In 1951, as many of you know, Royal Portrush hosted the first and only British Open outside of England or Scotland.

While the prospects of a return to Ireland may be slim and any return would probably be restricted to Portrush or RCD, if you were the R & A and were forced to pick one site in Ireland, where would you hold the Open Championship?

One vote only.

My vote:

Lahinch   --- I would love hearing the players go nuts about playing "The Dell"

Ballybunion or Waterville

Castlerock.  The obvious choice.

Huck,

Just building positive karma towards our impending Chapman crushing of Noser and Simper..

Portmarnock.

I'd say Portsalon, but the thought of the R&A suits trying to find a way and a place to enjoy themselves in the wildest parts of Donegal just boggles the mind......

For the thousandth time it is not called the British Open...it is called The Open

Brian - that would have to be especially important in this fantasy about holding it across the sea, no?

 

I appreciate the humour and fantasy involved in this thread but as the R&A are unlikely to hold The Open Championship outside of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland that really only leaves Portrush and RCD in the running.

The Irish have their own championship. Why don't they hold that at one of the excellent courses already suggested rather than places such as the K Club

Andrew

Just as long as you agree to call it the "United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland Open," that's fine by me.

Rich

Andrew

You are on the right track, but "The British Open" has fewer syllables and rolls off the tongue more easily.......

Rich

Folks it can't be the British Open unless it's played in the UK.  Thus unless my World geography stinks (which it likely does) that leaves only Northern Ireland as a possibility.

Otherwise it's like saying the US Open should be played in Canada!

Actually to be more accurate it would be like playing the American Open in Canada!

From what I've seen, I think Waterville would be a good choice.  The pros already like it, and it can be long and tough.  Might have to replace the par 3 with the pond and cattails.  Looks like something from the Ralph Myhre...

Don't worry Tom & Sean, you'll only have to buy Ryan one drink, and he will get all red and go to bed early.....  Yeah, I won't be there to see it, but it doesn't mean I can't heckle...

Folks it can't be the British Open unless it's played in the UK.

Which event do you mean? Such an event if established would, by reason, have to be contested somewhere in Britain. But given as others above have said there is no British Open in golf, then the point is moot.

In addition to RCD and Portrush, I'd love to see Lahinch. Every southern spring, my mother and her partner return from Ireland with another collection of towels, shirts and other gear for me from Lahinch, and they are mesmerised by it. Her favourite course in all the world, Mum's first words when she saw it were "do they actually play golf somewhere in there?"