How much does it cost to a spend a day at The Open?

Heading for Royal Portrush? Here’s a rundown of how much it costs to spend a day at The Open – from food and drink to what’s free and what you can buy from the Open shop.

If you were one of the lucky ones to get a ticket to this year’s Open, the chances are you shelled out quite a bit of money to be at Royal Portrush. But it’s no secret that the event can be quite expensive once you get there, so here’s what you need to know to get the most out of your day.

Getting There 

If you’re planning on getting to Portrush by public transport there’s plenty of options, whether that be by bus or train (learn more about Translink here). But if you’ve decided to bring your own car you need to find somewhere to ditch it with parking available to buy here that costs £15 for the day.

What’s Free?

Watching the golf. Whether you’re walking the course, hanging by the range and SkyZone, or relaxing in one of six grandstands, seeing Tiger & Co up close is obviously the main attraction, but there are plenty of things to keep you entertained in the Spectator Zones which are free of charge.

They include taking a swing on a RoboGolfPro, reliving key shots from past Opens on a simulator, or playing crazy golf on a map of the UK in the HSBC Golf Zone.

There’s also the hugely popular Swingzone, where booking is a must to secure a 15-minute session with a PGA pro.

Food & Drink

Once you’ve fought your way through security and potentially picked up a programme for £10, your stomach is almost guaranteed to be rumbling as you move past several fast-food stalls.

If you are craving a sweet or greasy treat for breakfast, there’s a few options: A bacon roll is a popular favourite at £4.50 but if you walk a little further to the second Spectator Village you can find a Danish pastry and coffee for just under £6.

Of course, you can always start early and head to the Open Arms where a pint starts from £5 and the spirits substantially more. A 330ml glass of orange juice will set you back £3.30 so either way you’ll probably be p*ssed in some shape or form.

Unlike at Augusta, there’s no pimento cheese sandwiches for £1.50 at the Open shop, but you can pay nearly three times more and enjoy an old British classic: An egg and cress sandwich. Adding to that, a small pot of fruit salad costs £3.50 and a 40g packet of Tayto crisps costs £1.70.

Got a sweet tooth? You can grab a 99 ice cream for £3.50 or pay double that for four doughnuts.

Once you’ve hit your 10,000 steps for the day, you can celebrate with a £14 glass of champagne and or opt for a liquid dinner of stout for a fiver. Our advice? Stick to the solids and choose from fish & chips, a burger or even a carvery for £11.

What’s inside the Open shop?

If you’re planning on bringing back some Open-branded memorabilia, there’s plenty available for the whole family (pets included). Among the cheaper, novelty items we found were a dog bowl for £15, a ‘quiet please’ 3D foam magnet for £15, and an inflatable golf ball for £16.

You can also kit out your golf bag with an Open-branded driver headcover for £35, and then yourself with a personalised hat for £30, a pair of boxer shorts for £25, and a belt buckle (minus the belt) for £55.

Oh, and unless you’ve planned ahead, you may also need to invest in an umbrella for £36 and a refillable Open-branded water bottle for £4.50 so you can use one of the many water stations located around the course.

Other things you can buy: Ball marker (£3), Pitch repairer (£10), Open cap (£25 + £5 to get it personalised), Open teddy (£20), Pin Flag (£20), Mug (£10), Open socks (£12), Open holdall (£75), Open branded wallet (£50).