The Claret Jug and the Call of Two Worlds: England's Links and New Zealand Await

It was one of the great moments in recent major championship history. Ryan Fox, a 39-year-old New Zealander and son of an All Blacks rugby legend, stood over a 12-foot birdie putt on the 72nd hole at Royal Birkdale with the Claret Jug on the line. The hole — the toughest on the course, with only four birdies yielded all day among the 76 players who had played through it — had already broken hearts. Fox didn't flinch. He drained it, thrust both arms skyward, and became only the third New Zealander in history to win a major championship. It was the kind of finish that reminds you why we love this game. For golf travelers, Ryan Fox's triumph at the 154th Open Championship sent a message beyond the scoreboard. Two extraordinary destinations are now in the spotlight: England, home to some of the most storied links courses ever built, and New Zealand, the homeland of a new major champion — and one of the most underrated golf travel destinations on the planet. At Golf &, we specialize in crafting trips to exactly these kinds of places. And right now, there has never been a better moment to plan your journey to either one. Walk in the Footsteps of Champions: Golf in England Royal Birkdale. The name alone carries a century of history. Nestled in the dunes south of Southport on England's northwest coast, Birkdale has hosted the Open Championship eleven times — more than any venue in history outside of St Andrews. Arnold Palmer won here. Lee Trevino won here. Tom Watson claimed the fifth of his five Open titles here. And now Ryan Fox has added his name to that extraordinary roll call. What makes Royal Birkdale so special — and so compelling for visiting golfers — is that you can play it. Not in a fantasy, not just on television, but in real life, with the same sea breezes, the same towering dunes, the same legendary par-70 layout that was shaped by Frederick Hawtree and five-time Open champion J.H. Taylor, and only recently refreshed with significant renovations ahead of the 2026 championship. At 7,156 yards, rating 76.5 with a slope of 151, it will test every part of your game — and reward you with an experience you will never forget. But a trip to England's Golf Coast need not stop at Birkdale. Within a short drive, you have two more Open Championship venues of the highest distinction: Royal Liverpool (Hoylake) is one of the most revered names in links golf, a 13-time Open venue where Rory McIlroy once ran away with the field and where Tiger Woods won with a driver barely in his bag. It is demanding, classic, and utterly magnificent. Royal Lytham & St Annes is the only course on the current Open rota that doesn't sit directly beside the sea — yet it plays every bit as much a links, shaped by wind, sandy subsoil, and 174 precisely crafted bunkers. Bobby Jones is immortalized here. Seve Ballesteros made his legend here. A plaque on the 17th hole marks the spot. The clubhouse is a throwback to another era, and the snooker room alone is worth the trip. All three courses welcome visiting golfers, and the fact that they sit within a short journey of one another makes England's northwest coast one of the finest multi-course golf itineraries in the world. Add in Hillside — arguably Royal Birkdale's equal in everything but the championship roll of honour — and Formby Golf Club nearby, and you have the making of a week-long links pilgrimage that few golfers ever forget. Beyond the northwest, England's Open rota extends further afield. Royal St George's in Sandwich, Kent — a two-hour drive east of London — has hosted 15 Opens of its own, with a rolling, rumpled, deeply idiosyncratic links that challenges and charms in equal measure. It is accessible to visitors, as is Royal Cinque Ports nearby, whose history stretches back to 1909. Whether you base yourself in the northwest and play three Royals in a week, or combine a southeast links swing with a few days in London, England's championship links represent something that cannot be replicated anywhere else: the original game, played on the ground where it shaped the world. Golf & can build your England links itinerary — contact us to start planning. New Zealand: The Undiscovered Major's Homeland Ryan Fox grew up in New Zealand. He carried the spirit of Aotearoa to the 18th green at Royal Birkdale and holed the putt of his life. And the moment the Claret Jug was in his hands, a question started forming in the minds of golfers who were paying attention: What must the golf be like in his country? The honest answer: extraordinary. And wildly underrated. New Zealand is one of the most remarkable golf destinations on earth — and one of the least crowded. The country has produced world-class courses at a rate that has astonished even the most traveled golf writers over the past two decades, yet it still flies well under the radar compared to Scotland, Ireland, or Australia. That is beginning to change, and those who get there now will know they arrived ahead of the crowd. Here is what waits for you: Tara Iti, north of Auckland, has been described as Tom Doak's finest work — a dunes links of pure genius set against a pristine coastline, consistently ranked among the top five courses in the world. Access is limited and exclusive, which only adds to its mystique. Cape Kidnappers, in Hawke's Bay on the North Island, is one of the most dramatic golf settings on the planet: Doak's design perched atop rolling farmland on the edge of a cliff, its fairways dropping 100 feet to the Pacific far below. It is breath-stopping, literally and figuratively. Kauri Cliffs — under the same ownership as Cape Kidnappers — commands sweeping views over the Bay of Islands from the northernmost tip of the North Island. Fifteen of its eighteen holes offer ocean views. It is the kind of course that makes you stop mid-round and just look. Te Arai Links has added two extraordinary courses to the world stage in recent years — one by Tom Doak and one by the legendary duo of Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw — transforming the North Island into what serious golf travelers are now calling the most exciting new destination in the world. The Kinloch Club near Lake Taupo is New Zealand's only Jack Nicklaus signature course, rambling across undulating terrain with stunning views of the lake and the volcanic plateau beyond. Nearby, Wairakei Golf + Sanctuary plays across 450 acres of bubbling geothermal terrain — steam spouts among the hazards — in one of the most otherworldly settings golf has to offer. Paraparaumu Beach Golf Club, south of Wellington, is revered by purists: a traditional links, modeling holes after the best of the British Isles, with lightning-fast greens and a timeless character that serious golfers travel long distances to experience. Down in the South Island, Millbrook near Queenstown has been voted the best golf resort in Australasia, set against the jagged Remarkables mountain range and the shimmering Lake Wakatipu. Jack's Point, also in Queenstown, is one of the most scenically arresting courses in a country that doesn't seem capable of building an unattractive one. The journey from the wetlands and rocky hillsides to the lakeshore and native bush — all within twenty minutes of town — is simply stunning. And it is not only the golf. New Zealand is one of the most beautiful, serene, and welcoming countries on earth. For golfers traveling with partners or family who don't play, it offers some of the most spectacular non-golf experiences anywhere: fjords and glaciers, Maori culture, world-class wineries, fly-fishing in pristine rivers, whale watching, and a sense of space and quiet that is increasingly rare in the world. From the geothermal wonderland of Rotorua to the majesty of Fiordland, the country rewards those who simply slow down and look around. New Zealand is peaceful. It is unhurried. It is real. And in the wake of Ryan Fox's stunning Open Championship victory, it deserves to be on every serious golf traveler's list. Golf & has the relationships and expertise to build a New Zealand golf itinerary unlike anything you've seen. Whether you're planning a dedicated golf trip or a broader adventure with the family, we'd love to help you discover what this remarkable country has to offer. Contact us today. Two Great Journeys. One Great Company. Ryan Fox's walk-off birdie at Royal Birkdale reminded the world of something golf travelers already know: the game's greatest moments happen in its greatest places. England's championship links are steeped in history that no other country can match. New Zealand's courses offer some of the most breathtaking scenery and purest golf experiences on the planet. At Golf &, we've been building exceptional golf journeys for over 25 years — with the expertise, the connections, and the personal attention that ensures your trip is everything you imagined and more. Whether England's links call to you, or New Zealand's landscapes have caught your eye, we are ready to help you plan it. Let's talk. Contact Golf & Today