The Greatest Championship

[Ryan Coles]

Niall

The limiting the capacity is clearly linked to the nature of Portrush as a site. Add the fact that it’s the first time since the 50’s they’ve been there. An unlimited gate in their opinion, may cause problems, primarily to the comfort and experience of spectators.


Given the choice of forgoing the return to Portrush or forgoing tickets on the gate, they chose Portrush, as would I.


You accuse them of money grubbing and here they are limiting the numbers and thus revenue. They really can’t win with you.


What difference does first time make? I guess they’ll have a myriad of plans covering the huge operation the open is, to fall back on which they tweak after every Open at each venue. They have little comparable plan or experience at Portrush, or indeed did they at Hoylake. They take risks and come out of their comfort zone in returning to these venues and should be applauded.


P.S. there was a circa 30 year gap between Open’s at Hoylake.

[Niall C]

Ryan

You seem very adept at imagining what I think and what I’m trying to say. I could be wrong but it does seem as though you think that I’ve got it in for the R&A or I have something against the Open. In my defence I would say that I suspect there is no one on this Discussion Board who sticks up for the R&A more than I do, and having been lucky enough to attend the Open on numerous occasions I can honestly say I very much cherish each and every opportunity to do so.

That said, my initial post on this thread was a twist on Sean’s OP where he was comparing the Open against the other majors. My take was that the proper yardstick should be to compare the Open now to how it used to be. My initial post and subsequent posts should therefore be read in that vein.

Specifically with my comment on limiting numbers, it wasn’t a comment on revenue as such, although limiting numbers can obviously lead to the opportunity to raise prices and potentially the total gate money where demand for tickets exceeds supply. But instead it was more about the vibe, about the Open becoming less of a festival of golf and more a corporate event where ordinary golf fans are to an extent being squeezed out. If it were to carry down that path then that would be a pity IMO.

Niall

Ps. Re Hoylake, that’s interesting, I didn’t know that

[Ryan Coles]

Niall


It’s nothing like a corporate event and not receiving subsidised travel and discounted food doesn’t mean it’s moving toward that either. It just means you have to pay your own way at the going rate.


If anything it’s become increasingly ‘festival’ like with the camping village etc. The amount of young people attending (30,000 under 25 in 2017 and 15,000 free tickets to under 16’s) means the vibe isn’t corporate at all.


Your grumbles are pretty much all about parsimony on your part.

[Niall C]

Ryan

The phrase I used, and quite deliberately, was festival of golf. Golfers come in all shapes, sizes, ages, sexes and rich and poor but crucially they play the game for the love of it. Sleeping in a tent and being under the age of 25 has nothing to do with it. It’s about golfers enjoying the golf.

The point about increasing costs is that has priced a fair proportion of golfers out the market while at the same time the emphasis on corporate entertainment has risen. As we know, there is a fair proportion of those being entertained in the corporate tents who wouldn’t know one end of the club from the other but instead know very well how to refresh themselves. That is how you get yahoos shouting at the top of Tigers backswing.

Ask yourself this, would that have happened 10 or 20 years ago with “the most knowledgeable fans in golf” ?

Niall

[Ryan Coles]

Niall

Watch a clip of Muirfield 1987 and listen to someone shouting his head off when Faldo was on the 72nd green. Always been a few idiots, even in the good old days, however much we try to talk down the now and talk up the past.



The attendances in Scotland appear to be stagnant yet fairly buoyant in terms of growth at the English venues. Do you think this is all to do with ticket prices and local demographics, or are some Scots a bit blasé and apathetic about the Open?


Going to a sporting a event is of course a luxury that not all can afford. Perhaps the R&A need to price different venues to reflect local conditions. Perhaps a break and absence will make the heart grow fonder.


I wouldn’t trust the r&a with much, but I trust them to do the right thing with the Open.

[jeffwarne]

A wonderful event.
Festival in a good way.
Screens in 4 locationks to allow fans to keep up or those not inclined to fight the crowds a chance to relax and enjoy.
Hate to see the ever rising ticket prices though-but still good value comparatively.


One nit-the on course leaderboards show way too much shite and trivial garbage which should go away by Sat and certainly Sunday to allow them to function as leaderboards-which only occasionally scroll the actual leaders.

[JESII]

Jeff, if I haven’t said it before, I love the fact that you go over for qualifying every year. Simply one of those things you see someone do that you’d like to plan for yourself when the time is right.

[Rich Goodale]

Twas a great competition from the start to the west
With a well swell of green testing all but the best,
and Francesco taught hackers how to play as a jest
and/or focused when needed to grind and to rest.


The lie of the land was fast firm and yet tricky
and the temperature was ridiculously sticky
even in the gloaming of Scottish thistles oh so prickly
or the early tee times when scores were pernickety


The best player won when he needed to do
as simply as if he was just playing through,
and he found himself amongst of the few
who knew how move from the old to the new.


Carnoustie '18 was as best it could be
if the golf were the Golf and not fripperee

[Ryan Coles]

This year, despite the cap on numbers, is the second highest gate ever.


For those lucky enough to be there, could they fit in more spectators or have they set the limit too high?

[George Pazin]

So who ya got tomorrow?


I’m really pulling for Lowry, hope he wins going away.


But failing that, I’m rooting for Westwood, and Finau, of course.


Portrush looks spectacular, everything I imagine in a golf course. Pretty stellar leaderboard, too.

[Jim Nugent]

Don't know if this an example of greatness, but an interesting fact: Lowry only hit 50% of fairways today, yet still shot 8 under 63. 

[Mike Sweeney]

Don't know if this an example of greatness, but an interesting fact: Lowry only hit 50% of fairways today, yet still shot 8 under 63.

Great stat. I was in and out today, and it looked like he was just playing okay.


On a GCA note, I am googling "harry colt" today. What a course and what a setting.

[Jeff Johnston]

Ryan, to answer your question at #58, I was there for the week and thought they got it about right on the numbers. While the topography is very spectator friendly for the most part in offering lots of undulation and hillocks etc for plenty of walking spectators to get a view, the layout does also produce a few pinch points, most particularly in the triangle of the 6th / 8th / 10th greens - which produced a real bottleneck and a Melburnian visitor pronounced to be 'worse than bl**dy St Kilda Junction'. For that reason I would not be desperate to see any great increase in capacity for a later renewal.

On the course, one point that didn't seem to get any air time was the clearing of the wild rose / buckthorn bushes that used to sit between the 13th and 17th greens - a simple but extremely effective action. Visually, it gave that striking view from the 13th tee, going through that green, into the 17th green and on up the hill on 17 (and the same in reverse from the other end of course); and from a spectator perspective it also gave the opportunity to sit in the long stand taking in both greens (and if you were up the back of it you could also turn around and take in the 18th as well - v cool).

Provision of big screens and spectator villages also excellent, particularly the one up near the range. Lovely vibe there all week.

The R&A do need to look at one logistical item in getting spectators off the course - after close of play on the weekend vast majority of punters all being funneled down into the area by the Rathmore clubhouse to be put over a temporary footbridge on a stop / go basis with attendant long delays. Poor and needs to be addressed.