Looking (Mostly) Good: The Upcoming Major Venue Schedule

It's always a sad day to say goodbye to the Old Course, especially all signs point to no return until 2021. That year aligns the championship with the 150th anniverary of Willie Park Sr.'s win in the inaugural Open at Prestwick.

The R&A schedule includes old favorites Royal Troon (2016) Royal Birkdale (2017) and Carnoustie (2018). There is a commitment to considering the 2019 slot for Royal Portrush, depending on what happens there with the addition of two holes and other issues. The 2020 venue is TBD, and then St. Andrews figures to be the 2021 site. A pretty stout lineup with Turnberry looming for a return and Muirfield hopefully joining the conversation again soon thereafter.

As I noted in Golf World, the USGA will solidify it's schedule going forward this week by confirming the already reported news in local papers around Boston, Los Angeles and Pinehurst: the U.S. Open is going to some dynamite places over the next decade.  They will take The Open to The Country Club in 2022, Los Angeles Country Club in 2023 and Pinehurst No. 2 in 2024. Thats on top of five-start venues in Oakmont (2016), Shinnecock Hills (2018), Pebble Beach (2019) and a revitalized Winged Foot (2020). We'll just have to grin and bear Erin Hills in 2017 and soak up the San Diego vibes in 2021 when Torrey Pines hosts.

The PGA of America venue roster inspires less after Whistling Straits this year and Baltusrol next year. Quail Hollow (2017) and Bellerive (2018) at least loom as nice opportunities to sweat. Bethpage in 2019 should be fun if the greens survive, while 2020 at Harding Park looms as a second tier course chosen in part for date flexibility in an Olympic year, while Kiawah isn't getting many juices flowing after the last go-round (2021). And 2022 at Trump Bedminster is, well, causing headaches.

To view it another way, look at the upcoming years. Needless to say next year is pretty stout as is 2019:

2016 - Oakmont-Troon-Baltusrol
2017 - Erin Hills-Birkdale-Quail Hollow
2018 - Shinnecock-Carnoustie-Bellerive
2019 - Pebble Beach-Portrush(?)-Bethpage
2020 - Winged Foot-(?)-Harding Park
2021 - Torrey Pines-St. Andrews-Kiawah
2022 - The Country Club-(?)-Trump Bedminster