The Open Ballot: How To Get 2027 St Andrews Tickets

Cameron Smith at The Open — The Open returns to the Old Course, St Andrews in 2027, but how can you get tickets?

(Image credit: Getty Images)

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.

The Old Course needs little introduction, with other memorable Open moments including 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.

Tiger Woods with the Claret Jug at St Andrews — Tiger Woods dominated the 2000 Open at St Andrews

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.

The 15th hole at the Old Course — The Open returns to the Home of Golf in 12 months

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.

Hospitality packages range from $975 to $3,600 per person. Destination packages combine any ticket type with tailored accommodation, from The Open Camping Village, with prices beginning at £355 (around $477) per person, to various hotel packages.

Mike has over 25 years of experience in journalism, including writing on a range of sports throughout that time, such as golf, football and cricket. Now a freelance staff writer for Golf Monthly, he is dedicated to covering the game's most newsworthy stories.

He has written hundreds of articles on the game, from features offering insights into how members of the public can play some of the world's most revered courses, to breaking news stories affecting everything from the PGA Tour and LIV Golf to developmental Tours and the amateur game.

Mike grew up in East Yorkshire and began his career in journalism in 1997. He then moved to London in 2003 as his career flourished, and nowadays resides in New Brunswick, Canada, where he and his wife raise their young family less than a mile from his local course.

Kevin Cook’s acclaimed 2007 biography, Tommy’s Honour, about golf’s founding father and son, remains one of his all-time favourite sports books.