• We'd like to take this opportunity to wish you a Happy Holidays and a very Merry Christmas from all at Golf Monthly. Thank you for sharing your 2025 with us!

Presenting the Claret Jug?

Four days of live uninterrupted viewing across different types of media. TV, radio, online, red button and app. On course social media and up to the minute videos and score updates. The R&A put in some good work, even making the important decision to use a two tee start for the Saturday. Without it I don't think Rory would have won and we wouldn't have got our deserved champion.

These old guys deserve their five minutes in the sun.
 
I don't care if they fill the Claret Jug with Haribo (other sweets are available) and fire it out of a cannon. As long as we never, EVER, stoop to the dark, visceral depths of depravity and shame that is the Butler cabin approach. Fifteen minutes of sycophantic, uncomfortable, televisual soul destruction that undoubtedly turns poor Mr Logie Baird in his grave.
 
In all honesty, most 'ceremonies' are pretty boring. As it has been said earlier, it's a chance for the organisers to have their 5 minutes in the spotlight, and talk about what they want to talk about.

Saying that, when I was at the BMW Wentworth earlier in the year when Rory won, Kirsty Gallacher presented the ceremony. Not on the same level as the open I admit, but having a current, modern presenter (not to mention that she is easy on the eye too) made it a little more interesting.
 
I dunno, I'm getting to that funny age where blazers are starting to attract me, and would like button advice.

Silver or brass coloured, the age old conundrum.:confused:

Brass every time. Classy

With regards to the original question. Keep the thank you's and the blazers for the dinner in the evening out of sight. Out on the course get a professional presenter, a slick former pro or a Claire Balding figure to MC the moment in front of a back drop of The Open logo or the clubhouse/18th where the paying punters in the grandstand can still see. Hand them the trophy, quick interview and away you go. Image does matter and anything that can help improve golfs is a good thing.
 
The only difference I can see with trophy presentations in golf and other sports is that in golf the 'blazer' often gets to talk regardless of how skilled a public speaker they may be

They (blazers) are still there dishing out trophy's in front of the cameras in Formula 1, football, tennis etc, its just that the speaking role is given to someone judged to be able to do a credible job at it

So keep the traditionalists happy by having the blazers on camera and actually handing over the silverware & keep the modernists happy by having a 'proper' presenter who can do the speaking parts



But if there's a crowd of blazers and some are there just to be seen and actually have no function in the presentation, that's when I look at the screen and ask why!
 
The only difference I can see with trophy presentations in golf and other sports is that in golf the 'blazer' often gets to talk regardless of how skilled a public speaker they may be

They (blazers) are still there dishing out trophy's in front of the cameras in Formula 1, football, tennis etc, its just that the speaking role is given to someone judged to be able to do a credible job at it

So keep the traditionalists happy by having the blazers on camera and actually handing over the silverware & keep the modernists happy by having a 'proper' presenter who can do the speaking parts



But if there's a crowd of blazers and some are there just to be seen and actually have no function in the presentation, that's when I look at the screen and ask why!

F1s podium interviews have been a really good idea. the suits dish out the awards then run off before getting soaked
 
Just whack a pair of Eccos and a "Loft Up" cap on Peter Dawson, Job Done!

I also wouldn't mind seeing Ivor Robson Being replaced by Russell Brand.
 
I don't care if they fill the Claret Jug with Haribo (other sweets are available) and fire it out of a cannon. As long as we never, EVER, stoop to the dark, visceral depths of depravity and shame that is the Butler cabin approach. Fifteen minutes of sycophantic, uncomfortable, televisual soul destruction that undoubtedly turns poor Mr Logie Baird in his grave.

I really quite like the idea of filling the trophy with Haribo and firing it out of a cannon :)

Part of the problem now is that The Open has to be all things to all people. It is pretty much the only coverage of golf you will see on terrestrial TV and with so little mention of golf in the news, in papers etc then it may be the only golf that some people see all year. On that basis it has to spark an interest in some people to get more people playing the game. Whilst there is nothing per se wrong with the unknown blazer bumbling through a speech, it does to some extent reinforce stereotypical images that some may already have and certainly does nothing to detract from those images. A slightly, and I do mean slightly, more modern and professional approach may be a better way to go.
 
Hacker Khan is quite correct. I posted about this at the time this year, and was quickly slapped down on here. The presentation at the open is a huge anticlimax and the presentation party just reinforces the negative image of golf and is in marked contrast to the excitement of the actual final day's play.

My favourite part of the Open is the "quick grab the side table out of the hallway and run it out to the 18th green!" you can practically smell the Pledge
 
Considering I come from the "anti dress code - modernise our clubs" side of the fence I honestly don't have an issue with stuff like this. it's just tradition after all. Yes, I'd cut down the top table to just a few key people then introduce them, announce the results, winners speech and job done. Just like every other golf club. I grew up watching Wimbledon do what they do and never thought that was stuffy or elitist at all despite royalty being involved!! Nowadays I look at Sue Barker, Hazel Irving etc donning a mic and the tedious F1 podium "interviews" and I really don't think they are any better.
 
Brass every time. Classy

With regards to the original question. Keep the thank you's and the blazers for the dinner in the evening out of sight. Out on the course get a professional presenter, a slick former pro or a Claire Balding figure to MC the moment in front of a back drop of The Open logo or the clubhouse/18th where the paying punters in the grandstand can still see. Hand them the trophy, quick interview and away you go. Image does matter and anything that can help improve golfs is a good thing.

The only difference I can see with trophy presentations in golf and other sports is that in golf the 'blazer' often gets to talk regardless of how skilled a public speaker they may be

They (blazers) are still there dishing out trophy's in front of the cameras in Formula 1, football, tennis etc, its just that the speaking role is given to someone judged to be able to do a credible job at it

So keep the traditionalists happy by having the blazers on camera and actually handing over the silverware & keep the modernists happy by having a 'proper' presenter who can do the speaking parts



But if there's a crowd of blazers and some are there just to be seen and actually have no function in the presentation, that's when I look at the screen and ask why!

Pretty much these two above would make it a lot better for me!!

And if you really want to follow F1, I'm sure a number of the golfers wouldn't complain about podium girls....
 
Top