Green on a cliff-top coastal course with the bay and headland behind

Golf Tournament Pictures: Top Courses for Amateurs

This gallery is about venues rather than people: the kinds of course that host amateur fields well, with examples from championships played in 2026. We publish our own and licensed photography only, and we do not reproduce images from any former tour.

What makes a course suitable for an amateur field

  • Two tee rotations or a second course. Large fields need 36 holes of qualifying without giving half the entrants an easier draw. The 2026 Amateur Championship used Royal Liverpool together with West Lancashire for exactly this reason, with a pre-qualifier at West Lancashire on 12 June (The R&A).
  • Walkable routing. Amateur championships are walking events, often two rounds a day in the qualifying stage.
  • Defence without length. Wind, firm ground and green contour test a field of mixed power more fairly than sheer yardage.
  • Spectator sightlines that keep people off the fairways. Links courses with dunes do this naturally; parkland venues need rope and marshals.

Links land drains quickly, so play continues in weather that would close a parkland course, and the ball runs. For a visiting amateur the practical consequences are specific: putt from off the green more often, expect a lower ball flight to be an advantage, and plan for the wind to change the club selection by two or three clubs rather than one.

Championship venues in 2026, as published by the governing bodies

  • Royal Liverpool and West Lancashire, England: The Amateur Championship, 15 to 20 June 2026, won by Stuart Grehan one hole up on Matt Moloney over a 36-hole final.
  • Muirfield, Scotland: The Women's Amateur Championship 2026.
  • Lahinch, Ireland: the Walker Cup, 5 and 6 September 2026.
  • Bel-Air Country Club, California: the Curtis Cup, 12 to 14 June 2026.
  • Royal Cinque Ports, England: The Women's Amateur Championship 2027, 21 to 26 June (venue announcements, The R&A).

Desert and resort courses

Winter calendars in the Gulf exist because the summer is unplayable, not because the courses are easier. Irrigation keeps fairways soft, so the ball stops where it lands and the test becomes distance control rather than run-out. The practical effect on scoring is that par fives become reachable for stronger amateurs, which widens the gap between the top of a field and the middle. See the Dubai page for the seasonal detail.

Photographing a tournament without getting in the way

  • Stand still while a player is over the ball, and never behind the line of play.
  • Phone shutter sounds carry further than you think on a quiet links.
  • Many championships restrict photography during play; the condition of entry for spectators is published with the tee times.
  • If you post images, do not imply any affiliation with the organiser.

Sources

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