The 137th Open Championship begins on July 17th and will run through until July 20nd.

The 2008 British Open will be held on Royal Birkdale, half mile south of Southport town center on the A565 - Waterloo Road between Southport and Ainsdale. It will be the ninth Championship to be played over the Lancashire course where Peter Thomson won the first and last of his five Open titles and where Arnold Palmer's victory in 1961 marked the virtual re-birth of golf's oldest championship.

Nearly 400 years after golf first appeared on Scotland's Tayside coast, legendary Carnoustie, site of some of the game's most memorable performances, is set to play host to its seventh Open Championship.

The British Open is the world's oldest golf championship, dating back to 1860 at Prestwick, when eight players challenged for the title over three rounds of the 12-hole course. When the Championship began, the winner was presented with the Challenge Belt, now the Claret Jug or the proper name, The Golf Champion Trophy, is presented to each year's winner of The Open Championship.

British Open trophy called the "Claret Jug

When the Championship began, the winner was presented with the Challenge Belt, now the Claret Jug or the proper name, The Golf Champion Trophy, is presented to each year's winner of The Open Championship.

The trophy awarded to the winner of The Open Championship is officially known as the Championship Cup, but it is much more commonly called the "Claret Jug" because, well, it's a Claret Jug.

Claret is a dry red wine produced in the famous French winemaking region of Bordeaux. The British Open trophy was made in the style of silver jugs used to serve claret at 19th Century gatherings.

But the winner of The Open Championship hasn't always received the Claret Jug as the trophy. The first handful of winners were awarded a belt. That's right, a belt. Or "Challenge Belt," as it was designated at the time.

The first Open Championship was played in 1860 at Prestwick (now called Royal Prestwick, it's in Troon, Scotland, just down the road from Royal Troon), and that year also marked the first awarding of the belt.

The belt was made of a wide, red Morocco leather and was adorned with silver buckles and emblems.

1873 winner - Tom Kidd - was the first to be awarded the Claret Jug.

That original Claret Jug from 1873 has permanently resided at the R&A since 1927. The trophy that is presented to the British Open winner each year is a copy of the original, which the winner gets to keep for a year before returning it to the R&A to be passed on to the next champion.

Bet now on 2008 British Open. Below you can check the 2008 British Open odd, see 2008 British Open tips and find great Britsh Open Golf Bonuses and golf sports betting articles relating to 2006 British Open betting.

2007 British Open Winner - Padraig Harrington

Click Here for British Open Results

Golf Betting Online. If you are looking to bet on golf, then you will find what you are looking for at Island Casino. We offer you the most up-to-date golf betting lines. Island Casino and Sportsbook offers all types of online golf gamblinging and betting to its customers. Betting on golf has never been easier, whether you want to bet a matchup or weekend bet. Bet on golf futures and golf proposition bets too.