Visitor’s coming to Royal Birkdale will be Members for the Day and will have access to all facilities.
On Arrival
You will be greeted by one of our golf operations team and asked to check in with our Professional Shop. A member of our team will be on hand to service all your golfing needs on the day of your visit
Visitors may play the links on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and some limited times on Sundays.
1st January to 6th May – Course Closed
Summer Rate (7th May to 12th October) – £370pp
Summer Rate (Sunday) – £400
13th October to 31st December – Course Closed
During the months of May, June, July, August, and September, Thursdays are reserved exclusively for our ‘Birkdale Experience’ Package.
‘The Birkdale Experience’ (May – September)
Bistro Times: 12noon to 8pm
Dress Code: Smart Casual
2025: £425pp
Visitors may play the links on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and some limited times on Sundays.
January & February – Course Closed
March & April – £450pp
May to October – £495pp
November & December – Course Closed
22nd June to 26th July – Course Closed (154th Open Championship)
During the months of May, June, July, August, and September, Wednesdays are reserved exclusively for our ‘Birkdale Open Experience’ Package.
‘The Birkdale Open Experience’ (May – September)
Bistro Times: 12noon to 8pm
Dress Code: Smart Casual
2026: £565pp
Fairway Mats
Mats will be utilised in certain areas on the course for protection prior to the Open Championship.
Course Protection
To protect certain areas of the course ahead of The Open, some sections of the course will be roped off. While play will still be allowed from these areas, buggies and trolleys will not be permitted to enter.
Championship Build
In the lead-up to and following The Open Championship, there will be construction traffic and the assembly/dismantling of stands and hospitality facilities, which may cause some disruption.
Practice Ground
Due to Open infrastructure on the practice ground at Royal Birkdale it will be un-available to golfers to use. There will be an agreement in place where visitors will be able to warm up prior to their golf at Royal Birkdale. Both the putting green and short game area will be open as usual.
We run a number of Open Events throughout the year. To book, please follow this link: Royal Birkdale Opens
Club Hire – £60
Pull Trolley – £5 (available on the day of play)
Electric Trolley – £25 (pre-booking advised)
Buggy – £50 (medical certificate required)
Buggies
Because of a disability, certain guests might require assistance from a motorised ride-on buggy to play golf. Kindly arrange for your buggy by contacting the office before your scheduled teetime. On the day of play, a Buggy Policy must be completed at the professional shop.
Regrettably, due to the terrain conditions on the Links, visitors are not permitted to bring their own buggies. Please reach out to the office to explore alternative options for your golfing experience.
Due to a limited number of buggies, we can only accept advanced bookings for tee times after 12 noon. However, if a buggy is available on the day of play, visitors may use one before 12 on a first-come, first-served basis.
Our team of caddies are dedicated to enhancing your golfing experience with expert advice and support throughout your round. Every caddie at Royal Birkdale is committed to providing a quality service to all our players, ensuring an unforgettable day on the course.
Caddies (Payable cash(£) to the caddie)
Single Bag – £70+tip
Forecaddies (Payable cash(£) to the caddie)
2 Golfers – £100+tip
3 Golfers – £120+tip
4 Golfers – £140+tip
While we strive to accommodate all requests for specific caddies, please understand that due to high demand, we may not always be able to guarantee your preferred choice.
Kindly be advised that cancellations of caddies within 24 hours of your tee time will incur the caddy fee.
Our general principle is that members, their guests and visitors are smartly dressed on and off the course. Please wear golf clothing that can be found in most professional shops. Tailored shorts are permitted with short socks. Inappropriate clothing, for example, blue denim jeans, tracksuits, crew-neck t-shirts, flip-flops or similar are not permitted. Upon entering the clubhouse please remove hats and waterproof clothing in the locker rooms as they are not allowed in the main clubhouse. Cleaned golf shoes may be worn in the Spike Bar.
Mobile Phones
Please ensure they are silent in the Clubhouse; they may be answered and used discreetly in the Golfers’ Corridor and Locker Rooms.
Tees
Golfers will play from the yellow/red tees unless a prior arrangement has been agreed upon. This is to help ensure a good pace of play and for the enjoyment of all golfers.
Slow Play
Normal courtesies and etiquette for golf should be always observed. If your group is holding up play, please stand aside and let the group behind play through.
Ready Golf
At Royal Birkdale ‘Ready Golf’ is encouraged, players are both allowed and encouraged to play out of turn in a safe and responsible way.
Winter and Shoulder Rates
Please be aware that our golf course may be subject to necessary maintenance procedures during the winter and shoulder rate seasons. While we strive to minimise disruptions, some maintenance activities may temporarily impact the condition of certain areas of the course.
Professional Shop
Our Head Professional Gregg Pettersen has a superb array of golfing equipment and apparel to suit the needs and style of all golfers. A visit to his shop is a must when visiting Royal Birkdale where you will find a knowledgeable and friendly team only happy to help find you the right equipment. You are also able to purchase online via his website by clicking here.
PGA Professionals
PGA professionals will receive courtesy of the course when bringing 3 or more guests paying a full green fee. When their guests are on a green fee package including food, the PGA professional will be required to pay for the food element of the package.
Practice Facilities
At Royal Birkdale, our visitors have full use of our Practice Facilities on the day of play.
Driving Range
Our driving range is a short 5-minute walk from the clubhouse and gives every golfer a chance to warm up and prepare for that opening tee shot.
Short-Game Area
Situated next to our driving range our short-game area is one of the best. With two different elevated greens, it gives the golfer a chance to practice every shot they might encounter on their round at Royal Birkdale.
Full payment is required to secure the booking. A provisional enquiry will be held for 14 days after which the tee time will be released unless payment has been paid.
A 50% non-refundable deposit is required to secure the booking. A provisional enquiry will be held for 14 days after which the tee time will be released unless a deposit has been paid. Full and final payment for green fees is required 60 days before the day of play. Bookings made within 60 days of the date of play will be charged 100% of the green fee at the time of booking. Within 60 days of the date of play, all payments received are non-refundable.
Groups can reduce in numbers up to 60 days before the day of play with no penalty. The total deposit paid will be applied to the balance for the remaining players.
Cancellations received more than 60 days in advance of the date of play will result in the forfeiture of the deposit. Within 60 days of the date of play, cancellations will result in forfeiture of the full green fee. We regret that we cannot offer refunds or future credit due to delayed/cancelled flights, travel plans, personal injury, or illness. For this reason, we strongly recommend that you have travel insurance to cover this eventuality.
Up to 60 days before the day of play, tee times can be moved to an alternative date within a year of the original booking (subject to availability). Should the green fee rate increase the difference will need to be paid.
If you are unable to complete your round of golf due to the course closure, you will be entitled to re-book or receive a full refund for the part of the round unplayed. If the course is open and you decide not to play no refund will be given.
Please note that when making a booking, the tee time arrangements are such that you may be playing behind or ahead of golfers in 4-ball groups. It is important to understand this when booking, as it may affect the pace of play and overall experience on the course.
Please be aware that our golf course may be subject to necessary maintenance procedures during the winter and shoulder rate seasons. While we strive to minimise disruptions, some maintenance activities may temporarily impact the condition of certain areas of the course.
From 2026, we will actively fill tee times to ensure efficient use of the course. Any bookings made for 2-ball or 3-ball groups may be paired with other golfers, including singles, to create 4-ball groups wherever possible. This policy is designed to enhance the pace of play and optimise the golfing experience for all players. By making a booking, you acknowledge and accept this arrangement. Due to this, we reserve the discretion to move tee times by up to 30 minutes to facilitate the efficient management of the tee sheet. Any such changes will be communicated to you in advance.