News:

Welcome to the Golf Club Atlas Discussion Group!

Each user is approved by the Golf Club Atlas editorial staff. For any new inquiries, please contact us.


David_Tepper

  • Karma: +0/-0

Tim Martin

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: OT - The Open's Tent City
« Reply #1 on: July 15, 2022, 02:58:46 PM »
Finan Farrell who is an 18 year old golf fan from Western Ireland was quoted in the article as saying that the free accommodations for him and his brother “are a really good value.” You think!?
« Last Edit: July 15, 2022, 03:05:27 PM by Tim Martin »

Charlie Goerges

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: OT - The Open's Tent City
« Reply #2 on: July 15, 2022, 04:13:09 PM »
Finan Farrell who is an 18 year old golf fan from Western Ireland was quoted in the article as saying that the free accommodations for him and his brother “are a really good value.” You think!?




I have a feeling that the free camping makes going to the Open overall a good value. Probably if there wasn't free camping available, he and many others of more modest means wouldn't even be considering attending.
Severally on the occasion of everything that thou doest, pause and ask thyself, if death is a dreadful thing because it deprives thee of this. - Marcus Aurelius

Buck Wolter

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: OT - The Open's Tent City
« Reply #3 on: July 15, 2022, 05:32:20 PM »

Love the idea of a camping area -- like a music festival.

Sahith Teegala got in after a late withdrawal, got to St Andrews Sunday and is staying in a dorm room at the University of St Andrews -- good guy to root for and currently T8.

Those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end, for they do so with the approval of their own conscience -- CS Lewis

Tim Martin

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: OT - The Open's Tent City
« Reply #4 on: July 15, 2022, 06:25:55 PM »

Love the idea of a camping area -- like a music festival.

Sahith Teegala got in after a late withdrawal, got to St Andrews Sunday and is staying in a dorm room at the University of St Andrews -- good guy to root for and currently T8.


Buck-I’m a fan of Teegala after watching him at the Travelers Championship. He handled the loss with plenty of grace and became a fan favorite. It would be great to have him in the mix on Sunday.

jeffwarne

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: OT - The Open's Tent City
« Reply #5 on: July 15, 2022, 06:30:54 PM »

While I love the idea, I found the area quite sterile looking.
In three walks by the tent city, I saw exactly one person, and when I walked by at 9:30 pm, not one cookout, drum circle, drink circle, camp fire, lawn chairs or any social activity of any kind.
Seemed deserted to me-quite depressing actually IMHO.
I saw zero signs of a "festival" atmosphere.
perhaps i simply caught it at a bad moment, but it seems like it could be really cool.
I mean are they all in town dining and hanging out at fancy bars and restaurants-then camping?


edit-reread the article-sound slike they are being respectful of neighbors-which is nice-and probably quite practical.
The Open is definitely done right.



770 cozy nylon tents sit outside the 17th green at The Old Course at St. Andrews.
« Last Edit: July 15, 2022, 06:42:31 PM by jeffwarne »
"Let's slow the damned greens down a bit, not take the character out of them." Tom Doak
"Take their focus off the grass and put it squarely on interesting golf." Don Mahaffey

Ronald Montesano

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: OT - The Open's Tent City
« Reply #6 on: July 15, 2022, 09:31:43 PM »
Warne...always the party pooper.
Coming in 2024
~Elmira Country Club
~Soaring Eagles
~Bonavista
~Indian Hills
~Maybe some more!!

Sean_A

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: OT - The Open's Tent City
« Reply #7 on: July 16, 2022, 02:37:36 AM »

While I love the idea, I found the area quite sterile looking.
In three walks by the tent city, I saw exactly one person, and when I walked by at 9:30 pm, not one cookout, drum circle, drink circle, camp fire, lawn chairs or any social activity of any kind.
Seemed deserted to me-quite depressing actually IMHO.
I saw zero signs of a "festival" atmosphere.
perhaps i simply caught it at a bad moment, but it seems like it could be really cool.
I mean are they all in town dining and hanging out at fancy bars and restaurants-then camping?


edit-reread the article-sound slike they are being respectful of neighbors-which is nice-and probably quite practical.
The Open is definitely done right.



770 cozy nylon tents sit outside the 17th green at The Old Course at St. Andrews.

I was going to say I would be surprised if they could light fires etc. Regardless, it's a brilliant concept.

Ciao
New plays planned for 2024: Nothing

Thomas Dai

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: OT - The Open's Tent City
« Reply #8 on: July 16, 2022, 03:28:02 AM »
Fairground, ferris wheel and rock concert next? :):):)
atb

Jeff Schley

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: OT - The Open's Tent City
« Reply #9 on: July 16, 2022, 07:51:49 AM »
Tents and major events..... looks better than the Fyre Festival.

"To give anything less than your best, is to sacrifice your gifts."
- Steve Prefontaine

Kalen Braley

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: OT - The Open's Tent City
« Reply #10 on: July 16, 2022, 12:52:55 PM »
Jeff,

I get your comments, but I don't think it was ever intended to be a Woodstock kind of gig.  ;)

Agreed with Sean, looks to be a very creative and neat way to accommodate holding a major in what looks to be a very large town with limited lodging otherwise...and have it be affordable to at least some of the masses.

Ken Moum

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: OT - The Open's Tent City
« Reply #11 on: July 21, 2022, 04:52:27 PM »
It was clearly visible behind The Old Course Hotel in the aerial shots on Sunday and it looked cool.
Over time, the guy in the ideal position derives an advantage, and delivering him further  advantage is not worth making the rest of the players suffer at the expense of fun, variety, and ultimately cost -- Jeff Warne, 12-08-2010

Michael Felton

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: OT - The Open's Tent City
« Reply #12 on: July 21, 2022, 10:21:31 PM »

Love the idea of a camping area -- like a music festival.

Sahith Teegala got in after a late withdrawal, got to St Andrews Sunday and is staying in a dorm room at the University of St Andrews -- good guy to root for and currently T8.


When I played in the Boyd Quaich, they put us up in the university dorm rooms. They were really quite respectable accommodations. I'd have no qualms about staying there now (and I'm 25 years older than I was then).

Ally Mcintosh

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: OT - The Open's Tent City
« Reply #13 on: July 22, 2022, 01:43:55 AM »
There has always been campsites in St Andrews, just not ones organised by the R&A.


For the 1990 Open there, 4 friends and I shared a tent for five nights. I can tell you that the campsite we stayed in was a whole lot more fun than that one looks.

Mark Chaplin

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: OT - The Open's Tent City
« Reply #14 on: July 24, 2022, 07:06:31 AM »
I think this was the second or third time they’ve had a camping ground at the Open. There was due to be one at RSG last year but it fell victim to Covid. Apparently the research shows the campsite greatly increases spending in the venue town, something like 60% of the campers go into town to eat and drink in the evening.
Cave Nil Vino

Adam Lawrence

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: OT - The Open's Tent City
« Reply #15 on: July 24, 2022, 07:44:12 AM »
I don't camp, but being able to stay in or close to the host town really increases the 'value' of being at an Open. Having to drive in a long way each morning and getting stuck in the inevitable jams is big mood killer.


My best Open in this regard was RSG 2011. My then father in law was/is a sailer, and he lent me his boat for the week, bringing it round the coast and up the river to Sandwich and mooring it on the Town Quay. It cost me fifteen quid a night in mooring fees and a case of beer to my F-i-L and I was right in the centre of town all week, fabulous.


I thought I had the best digs in town but in discussions with other media I found that one colleague was staying in the Sandwich Bay Bird Observatory and two others spent the first half of the week camping on the beach and for the second half returned to London, coming down each day on the Orient Express!
Adam Lawrence

Editor, Golf Course Architecture
www.golfcoursearchitecture.net

Principal, Oxford Golf Consulting
www.oxfordgolfconsulting.com

Author, 'More Enduring Than Brass: a biography of Harry Colt' (forthcoming).

Short words are best, and the old words, when short, are the best of all.

Mark Chaplin

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: OT - The Open's Tent City
« Reply #16 on: July 24, 2022, 04:59:22 PM »
We did pretty well this year staying in university college wardens apartment on The Scores. But cycling to RSG from home for the Open is pretty cool and only 15 minutes as well.


Adam the bird observatory is a little secret down here and very reasonable.


Cave Nil Vino

DFarron

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: OT - The Open's Tent City
« Reply #17 on: July 24, 2022, 09:29:51 PM »
My wife, a non-golfer said it looked fun so we are going to try it next year.

Doug Wright

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: OT - The Open's Tent City
« Reply #18 on: July 26, 2022, 10:49:53 AM »
This would be a very good idea at, say, Bandon? Doubt the USGA would go for it though...
Twitter: @Deneuchre

jeffwarne

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: OT - The Open's Tent City
« Reply #19 on: July 26, 2022, 10:57:51 AM »
Attended the Lochearnhead Highland Games last Saturday.
Now that was a proper tent city ;) ;D .
"Let's slow the damned greens down a bit, not take the character out of them." Tom Doak
"Take their focus off the grass and put it squarely on interesting golf." Don Mahaffey