Royal Birkdale Golf Club has 18 holes. That is the standard full championship course layout used for major tournaments, including The Open Championship.
The club is a links course in Southport, Merseyside, on England’s northwest coast. Its layout was developed by Frederick G. Hawtree and J. H. Taylor, and the course is known for fairways winding through coastal dunes, deep bunkers and unpredictable wind.
A common mix-up is confusing the number of holes with the number of holes played in a tournament round. The Open is played over 72 holes in total for golfers who complete all four rounds: 18 holes per round multiplied by four rounds.
Royal Birkdale has also hosted major women’s and senior championships. Its greens were rebuilt and the course modernised in the 1990s to improve turf and drainage while preserving its traditional links character.