Royal Liverpool to host 2014 Open

[KeefG]

what's the criteria to be considered as an Open course?
accessibility (is that why Celtic Manor isn't there?) and the ability to get big galleries in presumably - but what else.

It has to be a links course.

 

[MikeH]

Royal Liverpool didn't fare that great attendance wise

The 2006 Open at Hoylake had an attendance of 230,000 which is a record for England

The last St Andrews Open in 05 was 223,000

Turnberry last year was 123,000

Carnoustie in 07 was 154,000

The all time record was 239,000 at St Andrews in 2000

Not bad really in the great scheme of things!

 

[Dodger]

Mike if you are going to quote me please quote me on the whole not selectively.....I did say I think...I thought incorrect.

I think I am correct in saying it wasn't the most raved about course tho.

Will there ever be a 'newbie' thrown in? I would doubt it eh?

 

[freddielong]

Royal Liverpool didn't fare that great attendance wise

The 2006 Open at Hoylake had an attendance of 230,000 which is a record for England

The last St Andrews Open in 05 was 223,000

Turnberry last year was 123,000

Carnoustie in 07 was 154,000

The all time record was 239,000 at St Andrews in 2000

Not bad really in the great scheme of things!

That may just be down to the Tiger effect as Tiger won both of the high ones

 

[MikeH]

sorry Dodger, not trying to score points (aplogies if it came across that way) just was interesting to look at the numbers and how the venues stack up

I think Freddielong has a very pertinent point about Tiger - he does a real impact on attendance.

IMO the factors are...
location
weather
players in the field esp Tiger
novelty factor (ie how long since last Open)

Hoylake in 06 scored very highly on all four
Birkdale in 08 (200,000) might well have beaten Hoylake but for no Tiger and absyml weather

Based on the above criteria I think this year we could get a new all time high if...
The weather is good
Tiger plays
Seve plays in the past Champions 4 hole event

In terms of how good a golf course Hoylake is...
It got great reviews from the players in 2006 and has produced some great Champions (Jones, Thomson, Woods) but even as a member I'd be the first to say other Open courses are better in terms of layout, test and scenery or all three.

In our Top 100 rankings we only have Troon below it of all the courses on the rota, and I think all things considered that's about right.

 

[mono217]

I went in 2006 and am going then

 

[Imurg]

I'd be the first to say other Open courses are better in terms of layout, test and scenery or all three.

Not that The Open's played in winter but Hoylake is incredibly bleak on a cold windy day.

 

[stevek1969]

Is it true that Royal Ascot is a future Open venue is just that i've heard so much about it,is it that good

 

[birdieman]

I went in 2006 and am going then

You might be playing Mono!

 

[stevek1969]

Being serious now ,it doesn't matter which one of these great courses its held it on it still golf in its purest form not like across the pond whereas there courses are made by bulldozzer.
I think the nearest is Whistling Straits but they moved hundreds of thousand cubic meters of earth to build it ,yes its spectacular to look at but its not a links same as Pebble Beach great course but not a true links.

 

[Screwback]

Being serious now ,it doesn't matter which one of these great courses its held it on it still golf in its purest form not like across the pond whereas there courses are made by bulldozzer.
I think the nearest is Whistling Straits but they moved hundreds of thousand cubic meters of earth to build it ,yes its spectacular to look at but its not a links same as Pebble Beach great course but not a true links.

I agree with steve, it is golf in its purest form and can not be matched by golf accross the pond. I think a lot of the grip it and rip it golfers will not enjoy the open courses as much as the true ball strikers that will relish the challenge ALL the courses bring in their own way.

 

[TonyN]

I heard this on the way to golf this morning, THought you might be pleased with the result Mike.

Would love to say am going, but will probably be working it and I wont be inside it either!

 

[Imurg]

I thought Chief Inspectors had a bit of sway with the Top Brass...


You will be a Chief Inspector by then - won't you?

 

[thecraw]

Birdieman

Agreed Turnberry is a great track but it's quite hard to get to (even if you live in Scotland and even with the recent road improvements which were the main reason it didn’t feature for 15 years) that attendance numbers are always among the lowest on the rota.

In turn that obviously means the revenue the R&A get from the event which they then use to then distribute into the game is significantly reduced. Not an ideal scenario to have occurring on a 5-year cycle.

There's also the issue of whether a commercial business such as Turnberry would want the disruption and loss of revenue associated with an Open every 5 years

Ref Portrush - I don’t think there's any political agenda but more the fact that logistically it's even less suited to hosting a modern Open than Turnberry. The nearest international airport is over and hour away on a clear run) and nearby roads aren’t exactly traffic friendly). It’s an ideal venue for senior Open's and a Walker Cup perhaps but not an Open.

Personally I can't see the rota being added to in the foreseeable future. I'm also not sure that St Andrews should continue to host the Open every 5 years, as the course is probably the weakest test on the rota. Controversial view I know!

I couldn't agree more Mike. Infact to add to your controversial view I would say that Royal Aberdeen would add more of a challenge to the modern professionals than St Andrews does.

I firmly believe that despite St Andrews being the home of golf it has had its time on the Open rota.

Maybe a certain Mr Trump will make the R&A sit up and take notice of a new development that can be added to the Open rota!!!

 

[SammmeBee]

Unforunately the days of the course being of the highest importance has gone, even for the R&A and The Open.

All the R&A are interested in is money - if they could have it in London every year they would but they can't, so they just take is back to where the cash is as much as they can. Back to Sandwich in 2011 to milk the cow some more....

Hoylake is a great venue though - good course, easy in, easy out, train station....

Craw - there more chance of me playing in The Open than it being held in Aberdeen....

 

[ant2611]

graet news , il be there on the sunday ! anyone know when they start selling the tickets??

 

[centuryg5]

Our club marshalled the 1st hole at Hoylake 2006,and fingers crossed,hope to get an invite again,also the Ricoh Ladies Open is at Hoylake in 2012, more good news.