© Mike Frey-Imagn Images
Golfers at the 153rd Open Championship at Royal Portrush Golf Club in Northern Ireland are running into difficulties with course conditions. Thick rough and tall drop zone grass have proven tough to navigate.
Multiple players struggled with the lush grass outside the fairways in Thursday’s opening round. It will likely be an issue that resurfaces throughout the remainder of the tournament.
The British Open is the oldest golf tournament in the world. Royal Portrush is doing its job in making golfers earn a major victory in the historic event this weekend.
According to its own website, the course is described as one of the most challenging in the world.
“One of the world’s greatest links challenges.”
Links golf differs from American golf. Courses are generally built on a sandy coastline, offering firmer playing surfaces, high winds, and a hilly landscape. Royal Portrush certainly fits the mold.
While golfers are living lavishly thanks to the venue’s pampering off-course accommodations, they’re finding things extremely frustrating on the playing field.
Thick rough, jungle-like drop zones have made the Open Championship a challenge.
the Open seems to be dialing up its nastiest set of drop zones yet. ohh you want a free drop from the grandstand? for sure man. toss one down in the bushes over there pic.twitter.com/nRaK8RRS0X
— Dylan Dethier (@dylan_dethier) July 16, 2025
The venue set up massive grandstands to seat attendees. Often, we see this manmade seating play as a backboard for golfers. In other instances, wayward shots might sail into the bleachers.
At some places, that might lead to a free drop in a well-manicured area. That won’t be the case at Royal Portrush.
The drop zones near the grandstands are like jungles!
⚠ Beware the killer DZs! ⚠
There are drop zones, then there are Open Championship drop zones.
Here’s what the players will be dealing with if they go off line at Royal Portrush this week…
READ MORE: https://t.co/OLog4aDO1D pic.twitter.com/6ijgi5EmmK
— Today’s Golfer (@TheTodaysGolfer) July 16, 2025
The rough isn’t much better.
There are some parts on the course where the ball seems to simply disappear when leaving the fairway.
@golfmonthly.com Open week wouldn’t be complete without the annual rough length video! The first hole at Royal Portrush is no joke this week, with thick rough and out of bounds flanking both sides of the fairway. theopen golf
We saw how thick roughs can affect golfers at the US Open at Oakmont. It’s having a similar impact in Round 1 of the British Open.
Bryson DeChambeau found out firsthand, as did a number of playing mates. The tall grass combined with the hilly landscape has made things impossible.
British Open golfers aren’t the only ones impacted.
One group of fans avoided near-decapitation when Golf Channel analyst Johnson Wagner attempted to showcase the course’s difficulty.
Wagner, a former PGA Tour player, often shows viewers firsthand what playing at these major sites is like. He gives behind-the-scenes looks at some of the courses’ most challenging aspects.
In most cases, it ends in hilarity. In this case, it was almost a disaster.
Wagner played a shot from the rough, launching it far past its intended target, and into the crowd. He let out a gasp as soon as he made contact. Luckily, no one was seriously hurt.
The wayward shot only highlighted the difficult conditions the golfers are dealing with at Royal Portrush. It’s impossible to see how high your ball is sitting in the rough. It should make for an entertaining tournament.