can be played simply by booking a tee time in advance. The only exception to the rule is St Andrews, which will require a little luck in the daily ballot. Nine venues remain on the current Open rotation and they are all household names. I do not normally publish my personal thoughts about my favourite courses, but I thought there might be some interest and healthy debate from those who, like me, have played the full set of all nine current Open courses. If you have played them all, I’d be grateful if you would respond to this article by clicking on the “respond to this article” link at either the top or bottom of this feature. Please detail your favourite Open venues in your own personal ranking order. If you haven’t played them all, please keep your opinion under wraps until you have. Here’s my ranking for the current Open venues: 1. Turnberry (Ailsa) 2. Royal Birkdale 3. Royal Lytham & St Annes 4. Muirfield 5. Carnoustie (Championship) 6. Royal St George’s 7. St Andrews (Old) 8. Royal Troon (Old) 9. Royal Liverpool These are the other five venues that have hosted the Open: Royal Portrush (Dunluce), Prestwick, Royal Cinque Ports, Prince’s, Musselburgh Old. I'm aiming to play Prince's and Musselburgh Old as soon as I can. Keith Baxter – Editor
Is England the premier golfing destination in Europe? With a dozen courses in the World Top 100 and more courses than any other country ranked in Britain & Ireland’s Top 100, England expects. 9th October 2011 Visit England, the national tourist board for England, is responsible for promoting the country to domestic and overseas markets and for improving England’s tourism product. Unlike their tourist board counterparts in Scotland and Ireland, Visit England does little to promote golf and we genuinely wonder why, especially given that English professional golfers are flying the St George’s Cross on the world stage. According to IAGTO, the International Association of Golfing Tour Operators, the global golf tourism market is estimated to be worth more than $17 billion annually. Thailand announced last month that the value of foreign golf tourism in 2012 might reach a cool $2 billion. It’s estimated that Scotland earns £200 million each year from golf tourism and even diminutive Northern Ireland collects around £12 million per annum. In a 2010 report, KPMG identified England at position 6 in a list of Hot Spots for golf tourism in the upcoming years. Heading the list was Spain, followed by Portugal, Scotland, Ireland and the USA. Position 6 seems rather high because most people take England, as a golf destination, for granted. Overseas golfers place English courses on their possible rather than probable play lists. If there’s time after visiting Scotland and Ireland, tourists might try and get to Southport to play Royal Birkdale, or perhaps aim to visit Sandwich to tick off Royal St George’s. Naturally, they’d only head to the links after seeing the Changing the Guard at Buckingham Palace, doing a spot of shopping at Harrods and searching for the ghost of Shakespeare at Stratford upon Avon. Many English golfers have a take it or leave it approach to English golf courses too. They expect courses to be presented in excellent condition all year round and moan if they are not. Many complain that English green fees are too expensive and then grumble that that they can’t get a game at Queenwood at any price. But most English golfers choose to visit other countries for their annual golf trip. They even choose to visit Ireland, Scotland and Wales rather than planning a trip closer to home. We thought it high time to bang England’s drum, so we decided to take a long hard look at the golf courses under the jurisdiction of the English Golf Union. In February 2011, we started a project to identify the best golf courses in every English county. We’ve now completed the Best In County project having looked at more than 1,000 English courses, polled hundreds of people and listened intently to what local county golfers had to say about their home courses. The result we think is fascinating. Never before has any publication, either in print or online, produced a full series of the best golf courses on a county-by-county basis and we now know why it’s never been done before. The reason is simple. It’s an extremely difficult and contentious process that is fraught with a multitude of issues. Nevertheless, we’ve done it and we’re pleased to have completed the process. However, this is just the beginning, as the county rankings will change alongside the country rankings, continent rankings and the World Top 100 rankings. Please take a look at our dedicated county pages and let us know what you think. We’ll be grateful if you do not assume that the course you know and love is better than the one you’ve not played. We’ve made that mistake time and time again and have found that our preconceptions are simply wrong. Our plan is to change the county rankings on a frequent basis in order to reflect the changing situation as we learn more about the greatest courses in each county. Here’s the list of every English county and the corresponding, current No.1 course. Many No.1 courses are household names, but we bet there are a few you’ve never heard of, let alone played. This link below will take you to the England page on the Top 100 website, where you can select and review the current rankings for each separate county: /golf-courses/britain-ireland/england The Top 100 Team If you play or have played county level golf or are simply passionate about your home county’s golf courses and would like to help us further develop this exciting and first-of-its-kind initiative, then please send an email to info@top100golfcourses.com. We’d love to hear from you.
