Watching golf live, as in being th

[D4RK1]

Howdy folks. Just wondered how many of you have ever been to watch the golf? I'm fairly new to the game, I've always watched it when it's been on the tv and have taken it up seriously over the last 3 years. However I've never been to watch the pros out on the course. I wouldn't even know where to start, to get tickets? If that's what you do?

Every other sport I've been into, football, mountain bikes, cars etc I've been to watch the best in the world in action. Golf however I'm yet to see. I imagine its something that needs to be seen in person to fully appreciate. Similar to the F1. The sounds, speeds and smell are something that the tv just cannot get across. I imagine the drives and shot making abilities of the pros would leave me in awe.

So how many have been to watch the golf, and where did you go? How did you go about getting tickets and what are the rough costs?

Mark

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I go to the BMW PGA at Wentworth but usually go the practice day on the Wednesday for the pro am or even the Tuesday. If you go, get to the range and watch how the pros prepare and how they hit it. Watch them on the course and how they plan their round

 

[D4RK1]

So do you just turn up on the day and pay at the gate? I'd love to go to one of the golf clinic sessions I've seen on you tube etc. But how do people find out about these things? Forgive my ignorance

 

[Foxholer]

Closest to Walsall could well be next year's Open - at Royal Liverpool/Hoylake.

Worth checking out the R&A Site nearer the time.

Practice or Pro-Am days are pretty good for getting close. Actual tournament days are more crowded and much more controlled. I believe that TV gives better coverage of Golf than actually being there - unless you want to follow a particular group/competitor. And that's having 3 Opens and half a dozen PGAs.

 

[Pin-seeker]

I went to the open at Royal Lythm a couple of year back. £60 & worth every penny.

 

[stevek1969]

I normally go to the Dunhill its right on my door step and its free so a no brainer, went to the Womens British Open at St Andrews this year but never got any further than the Dunvagen Hotel

 

[Hobbit]

Been to the Open @ St Andrews 3 times, Lytham 3 times, Turnberry, Muirfield, Birkdale. Portuguese Master @ Vilamoura. Johnny Walker @ Gleneagles. Also been to Open Regional & Local qualifiers. Several regional PGA comps, and Europro Tour events. A couple of Ladies tour events.

British Opens are expensive, especially if you go to a couple of days. Its almost cheaper to hop on an Easyjet, and then pay 8 Euro's to get thro' the gate to a European tour event.

Forgot the Dunhill. free apart from the Sunday.

 

[guest100718]

you cant beat being there, the flight the pros get on the ball has to be seen.

 

[Garush34]

Been a few times now and it is great. Been too the dunhill for the last two years all four days. Although the open this year was the best. Great to see all the greats up close and to watch them play all the different types of shots is great. You get a better feel for the shot than on tv.

As has been said you do tend to miss a bit of the action but if there's a player or players you want to see then you get a lot seen that way. Just make sure you decide what your going to do at the start of the day. Either follow or sit in the stands. If you follow the bigger names you'll struggle to see at times as a lot of folk are following them. I watched tiger for about two holes at the open cos you couldn't see much and that was just the practice day. But it was worth it to see the world number 1.

As for tickets you can just turn up on the day but most of the tournaments you can buy online and say a bit of money. But if you make the most of the day by getting there early and stay to the end you get your money's worth even at £75 a day.

 

[Imurg]

You do get to see less than you would on the Box but nothing beats going to one of these events.
I've done several British Masters at FOA and The Belfry, a couple of English Opens at FOA as well.
They used to stage the B&H down the road at the Oxfordshire and they held a Ladies English Open there as well.
Been to a couple of PGA's at Wentworth too......and a Senior Masters at the Buckinghamshire.

Final day can be a pain at a big event in my opinion.
Especially towards the end of the rounds..everyone congregates around the 18th and unless you're 8 feet tall or in the front row you can't see a thing.
This year we did the PGA Pro-Am day, nice and cheap, plenty of Stars....a good day even if the weather was lousy.

 

[davidy233]

I've been to a few but only one (The Dunhill last month) recently - I'd forgotten how good it is to watch pro golf live.

Been to three opens as a paying spectator all on the Friday - love staying late and watching the last few guys trying to make the cut (seen some heartache and joy in those nearly dark holes) - St Andrews 1990, Birkdale 1991 and Turnberry, a couple of the old style Dunhill when it was a team competition.

Best two were the Open at St Andrews in 1995 and Scottish Open at Carnoustie in 1996 when I volunteered as a marshall - spent a whole week at both events living golf - walked down the 2nd and 17th fairways behind Daly in the play off - magical stuff - then a year later got sent out ball spotting for Woosie so watched pretty much every shot as he won - and got to marshall for Tiger in a practice round - his gallery for the first half dozen holes was me and another marshall, his dad inside the ropes and an old guy, a kid and dog outside the ropes - he was nice as could be to us (and the spectators he accumulated at the turn) in those days just before he turned pro - I'd recommend volunteering as a marshall at the Open to anyone, you didn't have to be a member at a local club to do it in those days - not sure if that's the case now.

With the Dunhill free and only six miles from me I'll certainly be making sure I go along every chance I get from now on - there's not really any big crowds and you can get a really good view of the players you follow.

 

[JustOne]

US open qualifying at Walton Heath - no cost, no ropes, just walk the course alongside whomever you want to watch.

 

[D4RK1]

Sounds like a few of you have had some great experiences. I'm looking forward to getting to one of next years events. Thanks for the replies.

 

[Pin-seeker]

Sounds like a few of you have had some great experiences. I'm looking forward to getting to one of next years events. Thanks for the replies.

Take some binoculars,I didn't but wish I ad.

 

[Scotty_Tom]

Ive been to a few of The Opens, the Irish Open when at Ballybunion in 2000 and the Ryder Cup when it was at the K Club. Like others have said, you don't quite get to see a lot of golf, but nothing can beat the atmosphere. When we won the RC it was amazing, 1000's of fans packed around the club house celebrating with the RC team, even some of the American players spent a little time out waving to the fans etc.

off to august next April, cant wait!