2025’s Open Championship at Portrush is sure to be an exciting event, with well-known players like Xander Schaufele and Rory McIlroy returning to the links. But who else can you expect to see at The Open this year?

We’ve put together a list of everyone who is confirmed to be playing in The Open this year, as well as some key information about the most prominent golfers in the tournament.

The Last Three Winners

Winning The Open secures you a spot in at least the next ten Open Championships. The last three winners of The Open will all be returning to the field this year.

• Xander Schauffele (2024 winner). Currently the third-best golfer in the world according to the PGA rankings, Schaufele has played in 195 PGA tour events with 66 top-ten finishes. He generally uses Callaway equipment and favors the Callaway Chrome Tour golf ball – which he used to win both The Open and the PGA Championship in 2024.
• Brian Harman (2023 winner). A pro since 2009, Brian Harman won the 2023 Open by an impressive six-stroke margin. Harman uses the Titleist Pro V1, a favourite among professionals and novices alike. This American golfer is consistently skilled and scores well, but only time will tell if he’ll get his hands on the Claret Jug again this year.
• Cameron Smith (2022 winner). This Australian pro won The Open in 2022 with an impressive closing round, narrowly beating another Cameron – Cameron Young – to the victory. He might just repeat that impressive feat this year, so keep an eye on Smith throughout the tournament. Smith, who prides himself on his determination, is a skilled golfer through and through. He uses Titleist Pro V1x golf balls – a firm option that offers great control.

Other Returning Champions

The following golfers have won previous Open Championships and are returning for another chance at the Claret Jug.

• Colin Morikawa – 2021 winner
• Shane Lowry – 2019 winner
• Francesco Molinari – 2018 winner
• Jordan Spieth – 2017 winner
• Henrik Stenson – 2016 winner
• Zach Johnson – 2015 winner
• Rory McIlroy – 2014 winner
• Phil Mickelson – 2013 winner
• Ernie Els – 2002 and 2012 winner
• Darren Clarke – 2011 winner
• Louis Oosthuizen – 2010 winner
• Stewart Cink – 2009 winner
• Padraig Harrington – 2007 and 2008 winner
• Justin Leonard – 1997 winner

Other Golfers Who’ll Be Competing at The Open 2025

There are plenty of other skilled golfers who are hoping to win The Open for the first time. Though more players may be confirmed later, here are the other players you can expect to see at The Open this year:

• Ludvig Aberg
• Mikiya Akutsa
• Byeong Hun An
• Daniel Berger
• Akshay Bhatia
• Keegan Bradley
• Daniel Brown
• Sam Burns
• Laurie Canter
• Patrick Cantlay
• John Catlin
• K J Choi
• Wyndham Clark
• Corey Conners
• Jason Day
• Bryson DeChambeau
• Thomas Detry
• Harris English
• Ethan Fang
• Darren Fichardt
• Tony Finau
• Matt Fitzpatrick
• Tommy Fleetwood
• Rickie Fowler
• Ryan Fox
• Lucas Glover
• Max Greyserman
• Ben Griffin
• Julien Guerrier
• Justin Hastings
• Tyrrell Hatton
• Russel Henley
• Tom Hoge
• Rasmus Hojgaard
• Rikuya Hoshino
• Victor Hovland
• Mackenzie Hughes
• Sungjae Im
• Shugo Imahira
• Stephan Jaegar
• Dustin Johnson
• Ryggs Johnston
• Matthew Jordan
• Sadom Kaewkanjana
• Takumi Kanaya
• Riki Kawamoto
• Tom Kim
• Chris Kirk
• Brooks Koepka
• Jason Kokrak
• Romain Langasque
• Thriston Lawrence
• Min Woo Lee
• Marc Leishman
• Curtis Luck
• Robert Macintyre
• Matteo Manassero
• Hideki Matsuyama
• Denny McCarthy
• Matt McCarty
• Tom McKibbin
• Maverick McNealy
• Guido Migliozzi
• Dylan Naidoo
• Bryan Newman
• Joaquin Niemann
• Niklas Norgaard
• Andrew Novak
• Thorbjorn Olesen
• Carlos Ortiz
• Matthieu Pavon
• Ryan Peake
• Taylor Pendrith
• Marco Penge
• JT Poston
• Jon Rahm
• Aaron Rai
• Patrick Reed
• Justin Rose
• Antoine Rozner
• Scottie Scheffler
• Adam Scott
• Jordan Smith
• Elvis Smylie
• Sebastian Soderberg
• Younghan Song
• JJ Spaun
• Sepp Straka
• Justin Suh
• Jesper Svensson
• Nick Taylor
• Sahith Theegala
• Justin Thomas
• Daniel Van Tonder
• Jhonattan Vegas
• Matt Wallace
• Paul Waring
• Cameron Young
• Kevin Yu

Get Golfing!

If the talent on display at this year’s Open has inspired you to get back onto the green, then you’re in the right place. We’ve got a great range of golf balls to help you get golfing in 2025. Who knows? Maybe your name will be on the list for who’s playing in the next Open!

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Learn More: History of The Open

The 153rd Open took place at Royal Portrush in July 2025. Golf’s oldest tournament has a prestigious history, so here’s a deep dive to prepare you for 2026's Open Championship.

• The Origins of The Open
• Who Won the Last Open?
• Why Is It No Longer Called 'The British Open'?
• What Is the Prize for The Open?
• When Is The Open?

The Origins of The Open

When talking about the history of the British Open, you’ve got to start at the beginning. The very first Open was held in 1860, meaning this event predates both the Masters Tournament and the PGA Tour by seventy years or so. Though the first Open took place in October, it is now always held in July.

The Open began at Prestwick Golf Club in Scotland, but it soon became tradition to hold this event at different ‘links’ golf courses around the UK. Links courses are usually coastal, offering interesting views, dunes, and terrain. Past Open venues include Carnoustie, Royal Liverpool and Muirfield.

This event has remained fairly consistent, but one interesting wrinkle in the history of the British Open is that the prize has changed over time. For the tournament’s first decade, a championship belt with a silver buckle was the iconic reward for the most skilled golfer. However, when Tom Morris Jr won three years in a row, this prize was reconsidered.

At first, the belt was temporarily replaced with a medal, which was awarded to now four-time winner Tom Morris Jr in 1872. Medals like this are still a big part of the event. For example, as of 1974, a silver medal is given to the leading amateur of The Open.

Winners still receive medals too, but this was no replacement for the championship belt. So, in 1873, they introduced the Claret Jug as the major prize of the event. This is the iconic symbol of The Open that we all know today.

Who Won the Last Open?

The last Open was won by Scottie Scheffler. This prestigious golfer won by a serious lead, and became one of the only golfers ever to win The Open whilst holding the number one spot in the world ranking. The only other golfer to achieve this was Tiger Woods.

Before this, the last Open Championship was won by Xander Schauffele in 2024. He secured his victory by just two shots, but showed clear skill in the final portion of the game by succeeding despite 20mph crosswinds on the back nine. This was just two months after Schauffele won the PGA Championship – 2024 was a big year for the American!

Why Is It No Longer Called ‘The British Open’?

Technically, The Open has never been officially called ‘The British Open’. However, many people refer to it that way to avoid confusion. The US Open (established in 1895) typically takes place the month before The Open, and it’s easy to get the two tournaments mixed up.

The US Open only has ‘US’ in its name because it came after the original Open Championship. This is similar to how many British shows end up with American spin-offs that just add ‘US’ to the name. The fact that it was adapted does not change the name of the original – so the British event is just called The Open.

According to The Open’s own website: “The Open is the correct name for the Championship. It is also the most appropriate.”

Even though this may factually be the case, it is sometimes still necessary to use the term ‘British Open’ in order to be clear. As long as you remember that the true name is The Open, it does no harm to say British Open conversationally, just for clarity.

What Is the Prize for The Open?

As mentioned above, the prize was historically a belt, but now the winner of The Open gets to take home the Claret Jug to keep for the year. However, that’s not the only prize on offer.

There is also a considerable payment made to the winner. The actual amount tends to change year on year; there is usually a set “purse” for each event, and the winner is not the only one who gets to take home a cash prize. In both 2025 and 2024, the purse was $17 million, with winners Scottie Scheffler and Xander Schauffele each taking $3.1 million for their wins.

Of course, the real prize is that you get to keep coming back to play in The Open until you are 60, or for the next ten years (whichever is longer).

When Is The Open?

The Open is held every July. The next Open will be held from the 12th to the 26th of July 2026, at Royal Birkdale.

2025's event took place at the Royal Portrush Golf Club in County Antrim, Northern Ireland on 13th – 20th July 2025. Much of the event was broadcast live for viewers not able to attend in person. For people lucky enough to be there, the gates opened at 9am on the 13th.

Ready to Play Golf?

If learning about the history of The Open has you itching to pick up your golf bag, don’t forget to stock it with some high-quality golf balls! At gimmeballs, we have a great range of golf balls available at low prices. We even have most of the balls that were used by the pros at the last Open Championship.

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LEARN MORE: What Golf Balls Do the Pros Use?

LEARN MORE: Who Will Be Playing in The Open?

You should change your golf ball very often - many professional golfers change their ball every hole or every few holes. Change your ball when you notice a change in performance.

Let’s say you get lucky and manage to go a full round of golf without losing your golf ball. And then, miracle of miracles, you get through another one. And another one…

If you’re good at keeping your golf balls like this then you’ll eventually have to ask yourself the question: should I change my golf ball?

We’re here to help. If you aren’t sure how often to switch an old golf ball for a new one, then join us as we discuss the most important factors of golf ball integrity. Do scuffs and dirt matter? Let’s find out.

Signs that you should change your golf ball

When trying to figure out if you should change your golf ball, a golf towel is your best friend. As a general rule of thumb, if any damage or dirt can be wiped away by a towel, then it shouldn’t cause you too much trouble. Small scuffs that can be mostly wiped away probably won’t impact your ball too badly.

You’ll probably want to swap out your golf ball if the ball’s surface is significantly damaged or particularly scratched. This isn’t always necessary – quickly test if the ball rolls as-expected when hit. If the scratch is causing the golf ball to lean in any particular direction, then it’s time to change it.

Inspect your golf balls whenever you get the chance to. As long as the ball isn’t badly misshapen or performing strangely, then you should be able to continue using it. The only real exception is professional or competitive games of golf. In these cases, you may wish to swap out your ball just in case - you wouldn't want any damage ruining your win!

Do balls perform worse the longer you use them?

In a theoretical scenario where your ball survives with no dents or scratches, can you keep using it forever? This really depends on the ball itself. Most modern golf balls have great durability, but golf balls that are constructed from cheaper or softer materials may not be able to last as long as premium balls.

Golf balls may also lose compression over time and can deteriorate due to different factors like heat or moisture. However, this is usually only a problem if you store golf balls incorrectly.

This is why pro golfers change their golf ball every hole, or every few holes. They can't afford the risk of failing a shot over a broken or damaged golf ball. However, swapping balls this often can seem expensive and wasteful for a beginner golfer. If you are confident in the durability of your golf ball then you can probably keep using it without any issue for a good while. If you can feel it getting worse as you play, then swap it out.

Is it time to change your golf ball?

Whether you want to change your golf ball every hole or not, you’re going to have to change it eventually. It’s best to keep a few high-quality spares in your bag just in case. At gimmeballs, we offer a range of great golf balls at low prices so you won’t have to worry as much about losing or damaging a couple of balls.

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FURTHER READING: How Many Golf Balls Should I Carry in My Bag?

In this blog, we’ll be comparing two powerful Callaway golf balls: the Callaway Chrome Soft and the Callaway Chrome Soft X.

You might easily get these balls mixed up, given that they have similar names and both feature soft urethane covers. However, these two Callaway balls do have a few differences, and their unique features could have a noticeable impact on your game.

Callaway Chrome Soft Golf Balls

Considering adding Callaway Chrome Soft golf balls to your golf bag? These are ideal for golfers who want a tour-quality golf ball that offers unmatched control on the green. Let’s explore some of the features that make the Chrome Soft such a popular golf ball.

Callaway Chrome Soft: Key Features

Soft Feel: With its Tour Soft Urethane Cover and Hyper Fast Soft Core, this ball has a great feel that will appeal to golfers who prefer softer golf balls.

Low Long-Game Spin: Lower long-game spin can help you achieve better distances, so the Callaway Chrome Soft is a good choice for golfers who are struggling to get their ball to travel far.

High Short-Game Spin: For a lot of short-game spin, which can help you with launch height and ball control, this ball is a great choice.

Construction: This ball has a three-piece construction which contributes to the soft feel.

Buy Callaway Chrome Soft Golf Balls

Callaway Chrome Soft X Golf Balls

Callaway’s Chrome Soft X golf balls are the perfect choice for low-handicap golfers with fast swing speeds. If you want to maximise speed and distance off the tee, then consider switching to this ball, which boasts great driver speeds. The features of the Chrome Soft X are slightly different to the classic Chrome Soft ball.

Callaway Chrome Soft X: Key Features

Medium Feel: With a Hyper Elastic SoftFast Core, this ball is constructed with a soft/medium feel. The Callaway Chrome Soft X ball’s higher compression means it feels a little firmer than the standard Chrome Soft ball.

High Speed & Driver Launch: If you’re looking to improve your driver speed or get a higher launch on driver shots, then the Callaway Chrome Soft X could be a good choice for you.

Low/Mid Driver Spin: This ball has a low/mid driver spin to offer a better distance to golfers with high swing speeds.

Construction: A four-piece construction with a Hex Tour Aero Pattern contributes to the mid/high flight offered by this ball.

Buy Callaway Chrome Soft X Golf Balls

Differences Between Chrome Soft and Chrome Soft X

The key differences between these two golf balls are the construction and feel of the ball.

The Chrome Soft ball only has three layers, whereas the Chrome Soft X has four layers. This is one of the reasons why the Chrome Soft ball gives a luxurious soft feel, and the Chrome Soft X has a more medium feel, though both use a soft cover.

If you prefer a softer ball, the Chrome Soft is probably the better choice for you. On the other hand, if you have a faster swing speed you might prefer a firmer golf ball, meaning the Chrome Soft X could be a better choice.

Personalised Callaway Golf Balls

Your Callaway Chrome Soft and Callaway Chrome Soft X golf balls can be personalised when you order them from gimmeballs! We can print a design of your choice, like a photo or name, onto these golf balls for you.

Shop Callaway Chrome Soft   Shop Callaway Chrome Soft X

Logo overrun golf balls are balls that are sold at a discounted price because they have a printed logo or image on them.

This will often happen if a company accidentally orders too many logo golf balls, or if somebody cancels an order of personalised golf balls. Sometimes, logo overrun balls will be misprints, where the ball just has an ink stain rather than any specific image or message. In all cases, the ball itself is still perfectly usable.

Are Logo Overrun Golf Balls Tournament Legal?

Yes, logo overrun golf balls can be played in golf tournaments, games, and tours. Since these are essentially just normal balls with random images printed onto them, they are considered completely legal.

Customised golf balls of any kind, including logo golf balls, are generally welcome at tournaments. Some professional golfers even use personalised golf balls! For example, Rory Mcllroy is known for having RORS printed on his Taylormade TP5x balls.

What’s the Difference Between Logo Overrun Golf Balls and X-Out Golf Balls?

Unlike logo overrun golf balls, X-out golf balls are not tournament legal. X-out golf balls have defects that will likely have an impact on the ball’s performance. Because of this, they don’t conform to most tournament standards (though if you really want to use one, you can always check the rules for the event in question).

Logo overrun golf balls are much more similar to practice balls than they are to X-out golf balls. Practice golf balls are legal balls that conform to all the relevant standards, but have an aesthetic or cosmetic imperfection that means they can’t be sold for full price.

Logo Overrun Golf Balls: Pros & Cons

So, why do people buy logo overrun golf balls? Well, people purchase logo overrun golf balls because they are sometimes a little cheaper than blank balls. They are usually bought second-hand from sellers who have too many of these balls, so it’s possible to get a good deal.

However, in many cases, the discount you will get on overrun golf balls is too insignificant to be worth it. This is especially true when you have to take the time to find a reliable seller of overrun golf balls. If you’re buying them from a marketplace like eBay, you have to be quick enough to get the overrun balls before somebody else does. Additionally, when buying balls from random sellers you always run the risk that the balls have been used before, which can lower their quality.

You also might struggle to find the exact golf ball brand you want when shopping for logo overrun golf balls, because you have to go for whatever balls are available. Playing with golf balls that you aren’t used to can really impact your game.

If you are looking for cheaper golf balls, it might be better to look for clearance golf balls than to risk receiving used logo overrun golf balls. Plus, you can add your own logo to these high-quality balls, which results in a much more meaningful ball than buying a ball with somebody else’s branding.

Are Logo Overrun Golf Balls Worth It?

Though some golfers are happy to use overrun logo golf balls, they are not always worth the risk.

The main problem with logo overrun golf balls is that you have no say over the logo that you’ll receive. Most of the time, these balls are bought in bulk, and the logo will be completely random. This means that you could easily end up with a design that is embarrassing or ugly, and you’ll probably have a lot of them to get through.

This is why golfers will generally order their own logo golf balls instead of gambling on logo overrun golf balls. It’s okay to admit that one of the best parts of golf is the aesthetic of it all: crisp collared shirts, shiny golf clubs, and the sun rising over a pristine green. This visual isn’t really complete without a new, fresh golf ball. Most golfers wouldn’t want to ruin this with a misprinted ball, particularly when it may have been used before.

With normal logo golf balls, you get to add a logo of your choice to the golf ball. This could be a purely cosmetic design, or it could be the logo of your own business. This is a fun way to show off and even get a bit of advertising out there while you play.

Logo Golf Balls

We can print logos on the majority of the golf balls on our website, meaning you won’t have to settle for a ball that isn’t your usual or worry about the ball arriving pre-used. You can enjoy a high-quality ball with a clear logo of your choice.

Shop Logo Golf Balls

Many golfers will tell you to go straight for the Titleist Pro V1 as this is the most popular ball in tournament play and it’s specifically designed for distance. However, there are lots of other distance golf balls on the market, and depending on your skill level, you may find that your shots go further if you look beyond the Pro V1. Many golf balls are even specifically designed to travel long distances, like the TaylorMade Distance+ Tour Response golf balls - but do these designs actually work out on the course?

An experiment by My Golf Spy in 2023 used a robot arm to figure out the best balls for different swing speeds. So, if you want to know which golf balls will go the furthest for you, it helps to know your swing speed first.

Asses Your Skill Level

Distance is impacted by your swing speed. Most new golfers will have a slow swing speed, and in this case, it can be helpful to use a softer golf ball. Softer balls tend to be more forgiving, flying further when hit at low speeds.

However, if you find that you’ve got a very high swing speed, a soft ball could actually result in less distance. You’ll usually want a harder ball if your drives are connecting at high speed.

Soft Golf Balls    Hard Golf Balls

Whatever your swing speed, it’s a good idea to test different balls to see what works well for your skill level. Once you know your swing speed, you can use the below information from My Golf Spy as a guideline for the kind of ball you may need.

Farthest-Flying Golf Balls for Fast Swing Speeds

According to the golf ball experiment, the Titleist Pro V1x Left Dash went the furthest when using a high swing speed driver (115 mph). This was closely followed by the Titleist Pro V1x and the Mizuno RB Tour X golf balls.

Farthest-Flying Golf Balls for Medium Swing Speeds

With a mid-swing speed driver (100 mph) the balls that went the longest distance were the Titleist Pro V1x, the Callaway Chrome Soft X LS, and the Titleist Pro V1x Left Dash golf balls.

Farthest-Flying Golf Balls for Slow Swing Speeds

With a low swing speed (85 mph) the ball that went furthest was the Vice Pro Plus, followed by the Titleist Pro V1x Left Dash, and then the Srixon Z-Star Diamond golf balls.

Which Golf Ball Is Right For You?

Since these results were under test conditions, you might find that you get different distances on the actual course. These distances were achieved using a driver – results may vary when using other clubs.

There are also a couple of other factors to consider when choosing a ball for distance.

If you’re an experienced golfer, you may be used to a particular ball already, and suddenly switching balls could negatively impact your game. This doesn’t mean that you should never switch! But you might need to practise a bit with the new ball before you take it into any tournaments.

Budget can also be a big factor. Though we mentioned the Titleist Pro V1 balls earlier, these are high-end balls that are usually for experienced players. You’ll see that many of the balls mentioned above are also from top brands. If you are a new player, you’ll probably want a ball that travels a lot, but costs a little.

Golf Balls That Go The Distance

At gimmeballs, we offer a huge range of brands at different price points, to cater to all sorts of golfers. Have a quick scroll through our golf balls page to see which balls are right for you!

You can even filter specifically for “Distance Balls” when shopping with us, so you’ll only see balls designed for this purpose.

Shop Golf Balls

If you’re interested in sampling multiple balls to see which one would work best for you, then you can try our Build a Box! This way, you can order a selection of great balls in one helpful package.

Build a Box

This November, we’re collaborating with one of Wales’s greatest golf clubs to bring you two huge golfing competitions. If you want to win some great prizes and step up your golfing game then this is the perfect opportunity.

Cardiff Golf Club has been around since 1921, offering both a great golfing experience and welcoming clubhouse facilities. We are giving away some of their high-quality items in our competitions this month!

We’re giving you the chance to win two excellent golf prizes. The first is this Limited Edition Vokey Design Tour Golf Bag by Cardiff Golf Club.

This beautifully designed bag is also incredibly functional. With 9 storage pockets and an additional 6 club dividers, there’s plenty of room for all of your golf accessories. It’s lightweight, and made to be ergonomic with a comfortable handle and strap. Entry is a great deal at only £1.00 per ticket.

Enter Golf Bag Competition

The other competition is just as exciting. You have the chance to win a PING Anser Putter 2021 with a headcover by Cardiff Golf Club.

This is a reliable putter, that offers a consistent feel from a popular golf club brand. If you’re looking for a golf club you can trust, enter our competition here. This contest is only £0.50 a ticket!

Enter Putter Competition

A massive thank you to Cardiff Golf Club, and their PGA Head Professional, Chris O’Neill!

Not looking for a new bag or club, but still interested in winning? We have a handful of other contests going right now. A variety of golf ball bundles are available for three of our most popular brands: Callaway, Titleist, and Srixon.

Of course, if you really want to test your luck, you are more than welcome to enter multiple competitions at once. For a full list of our available prizes, visit our competitions page below.

 View All Competitions 

Do you know the difference between a Putt and a Punch? When should you use a Chip? Familiarising yourself with different shots and strategies can make all the difference in a game of golf.

Use our quick guide below to study up on different golf techniques.

• Drive
• Fairway
• Approach
• Chip
• Punch
• Flop
• Shank
• Draw
• Fade
• Putt

Drive

You don’t need a driving licence for this golf shot, just a good swing. The drive is usually the first shot on a hole, aiming to get your ball as far as possible. This shot is all about finding a balance between power and aim to get a good distance towards the green.

Fairway

A fairway shot is what it says on the tin - a shot taken from the fairway!

Approach

This is how you get your ball onto the green. A variety of clubs are used to achieve this, as the distance to the green will depend on how successful your drive was.

Chip

Less popular than the potato chip, but still very useful, is the chip shot. This is a quick, short manoeuvre which sends the ball a short distance. It is sometimes needed to get onto the green from a very short distance away, or to avoid a hazard.

Punch

A punch shot is very similar to a chip, but each has its own uses. A punch shot is a flat shot, meaning the ball stays close to the ground - perfect for nailing shots on a windy day!

Flop

Good for mini-golf, a flop lets you jump over an obstacle. Think short-distance, but with a lot of height, like a big arch. Flop shots are particularly useful if you don’t want the ball to roll very far once it lands.

Shank

While a flop may sound like a bad thing, you’re probably actually thinking of a shank. This is when you strike the ball with the wrong part of the club, and it goes careening off in completely the wrong direction. Needless to say, this is not a strategy you really want to use.

Draw

This shot is when the ball spins, curving slightly from right to left…

Fade

…and this shot is when the ball spins, curving slightly from left to right! At least, that’s the case if you’re a right-handed golfer. If you’re left-handed, just flip it the other way around.

Putt

If you’ve made it to the putt, then you’ve made it to the hole! This is usually the last shot. It takes a lot of focus and accuracy, but usually isn’t a very powerful shot. The goal is to cover the final bit of distance between your ball and the hole.

There are a few other shots, such as Lay-ups and Bunker shots (for avoiding and escaping hazards). However, these are ten that will get you well on your way to understanding the language of golf.

Once you’ve got your shots in order, it’s time to start thinking about golf balls. With our wide selection of personalised balls from a variety of well-known brands, we can help.

Personalised Golf Balls