It normally has the widest international representation of any individual amateur event, with 38 golf federations from all six continents represented in the 2018 championship.

[1] Before World War II it was regarded as one of golf's major championships, but given the modern dominance of the sport by professional golfers, this is no longer the case.

It was played on 20, 21 and 23 April and was "open to all amateur members of recognised golf clubs".

It was only in 1922 that the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews decided "to place on record the name of Mr. A. F. Macfie as the winner of the Amateur Championship of 1885".

A meeting was arranged in 1886 where it was decided to start an amateur championship, to be held alternately at St Andrews, Hoylake and Prestwick.

[11] Entry to the Championship is now given to the most-qualified 288 applicants from around the world, with perhaps half the places reserved for top players from the United Kingdom and Ireland.

Qualifying rounds for all players were first introduced in 1983, when the popularity of the championship led to the number of applicants increasing to unmanageable levels.

For example, the 2010 entry list included players from the British Isles (England, Wales, Scotland, Ireland, Northern Ireland), mainland Europe (France, Belgium, Netherlands, Germany, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Denmark, Slovenia, Switzerland, Austria, Iceland), North America (USA, Canada, Mexico), South America (Argentina, Bolivia, Peru), Asia (China, India, South Korea, Japan, Singapore), Australasia (Australia, New Zealand) and Africa (South Africa).

[12] The first stage of the Championship involves 288 players, each of whom plays two rounds of 18 holes, one on each of two courses, over the first two days.

The most famous American winner of the competition was Bobby Jones, whose 1930 victory was part of his Grand Slam.

If two or more players are tied, the seeding is decided on countback using the combined scores on the last 9 holes of both qualifying rounds.