Experience an Open Championship venue with the NCG Top 100s Tour
Playing at Wembley is every footballer’s dream, or if you’re an avid tennis player you may hang on to the hope that one day you’ll battle it out on Centre Court.
However, unless you know people in high places then your chances are pretty slim.
The beauty of golf is that you can experience and play at major championship venues and recreate historic moments in golf’s history. How many times have you stood over a putt and whispered to yourself: “This… for the Open Championship”?
Well this summer you can make that a reality with our NCG Top 100s Tour, which will be heading to a handful of venues that have hosted the Open and Women’s Open so you can experience the thrill of playing on these historic links courses.
If that isn’t enough, every event is fantastic value for money with prizes on offer at every event courtesy of TaylorMade, and a meal is included before and after your round.
Royal Lytham & St Annes (June 17)
Price: £199
When the wind gets up, which it often does, many holes are simply out of range in regulation. The traditional nine-out, nine-in layout determines that one half of the course, usually the back half, plays outstandingly difficult.
Indeed the stretch of holes from 14 onwards comprise arguably the toughest finish of any course on the Open rota. To reach such a crescendo, Lytham starts quietly, and some of the early holes, while fine tests of skill and shotmaking, are not immediately striking.
Notable Winners: Georgia Hall, Ernie Els, Catriona Matthews, Annika Sorenstam, Seve Ballesteros, Gary Player, Peter Thomson
Prince’s (August 26)
Price: £75
This famous corner of Kent can boast no fewer than three Open Championship venues, all within a couple of miles of each other. The most celebrated is Royal St George’s, while neighbouring Royal Cinque Ports also enjoys an international reputation. By far the least celebrated of the trio, in recent times at least, is Prince’s, separated from St George’s by the width of a fence.
Notable winners: Gene Sarazen
Royal Birkdale (September 17)
Price: £249
From Kent to Cumbria, Devon to East Anglia, no-one will be enjoying quite the same all-round golfing experience. Because Royal Birkdale is the best course in England. Period.
If that – admittedly uncharitable – thought doesn’t have you plotting your way to the Lancashire coast sometime soon, then perhaps the prospect of walking in the footsteps of Birkdale Open champions such as Arnold Palmer, Tom Watson, Peter Thomson, Padraig Harrington and Jordan Spieth will prove irresistible.
Notable winners: Jordan Spieth, Padraig Harrington, Laura Davies, Tom Watson, Arnold Palmer
Trump Turnberry (September 30)
Price: £265
Unlike some Open Championship venues, Turnberry is loved the world over. Ask the likes of Jack Nicklaus, Tom Watson, Gary Player and Greg Norman about the Ailsa and prepare for fulsome praise. Apart from the visual splendour, they like it quite simply because it invariably rewards good shots.
Notable winners: Stewart Cink, Nick Price, Greg Norman, Tom Watson.
About the NCG Top 100s Tour
The NCG Top 100s Tour is the UK’s leading series of competitive events for club golfers.
All events are played on courses that feature in our definitive NCG Top 100s rankings lists – ensuring you are guaranteed a top-class golfing experience.
Every event offers great prizes from title sponsors TaylorMade.
While the champion golfer at our Grand Final at Southport & Ainsdale will win a trip to the PLAYERS Championship at TPC Sawgrass, courtesy of Golfbreaks.com.
