Its not the British Open!! Setanta response ........

[HTL]

I was bored with the laptop on my lap the other day when an advert for the "British Open" came on, I fancied a grumble so I e-mailed Setanta and asked why they call it the "British Open" when it is called The Open, this is the response. What you reckon?


Dear Hywel Lloyd

Thank you for your e-mail.

I am very glad to hear that you are enjoying our golf coverage. With regards to your enquiry, The British Open is called this because it covers the British Tournament. "The Open" can include the US Open and the British Open. I hope this answers your enquiry.

Yours sincerely

Grace McDonald
Customer Services
P Please think of the environment before you print this email

 

[Imurg]

Bunch of peasents..........................

By their reckoning anything with Open in the title can be called "The Open"

 

[OldWindy]

Just goes to show that it's questionable as to who should cover the sport - or - they just don't care.

 

[Deleted member 1147]

I don't have Santana on my TV and I'm quite glad if that's the level of their knowledge.

Surely everyone knows it's THE Open, and, the US Open!!

 

[viscount17]

to be pedantic, which I can be, it is properly The Open Championship, which cannot be confused with any other Open.

I have noticed that in his commentary Nick Faldo always uses the correct title and, of late, his female 'partner' has also used it on occasion.

htl, what link did you use to contact Setanta. I fancy having a go and if it's ok with you quoting their reply to you, They need reminding that their market is UK and Ireland and we're quite capable of understanding the difference between events.

 

[HTL]

http://www.setanta.com/en/UK/Contact-Us/

Here we go mate, Please have a go, I am sure we are not the only one thinking they are a bunch of numpties for calling it the British Open.

If I was Nick Faldo I would have to correct them.

 

[viscount17]

Sent today,

Dear sir/madam

I wish to draw to your attention my extreme irritation at your inability to call the The Open Championship by its proper name. It is not The British Open, never has been and hopefully, never will be.

The Open Championship cannot be confused with the US Open, European Open or any other Open if it is given its correct title, which, as you will see from the response to my fellow member of the GM forum users Golf Society, you continue to fail to do.

I am happy to note that Nick Faldo in his commentaries always uses the correct title and that this is rubbing off on his fellow, American, commentators at times.

As I understand it, your principal market area is the UK and Ireland. <u>We</u> are quite capable of understanding the difference between the tournaments.

Steve Clifford

 

[HTL]

I take my hat off Viscount17, that is great letter! I cant wait for their response.

Come on GM Forum get behind this!! Do you reckon GM would have anything to do with it?

 

[OldWindy]

Good letter! Copy in The Times?!

 

[big_russ]

Not trying to defend Setanta but i would bet anything on the person replying to HTL's letter is one of this fine country's well educated media graduates and has not got a clue about anything golf related.

 

[RGuk]

.....it is properly The Open Championship, which cannot be confused with any other Open.

Yes.....indeed.....but in fairness to Setanta (Sultana?) a lot of their subscribers (not golf aficionados) are going to be confused by the subtle differences between any "open championship(s)".

For my money....and you're all correct of course....if there is plan to educate the nation and dumb-ass broadcasters we should agree on
"The Open Championship" and "The U.S. Open" as the only sensible working titles.....??

 

[Nico]

Stop being so reasonable!!

The Bog Arabs who own Sultana should be told what is what.

Top letter Viscount will be benefiting them with a dose of Nico wit and wisdom soon also (will be an extremely short letter).

 

[HomerJSimpson]

As much as I find it irritating when the Open Championship is called by incorrect names we still know what people are talking about. There are more important things in the world at the moment than some presenter/broadcaster getting a name correct. I'm sure if you listen to the idiot commentators next week (that means you Cotta) they will call it by the wrong name too.

 

[big_russ]

Had a drive out to Southport this morning and passed many AA signs giving directions for next week and guess what, there were only to words on the signs "THE OPEN".
Enough said i think.

 

[EchtLoon]

Had a drive out to Southport this morning and passed many AA signs giving directions for next week and guess what, there were only to words on the signs "THE OPEN".
Enough said i think.

'only to' Yes, enough said indeed

 

[shanker]

Sorry guys but...
I've played lots of golf with Americans and they refer to it as the ''British''. Here in Spain it is ''El Open Britanico''. Who on earth cares whether it's called ''The Open'' or ''The British Open''? IMHO, this kind of mentality does NOT help to improve the perception that foreigners have of us.
The Swiss have their ''Swiss Open''. The Dutch have their ''Dutch Open'' etc.
Why do we insist that ours is THE Open. The Open/British Open is one of 2 or 3 titles that great golfers dream of winning. Isn't that enough?

 

[EchtLoon]

Sorry guys but...
I've played lots of golf with Americans and they refer to it as the ''British''. Here in Spain it is ''El Open Britanico''. Who on earth cares whether it's called ''The Open'' or ''The British Open''? IMHO, this kind of mentality does NOT help to improve the perception that foreigners have of us.
The Swiss have their ''Swiss Open''. The Dutch have their ''Dutch Open'' etc.
Why do we insist that ours is THE Open. The Open/British Open is one of 2 or 3 titles that great golfers dream of winning. Isn't that enough?

......and the Masters is THE Masters, not the US Masters, but the Briritsh Masters is called the British Masters. Oh wait, that isn't your point is it?

 

[shanker]

No, Echtloon. That wasn't my point. My point was that in some nations where they produce top golfers our ''Open'' is referred to as the ''British Open'', whether we like it or not.

 

[Nico]

The point is that it is THE Open. There is an English,Scots,US etc.etc. there is not a British Open.

It was the first and its name is therefore The Open.

It is irrelevant what fans in other countries call it,they can call it the fried egg open if they like,however broadcasters have a duty to give it the correct name.

Ever tried to call The Masters, "The US Masters" to an American? They go spastic,even when you say "but there is a British Masters".

 

[EchtLoon]

No, Echtloon. That wasn't my point. My point was that in some nations where they produce top golfers our ''Open'' is referred to as the ''British Open'', whether we like it or not.

the point is, the THE Masters, the correct name for the tournament is THE Open, yes there are other 'Masters', that doesn't change the fact the there is only one The Masters.

Take cycling for instance, no-one calls the Tour of Britain "The Tour" or "THe Giro", it gets its title because "de France" and "d'Italia" are synonymous with the generic titles, and everyone knows if you refer to the Tour you mean the Freench cycling race.