Summary:  On July 16^th, the 2015 British Open begins as professional golfers compete, but you may not be able to watch it, depending you your location.

Some countries block access to online streaming sites, and others simply don’t have access to the networks broadcasting the event.

You can trick servers into giving you access though, just by using a VPN.

By blocking your IP address and routing your connection through a secure server, a VPN will allow you to watch the tournament from anywhere in the world.

For the fastest connection and the most professional service to watch the British Open, get ExpressVPN now.

————————–

Why Is My Access Limited?

As golfers eagerly await the start of the British Open at St. Andrews in just over a week, many may be frantically wondering how they’re going to watch it.

If you don’t have access to the networks that will be broadcasting the event, you can always stream it online, but what if their website won’t let you do that either?

If the company’s broadcasting agreements don’t allow them to broadcast in certain countries, their servers will use your IP address to block your access.

If you’re in a country that censors internet content, that’s done in much the same way. Don’t worry though, you can still watch the tournament, you just have to get a little bit creative.

What is a VPN?

VPNs are the easiest and most effective way to beat content restrictions.

Standing for virtual private network, this software allows users to circumvent content restrictions and protect their privacy.

This is a subscription service, a lot like antivirus software, only a VPN protects your connection rather than your device.

To put it simply your connection is routed through an encrypted tunnel in the internet, which keeps your personal information safe and your connection private.

You’re then patched through to one of the VPN’s secure servers, in a location of your choosing.

The VPN blocks your IP address and assigns you a new one, giving you access to whatever content is available to users in that country, as opposed to your own.

Top 3 VPNs for Watching the British Open Golf Tournament

There are a lot of options out there for VPNs, and honestly, it can be difficult to know which ones are going to be any good.

Here I’ve broken down the top three ones you’ll find on the web, and how they’ll do for streaming the tournament.

#1 Choice:  Express VPN – 9/10 – Fastest connection, best for streaming

ExpressVPN is definitely the most finely tuned and professional VPN service on the web.

Their customer support is outstanding, and their list of features makes them an amazing value. For about $13 per month, you get:

• 24/7 support
• two simultaneous connections
• unlimited bandwidth
• total privacy (no data logging)

Their customer support is what’s really amazing. A lot of VPNs tend to leave their customers in the dark, but with ExpressVPN’s live chat you can help instantly if you get a little lost using their VPN.

Even their e-mail responses are prompt, with most inquiries getting a reply in less than 20 minutes.

If you have a home and mobile device you’d like to secure with a VPN, their dual simultaneous connection policy allows you to do that without paying extra.

Plus, their software is compatible with all operating systems, so you can stream the British Open with them on any device.

Their referral program and 30 day money back guarantee is just icing on the cake – ExpressVPN is the most comprehensive, all-inclusive VPN on the web.

For the most reliable connection to watch the British Open, get ExpressVPN now.

#2:  IPVanish – 7/10 – Fast, but major compatibility limitations

If you’re not able to connect to an ExpressVPN server and would like another option, IPVanish is a good place to start.

IPVanish, like ExpressVPN, allows their users to have two simultaneous connections per account for no additional charge.

Additionally, their plans come with unlimited bandwidth, so you never have to worry about hitting a monthly cap.

However, there are some drawbacks. For starters, IPVanish’s money back guarantee is much shorter – only 7 days, so keep that in mind when you go to sign up.

There’s also no referral program, so there’s really no incentive to spread the word, and no freebies for recommending your friends to them.

The biggest catch with IPVanish though lies with their customer support and software.

For starters, their software is only compatible with Windows, Mac, Android, and Linux – iOS is completely unsupported. If you need a VPN for your iPhone or iPad, use ExpressVPN instead.

If you think you’ll need to rely pretty heavily on customer support, you should also keep in mind that IPVanish doesn’t have any live ways of getting in touch with them.

Also, it usually takes considerably longer to get a response on an e-mail inquiry.

IPVanish is great for streaming, but their limitations mean that their service isn’t one that’s for everyone.

IPVanish can be found through this website.

#3: HideMyAss – 4/10 – Slow, unreliable connection

Though HideMyAss is a popular VPN service, it’s not one that I can get behind recommending.

First of all, their connection is terribly slow. Streaming and downloading on this VPN is tedious and time consuming, so this wouldn’t be a good one to use to stream the British Open.

What’s really alarming is how unreliable their connection is. In the past when I’ve used this VPN, I’ve had some major issues with their servers suddenly dropping my connection.

It’s not uncommon, and it’s not good. This poses a serious risk to your information, as your data is left wide open and exposed when the VPN fails.

On the surface, HideMyAss seems like they would have really great customer support. They’re 24/7 like ExpressVPN, and even have phone lines open in addition to live chat and e-mail ticketing.

However, I’ve almost always been on hold with their phone support, and it usually takes at least 12 hours to hear back on an e-mail inquiry.

While their plans come with unlimited bandwidth and a 30 day money back guarantee, the refund is the only part of this service I would really pay any mind to – you may wind up needing it.

You can try HideMyAss, but you’ll probably just be wasting your time. I’d use ExpressVPN instead.

HideMyAss is here.

Conclusion:  Use Express VPN for Fast, Unlimited Access

As the British Open draws near, broadcasting companies around the globe are preparing to air the event.

Unless you’re in a participating country, or in the crowd of spectators in Fife, you’re going to miss out.

With ExpressVPN, you can trick servers into thinking you’re somewhere you’re not, and access any content you want by using servers in countries with access to streaming on those networks.

Not only that, but you’ll get military grade encryption to protect your identity and personal information while you stream.

For the fastest connection on the planet to watch the British Open, there’s only one way to go – ExpressVPN.