2017 Open Championship

[*TQ*]

I purposely wanted to watch Saturday/Sunday on the telly so went up Friday and found it to be fairly easy to see what I wanted to see.

Got a good spot next to the second green to see DJ, Rory, Schwartzel, Rahm, Reed, Westy, Phil, Rafa, Bubba etc... then saw Phil's nighmare on the third before heading over to the eighth and seeing them all come through again (including Phil and Bubba playing their third from the crowd).

Bit of a break at the drving range, had some lunch and headed over to the 11th/12th for a bit, saw Poulter through there then back to the eighth to see Darren Clarke, Padraig, Speith, Stenson et al and Fleetwood, Koepka and Matsuyama (who made the second birdie of the day) before leaving the course just after five for the three hour drive back.

Absolutely awesome day just wish I'd done Thursday and Friday.

 

[JustOne]

I was there yesterday, and we ended up coming home early, getting home just in time to see Spieth walking around the tour trucks. It was absolutely heaving, more or less impossible to follow anyone even from very early on and the queues for grandstands were insane. I was also at Troon last year and the difference was night and day.

The R&A will no doubt celebrate it as a great success but for £135 for us to park and get in it would be nice to be in with a chance of actually seeing some golf!

I was there with the Missus and had the best seat in the house, 40ft from the pin and in the 2nd row (so the railings didn't spoil the view).....

Some idiot was first on his feet as the putt dropped.....

:whoo:

 

[Lord Tyrion]

Did you shout "in the hole" :whoo:

 

[Mastercracker]

No he shouted mashed potato. Heard it clear as day on the surround sound in my living room

 

[JustOne]

Did you shout "in the hole" :whoo:

I sooooo wanted to!!!

 

[Lord Tyrion]

No he shouted mashed potato. Heard it clear as day on the surround sound in my living room

:clap:

I'm really bored of that one now but the other random shouts are occasionally quite funny. Very surreal.

 

[Mastercracker]

Aye, mash potato was amusing the first couple of times. Now its about as funny as GARLIC BREAD?!

 

[Imurg]

I was there with the Missus and had the best seat in the house, 40ft from the pin and in the 2nd row (so the railings didn't spoil the view).....

Some idiot was first on his feet as the putt dropped.....

:whoo:

Virtually every picture I've seen of you and every time we've met you've been wearing that same shirt...about time you bought another one!😂

 

[IanM]

Interesting comments about viewing....

I am always a "sit down somewhere good and watch everyone come though" sort of spectator at big events as not being very tall, you can't get to see much marching round. Weird how Troon and Birkdale so different.

Going to the Senior Open down our way this week. I bet some games will be easier to follow than others!

 

[williamalex1]

I was there yesterday, and we ended up coming home early, getting home just in time to see Spieth walking around the tour trucks. It was absolutely heaving, more or less impossible to follow anyone even from very early on and the queues for grandstands were insane. I was also at Troon last year and the difference was night and day.

The R&A will no doubt celebrate it as a great success but for £135 for us to park and get in it would be nice to be in with a chance of actually seeing some golf!

3 of us were there in 1983, couldn't find a decent viewing spot out on the course. So we spent the day watching it on the telly in the beer /brandy tent.:cheers:

 

[richart]

Spieth was incredibly calm when he was sorting out his drop. He knew the rule, and seemed to be telling the officials where he could drop. I imagine if it had been Seve, he would have tried to get a free drop back on the fairway.

Only bit I didn't like was when he holed his eagle putt, and then shouted at his caddie to get the ball out of the hole. Would have been nice to see him do it, so he could acknowledge the crowd around the green. I think someone must have mentioned it to him, as he seemed to apologise after the round.

Class act though, and i am sure he will win many more majors assuming he doesn't lose his short game.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

I suspect his brain was mush and he was pumped. He is allowed a little moment I think in the circumstances.

 

[richart]

I suspect his brain was mush and he was pumped. He is allowed a little moment I think in the circumstances.

He said afterwards he wished he had celebrated the putt more at the time.

 

[mcbroon]

Spieth was incredibly calm when he was sorting out his drop. He knew the rule, and seemed to be telling the officials where he could drop. I imagine if it had been Seve, he would have tried to get a free drop back on the fairway.

Only bit I didn't like was when he holed his eagle putt, and then shouted at his caddie to get the ball out of the hole. Would have been nice to see him do it, so he could acknowledge the crowd around the green. I think someone must have mentioned it to him, as he seemed to apologise after the round.

Class act though, and i am sure he will win many more majors assuming he doesn't lose his short game.

I actually thought his reaction added to the theatre. He know how important it was, he was so obviously pumped and it was such an incredible putt, especially on the back of what he did at 14.

I thought it was great.

 

[Albanach]

Regarding sky's coverage where was Mark Roe during the commentary? Where's Rob Lee gone? What happened to Howard Clark?

 

[richart]

I actually thought his reaction added to the theatre. He know how important it was, he was so obviously pumped and it was such an incredible putt, especially on the back of what he did at 14.

I thought it was great.

I saw the same reaction when you holed a bogie putt.:ears:

 

[richart]

Regarding sky's coverage where was Mark Roe during the commentary? Where's Rob Lee gone? What happened to Howard Clark?

Culled.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Culled.

Deep cellar under lock and key never to see the light of day during any golf tournament again

 

[Marshy77]

We went Saturday and Sunday and absolutely loved it - both days.

Saturday - never been before so tried to suss it out and see if we should follow a group, sit on a hole or do a mix. Decided to sit on the 4th for a while before moving halfway down the 3rd and watched the final 10 or so groups. Saw some decent 2nd's into the green but the pick was Spieth's and Kuchar's. Both sounded completely different to all the others and great shots. Noticed how much bigger the guys are up front, Matsuyama looks solid, Poulter taller than you think but like someone else said Bubba looks thin/ill. His swing close up too didn't look as wild. Had a walk and decided to sit in the 14th grandstand hoping for some decent action but found it to be a pretty safe hole with no real drama. Apart from 14th and the final groups on 18 we didn't see much of the back 9. Great day, fantastic weather but was shattered. Train back to Liverpool was heaving, few pints, food and in bed before 1!!!

Sunday - Breakfast and got to the course about 10.30. Felt so much busier than the previous day and decided to walk the back 9 watching various groups. Got some fantastic pictures of the 18th and found a spot on the 17th to the left of the green and decided that would be the spot later if we could get it to watch the afternoons play.

Walked the back 9, sat on the 10th and watched the groups before Beef and then walked to 14 watching him and Casey. I know there's been a twitter poll about him, which is extremely harsh on him and you can see how much it means to him to be playing at this level and is as disappointed as the next guy when he misses a putt etc. The following he had was unbelievable to watch, like a football crowd following their team, only really saw Sergio having a following like that during the day from the crowds we saw. Casey was great as all the focus was on Beef and they seemed to share a great round, Casey hit a great shot in but is was Beef that got all the crowd reaction, the only problem at times was the crowd being a bit OTT at the wrong time and Beef tried to quiet them down which was good to see.

Went to try get a similar spot on 17 around about 3.30 and managed to get a great view similar to the morning and sat and watched the rest of days play. Saw some great shots in - Rory, Dufner's bunker shot, Spieth and Kuchar's shots in but Ramsay's bunker shot was the pick of the bunch - the noise when that went in was fantastic, such a great shot. Tried to get near the 18th but it was near impossible so just watched it on the big screen instead. All in all it was another amazing day, glorious sunshine and just an fantastic experience.

Seen mentions on Twitter etc about the price of things. Yes the shop was expensive, food was a bit more than the average burger/fish and chips etc at £8-10 but if you knew that and didn't want to pay that take a pack up in, pints were £5 which is a touch more than normal but all in all I can't fault it. The staff were fantastic, so much nicer and friendly than other big events I've been to, no problems with trains - it was all very easy which for the size of the crowds was incredible. It's definitely the best sports event I've ever been to and will be looking at going again.

Can't really thing of any negatives about the event apart from certain groups who'd drank far too much and where making complete idiots of themselves but there easily avoided.

Think the key is to buy your ticket early, book a cheap hotel months in advance and make the most of the event and decide if you're going to follow a group, mix it up or sit on a hole.

 

[Albanach]

Deep cellar under lock and key never to see the light of day during any golf tournament again

I always though Howard Clark was good. Rob Lee is way better than sarah stirk, Roe should be doing trilby tour, he can single handedly ruin any broadcast.
Darren Clark is awful as well...