[Ally Mcintosh]

i hope so too tom... and in fairness to the R&A, when they were discussing the 2001 award, it was a very different political climate in northern ireland than it is today...

[Rich Goodale]

wayne, as much as the traditionalists like to call it 'the open', it was also being referred to as 'the british open' as far back as the 1870's... the 'R&A' have also just officially referred to it as "the open championship as held in great britain" somewhat wrongly as it turns out, great britain not including northern ireland... i.e. that's what stops it being held in the republic or in holland or in australia for that matter...

It looks like the R&A are easing themselves into a niche whereby they call a spade and spade and the "Open" the "British Open."  This I applaud, as it reflects reality rather than hubris, and also opens up the possibility of holding the Irish Open in Portrush or Royal County Down.

IMO this is a much more likely occurrence in the real world than having an "open championship as held in great britain" held in Ireland, even though "The Champion golfer of 2015 for the Open Championship as held in Great Britain (but this year in Ireland)!" has a really nice Irish ring to it.............

[Dan Herrmann]

Is there any specific reason why the Open Championship has to be held in the UK, and can't be held in the Republic, or elsewhere?  I thought the only constraint is that it is to be held on a links course - but I am not sure where or even if that is codified anywhere.

Wayne - would we play the US Open in Vancouver, BC?

[Adrian_Stiff]

Theoretically the Open could be played in Ireland (the southern bit). The R & A for the purpose of golf are Great Britain and Ireland. They run lots of championships including the Amateur Championship, it has been played at Portmarnock so a precedent has effectively been set. If there was a suitable venue it would not be a problem going to Eire.

[Matthew Hunt]

How much land is needed for the Open.

RCD has a No.2 course that could be used

[Wayne_Kozun]

Is there any specific reason why the Open Championship has to be held in the UK, and can't be held in the Republic, or elsewhere?  I thought the only constraint is that it is to be held on a links course - but I am not sure where or even if that is codified anywhere.

Wayne - would we play the US Open in Vancouver, BC?

We are getting to semantics but if it is "The Open Championship" and not "The British Open" then why have any geographical restriction?  If they want the tournament to be the Global Open then why not move it around more?  That may not be entirely practical, but occasionally playing in Ireland or the Netherlands is not that far fetched, is it?  After all, the R&A is the governing body, at least in terms of the rules of golf, for all parts of the golfing world, with the exception of the US and Mexico.

After all, the Tour de France often starts outside of France.

[Dan Herrmann]

Wayne,
Ironically, the Tour de France actually started in Ireland back in 1999 or 2000.

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