10 reasons the (British) Open is the best major.

[Anthony Gray]

   

  What makes The Open better?

  10- The Rota     Every year The Open returns to a place you have seen before. Public play is allowed. The true joy of
                         watching a tournament on a course you have played.
       

   9- Old Tom     The keeper of the green and the originater of the first Open. Every year gives us a chance to pay homage   
                        to a father of the game.



   8- Spectators   The UK fans seem so relaxed and appreciative. No "You're the Man!!" only a bacon roll and a pint.



   7- History   The oldest major played on Royal and Ancient land.



   6- Announcers   Goose bumps when Peter Alliss says "What a pity".



   5- Classic Holes   They even have names...."Hogan's Alley"..."The Postage Stamp"..."The Road Hole"


   4- Weather   More unpredictable than a beautiful weoman.



   3- International Champions   Scotland...South Africa...Argentina...United States...France...Ireland...Zimbabwe...Spain
                                           New Zealand...England...Australia



   2- St Andrews   The Home of Golf every five years.



   1- Links Golf   Gorse..Rub...Fast and Firm...Etc



   Anthony

             

[Emil Weber]

reason number 1 is the best! (links golf...)

[Jamie Barber]

+1. Where else can you see a 120 yd bump and run with a 4i (aka Norman last year)? The freedom to play it as you see it.

[Ash Towe]

A few other reasons-
Daily tickets are available at a reasonable price.
Great views can be had from the sandunes.
156 players in the field mean you can get up close at the beginning and end of the first two days.

[Melvyn Morrow]

The Open is the best, but for many reasons, some have been mentioned but here are a couple more

The Original Championship Belt – Last winner Young Tom Morris




The Claret Jug – First Winner Young Tom Morris



Melvyn

[Kalen Braley]

Ahhh Melyvn,

Trophies come and go, but a green jacket is forever!!   

[Anthony Gray]

  Melvyn,

  Where is the belt today and how did it get there?

  Thanks......Anthony

[Tony_Muldoon]

Ahhh Melyvn,

Trophies come and go, but a green jacket is forever!!   

Kalen if off course attire is your thing, I believe this is tailoring at it's finest!

[David_Tepper]

The Open is the best not only for the International Champions but also for the international field of competitors. The former is a product of the later (although the Masters has a pretty good roster of international winners with a much smaller international field).

In any case, I enjoy watching the leaderboard of Open when it gets shown on TV in the U.S. They show the flags of the countries along side the names. Usually, it seems like there are 8 or 10 different flags among the top 20 leaders.   

[Adrian_Stiff]

  Melvyn,

  Where is the belt today and how did it get there?

  Thanks......Anthony

I think it eventually got given back to the R & A and it may be in the musuem. When Tommy won three in a row 1868,69 and 70 he got to keep the belt. It kinda foxed the organisers because there was no trophy and hence no 1871 tournament. When they founded the cup in 1872 Tommy got his name straight on that too. Here is another question, what other belt winner got his name on the cup?

[Tony_Muldoon]

  Melvyn,

  Where is the belt today and how did it get there?

  Thanks......Anthony

I think it eventually got given back to the R & A and it may be in the musuem. When Tommy won three in a row 1868,69 and 70 he got to keep the belt. It kinda foxed the organisers because there was no trophy and hence no 1871 tournament. When they founded the cup in 1872 Tommy got his name straight on that too. Here is another question, what other belt winner got his name on the cup?

Park?


I know it's  a sub feature of Links golf but, seeing the ball bounce onto a green and then roll over the features is TV heaven.  Thats why (my guess) is they show less Putts as a percentage of the total, in the Open, than in any other tournament.  Thats why it's the best to watch. Variety.

[Melvyn Morrow]

Anthony

In answer to your question

The Championship Belt was donated to The R&A by my grandmother with her two sisters and brother. This was just after the death of Old Tom and was based upon his wishes that the Belt be displayed along with other Young Tom memorabilia for all to see what Young Tom had achieved in his short life.

The Belt in kept in The R&A Club House within a special glass vault. This in itself actually breaches the original idea of presenting the Belt to The R&A, as it is not on public display and can only be seen by the privileged few, which to my understanding is not in keeping with the original idea of the gift.

The female members of the Morris family are not allowed access to see The Belt, which many of us believe, is totally unacceptable, considering how much Old Tom did for Ladies golf when he was alive. Nor for that matter is the general public allowed to see the original Belt, although a replica I believe is in The R&A British Golfing Museum.

The R&A have also bought Old Tom’s house, have been true to their own incompetence, and destroyed the rear of the ground floor of the property with what appears to be air conditioning coolers ductwork and removing all the windows and doors as well. Many Members were against these modifications but it still went through. With friends like the R&A who needs enemies.  This is the property in which Young Tom died on Christmas Day and it is/was being used as occasional office space – real imagination, wonders why I some times despair for the future of golf when this type of stupidity run riot at the R&A.

Melvyn

[Jim_Kennedy]

Anthony,
Best part is being able to roll out of bed and right onto the couch for some Sunday morning viewing. It's a bonus if you can talk your wife into bringing you a coffee while she's making the bacon & eggs.

[Cliff Hamm]

   

   5- Classic Holes   They even have names...."Hogan's Alley"..."The Postage Stamp"..."The Road Hole"

Doesn't Hogan's Alley refer to Riviera?

[Garland Bayley]

Cliff,

That is one of the other Hogan's alleys.

[Adrian_Stiff]

Tony, yes it was Willie Park snr who won a 4th fairly late. Melvyn, its no wonder you get angry with the state of golf, have the 'Morris' ladies actually been refused a look at the belt, or is it just a total lady ban?

[Melvyn Morrow]

Adrian

Its total ban, my father tried to get my mother in the 1960’s but no women allowed. Also my brother triedlast year, but his wife was also refused entry. He as my father were not amused, also my father grew up in Old Tom's house as it was owned by his mother, but regrettable he died before it was sold to the R&A. My Cousin who still lives over Old Toms shop (when she is in St Andrews) had to take legal action against The R&A to minimise the changes being proposed to Old Tom house – which is sited right behind the shop with its front on Pilmour Links.

The authorities set to look after the game do not allow the general public nor women access to view the history of golf. You can see why I am not very pro The R&A, they are rich in money but very little else. Wisdom (I am sorry to say) does not seem to sit well within the old grey Club House.

Melvyn

[Chip Gaskins]

Melvyn-

Its a pleasure to have you on this site and thanks for all the fine history and personal perspective you offer. 

As for the R&A, it is a shame that grown educated men choose to disallow women, especially the family, to view something like this.  Completely amazing to me.

As for why the British Open is the best....because it is unpredictable....-20 one year and +5 one year...it all depends, just like everyday life in general.

Chip

[Garland Bayley]

It has had more streakers than any other major, and it allows Jake to claim he leads the PGA Tour in tackles.

[Patrick_Mucci]

Anthony,

While I MIGHT agree with you, the narrowing of the fairways is certainly a major disappointment.

[Bill_McBride]

   

   5- Classic Holes   They even have names...."Hogan's Alley"..."The Postage Stamp"..."The Road Hole"

Doesn't Hogan's Alley refer to Riviera?

Left of central bunker on #6 at Carnoustie = "Hogan's Alley (UK)"

[Peter Pallotta]

Anthony - because the courses and the conditions there serve to remind me that golf is above all else a most wonderful pastime. Sure, it's a game and a sport too, but that's not very important - there are other games/sports through which we can test ourselves and eachother. But to play - ah, that's the ticket.  At a typical Open, it feels like all the grown-ups have taken the day off...

Peter 

[Brent Carlson]

The Open Championship is amazing, no doubt about it.  Links golf is the best in my opinion as well.  And the UK has it right to allow the public on such hallowed ground, albeit at a price.

However I'm not 100% in agreement that it's the best major.  There are many things that the Open does best, as outlined above.  But do you really think it's better than the Masters or the US?  I love seeing the best tried at Augusta and Pebble and Shinnecock.  It seems that every major has its own role. 

There is no such thing as a 5th major however.  That is utter rubbish.

[Mark Pearce]

It seems that every major has its own role. 

Are we all agreed that the role of the PGA Championship is to be the least amongst equals?  Whilst I've seen arguments for each of the Masters, the US Open and the Open as the "best" Major, no-one has ever suggested that the PGA is.  For me the Open is the best because of the links courses.  It's the only Major played on the purest of golfing ground.

[Melvyn Morrow]

I agree with Mark.

The Open is IMHO the best because it still holds to the original concept of the Game, which is Links Golf.

The very nature of Links Golf is what defines the Championship. The ability of the course to present different faces of itself to the golfers each day as well as AM & PM. Offering both the Golfers and Spectators a unique experience that only Links Golf has the magic to command.

The Open is also the best Championship because it is the one that the majority of players want to win, more so if it is at St Andrews.

I may well agree that The Open if played on anything but a Links will diminish in stature and then we can compare it to the other Majors. However, this should never be allowed, if it does then The R&A should be stripped of all its control and treasures as it would IMO have failed Golf, and betrayed Scottish Golf.

There is only one, its The Open, which is then followed by the other Majors – End of Story IMO

Melvyn