The R&A has announced the countdown to The 150th Open which kicks off today with the launch of a special commemorative brand and the introduction of a ticket ballot to ensure the most equitable ticket sales process possible.

After potentially resigning yourself to the fact that it would be pretty impossible to get a ticket to the 150th Open at St Andrews from 10-17 July 2022, you may be pleased to hear that a ticket ballot is being introduced to give more golf fans the opportunity to attend this momentous Championship.

The ticket ballot will run from Thursday, 1 July 2021 to Monday, 4 October 2021 giving as many fans as possible the opportunity to register for tickets. A balance of allocations will ensure every generation of fan, from all over the world, as well as throughout the UK and the local area, will be able to attend the celebrations in St Andrews next July.

Making the ticketing process fair

With the extremely high levels of demand to attend this historic championship, the introduction of a ballot for tickets was deemed the fairest and most equitable way of ensuring golf fans from around the world have the chance to secure their place at the world-renowned Old Course next July. Hospitality for the event has been on sale since last year, with 85% of packages already sold.

Zach Johnson winning in 2015 - picture courtesy Getty Images

Martin Slumbers, Chief Executive of The R&A, said:

“This is a momentous occasion for golf as well as The Open and one which sports fans everywhere are looking forward to enormously. The 150th Open will give fans the opportunity to be part of a unique and unparalleled celebration at the birthplace of the game in St Andrews.

“We expect exceptional demand to be part of these celebrations and the ballot will give as many fans as possible the chance to secure a ticket and be part of history being made at one of the world’s most revered and renowned sporting events.”

The Open ticket prices and ballot application for 2022

Ticket prices for The 150th Open will be £95 for an adult on Championship days and will range from £20 to £50 on practice days. The R&A is fully committed to encouraging more children and young people to attend The Open and free tickets will be available to children through the successful and long-running “Kids go Free” programme, while half-price youth tickets are available for 16-24 year-olds. In order to give as many people as possible the chance to attend the Championship, weekly tickets are being discontinued.

The ticket ballot will be available exclusively to members of The One Club, the free-to-join membership programme. Fans can sign up to The One Club any time at www.TheOpen.com and will be among the first to be notified when the ballot is open.

Origins Hospitality, a range of fully inclusive experiences, is available to purchase now and is the only way fans can guarantee their place at the Championship. See more about what is on offer here or visit www.TheOpen.com/hospitality2022 for further information.

New commemorative brand launched

Today also marks the launch of the new 150th commemorative brand. The focus of the campaign will be the remarkable journey of The Open and its enduring impact on players, fans and the sport of golf itself since it was first staged back in 1860. The 150th logo is made up of individual threads that each represent the millions of journeys connected to the Championship.

Do you think a ballot is a fair way to distribute tickets? Join in our Facebook discussion here.