Are £190 Open Ticket Prices A 'Rip Off' Or Should The R&A Be Applauded For Not Going Higher?
The 155th Open's £190 ($256) final round ticket cost has caused a stir with golf fans this week, so what do we think?
'Inside The Ropes' is the chance for Golf Monthly's expert team to share its honest thoughts on the biggest subjects in the game. This week, we discuss the 155th Open ticket prices.
The R&A released details of how to get tickets for the 2027 Open Championship this week, with fans eager to attend the 155th playing of the historic championship next year at St Andrews' iconic Old Course.
For those wondering, the ticket ballot opens on Monday 6 July and closes on Friday 24 July 2026.
However, the costs have raised eyebrows with tickets priced at £150 ($202) for the opening two rounds, £170 ($229) for Saturday and £190 ($256) for Sunday's final round.
Fans are divided on the cost, with users on social media brandishing them as a "rip off" and "scandalous" while others point to The Open being one of the greatest sporting events to attend with golf on from the crack of dawn until sunset.
The £190 final round price point is coming under fire in particular, with this year's final round at Royal Birkdale priced at £130 ($175) - meaning next year sees a 46% increase.
R&A chief excecutive Mark Darbon recently spoke about ticket prices for The Open following the news that 2027 Ryder Cup tickets will cost €500. He gave a measured response and admitted that the championship costs a lot of money to stage, while highlighting the R&A's policy of allowing free entry to under 16s.
"Look, it's a significant commitment of ours to try and ensure that The Open remains just that, open and accessible to a broad audience," Darbon said.
"Again, there are some commercial realities, right? The cost base of staging these things has grown significantly in recent years; that is undeniable.
"We have this unique challenge of ensuring that our championship remains open and accessible while also needing to be thoughtful about the revenue and profit that it generates so we can reinvest that back into the game.
"I think we've managed that balance appropriately in terms of taking some price increases where we've needed to but in a very measured fashion.
"One of the reasons we've done that is to maintain our commitment to some initiatives that are incredibly important to us. We still allow free attendance for under 16s at our championship. We still offer significant discounts for young people age 17 to 24.
"If you look around the sports industry, not just golf, but more broadly, there are very few major events that are doing that, and it's something we're incredibly proud of, and it's something that's really important to us. We'll strive to maintain that balance between affordability and the commercial reality.
"At the same time, I think it's important to not just talk about price, but to talk about value.
"So we pride ourselves on delivering an experience that is wonderful for the people that come through the gates to watch our championship.
"It's one of the reasons we're continuing to invest in these propositions to add and enhance to the event week to ensure that we maintain value for all of the stakeholders that we welcome."
So, what do our tour experts think of the cost? That's the subject of this edition of Inside The Ropes - although it should really be named 'Outside' The Ropes for this particular topic. And you can join the debate by letting us know your thoughts in the comments section below.
While £190 seems steep on the face of it, when you put it into context - I'm actually okay with it.
Clearly, I would prefer the tickets to be cheaper in order to boost accessibility, inclusivity and engagement with the sport, but when you consider that World Cup tickets for the latter stages are selling in the thousands of pounds and a seat at the final at Wimbledon would cost you around £300 - it seems fairly reasonable.
If this was going to be a one off, special occasion, bucket list type sporting event for me then I'd have no qualms paying £190 to see someone lift the Claret Jug in person.
Unfortunately, this is way elite sport is going these days, not just golf.
Fans at the Fifa World Cup this summer aren't allowed to bring water bottles into stadiums, are being charged hundreds of dollars to watch Ecuador vs Ivory Coast and a train to the stadium can cost up to a $100.
Prices at Bethpage Black for the Ryder Cup last year were egregious and Adare Manor in 2027 continues the same theme.
Without sounding like Karl Marx, elite sport has been hijacked by a capitalist class intent on sucking every penny they can out of it.
Golf's surge in popularity has been as much of a curse as a blessing - the price of clubs has skyrocketed, memberships have risen and the cost now extends to watching the professional game, be that on the TV or on-site in person.
The way society is going, I can only see it getting worse and despite it feeling totally wrong, I struggle to see what we can do to stop it.
If I were to play devil's advocate, you could state the fact that final round tickets for The Open will cost 56% less than Ryder Cup admission. That is certainly an excuse the R&A will be able to hide behind.
Another excuse, or justification, is that the 155th Open will inevitably sell out instantly. This year's Open will welcome 300,000 spectators after over a million entered the ballot.
This is the way of the world, and the R&A has to cash in. There is going to be incredible demand and the fact is that they could have priced them at £300 and they'd still sell out...so should we be applauding the R&A for not doing that? Under 16s going free also significantly reduces costs for families.
The R&A will also justify the prices by reinvesting that money back into the grassroots game.
Would I pay £190 for final round tickets? I think I would. If it was a bucket list experience I was desperate to tick off then yes, I think £190 is just about okay. Practice day tickets ranging from £40-£70 is also very reasonable, and they could have been double that.
The £190 final round price is certainly not a 'rip off' as the experience will be incredible. Watching The Open at St Andrews' Old Course is as good as it gets. From the history of the course to the calibre of players you'll see and the buzzing town itself, it will undoubtedly be money well spent.
It's likely too much money for most people to spend on one day's entertainment, plus travel, hotel, food, drink and merchandise but that unfortunately is the way of the world. Everything costs more these days and we are just having to deal with it. Our costs are all increasing, but so are The R&A's.
Fans are never going to be happy with paying more, and if you can't afford it then there are plenty of other great events on these shores to attend for far less - like the AIG Women's Open, Senior Open, Walker Cup, Curtis Cup, Amateur Championship, BMW PGA Championship, British Masters, Dunhill Links etc, etc.
It seems the way of the world now with prices for everything rising across the board, but approaching £200 for a ticket to The Open doesn’t look great on the face of it, although it has to be said it’s about the same price as the US Open.
The PGA Championship was similar but of course those tickets came with free food and non-alcoholic drinks – which looks like a bargain.
Now, you get a lot of golf for your £190 as you could get there are 6am and easily still be watching golf 14 hours or more later, at the Home of Golf no less, so it is bucket list stuff that we’re talking about, way above a regular tournament.
But it’s not just the ticket price is it?
Getting to St Andrews and finding a place to stay all costs serious money, and the food and drink available on site always carries a hefty price tag so it’ll end up being a massive outlay.
When we talk so much about ‘growing the game’ and changing golf’s slight elitist reputation, pricing so many people out of attending the pinnacle of the sport just seems like a missed opportunity to me.
What do you think? Comment your view to join the conversation below.