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.

Pages: [1]   Go Down

Craig Sweet

The Open: Where are the Spectators?
« on: July 18, 2010, 12:01:00 PM »
The grandstands look empty. They looked empty last night while the last couple of matches were finishing up.
Logged

Rick Shefchik

Re: The Open: Where are the Spectators?
« Reply #1 on: July 18, 2010, 12:07:06 PM »
I had the same observation on Saturday. Is it the economy? Or is it just that golf from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. is a really long day, and the crowds tend to go home around dinner time?
« Last Edit: July 18, 2010, 12:20:11 PM by Rick Shefchik »
Logged
"Golf is 20 percent mechanics and technique. The other 80 percent is philosophy, humor, tragedy, romance, melodrama, companionship, camaraderie, cussedness and conversation." - Grantland Rice

David Lott

Re: The Open: Where are the Spectators?
« Reply #2 on: July 18, 2010, 12:38:20 PM »
It's cold.
Logged
David Lott

Anthony_Nysse

Re: The Open: Where are the Spectators?
« Reply #3 on: July 18, 2010, 01:27:13 PM »
Yesterday, the annouoncers commented that its because of the economic state of Europe.
Logged
Anthony J. Nysse
Director of Golf Courses & Grounds
Apogee Club
Hobe Sound, FL

Adam Lawrence

Re: The Open: Where are the Spectators?
« Reply #4 on: July 18, 2010, 01:40:11 PM »
Over 160,000 people attended over the course of the week - so I'm not sure it could be said to be a poor turnout (although I think there were more in previous St Andrews Opens).
Logged
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.

rboyce

Re: The Open: Where are the Spectators?
« Reply #5 on: July 18, 2010, 02:18:27 PM »
Azinger said the same thing. The hurried response was to show a few of the stands that did have spectators and point out that no one is really allowed inside the perimeter of the course so the fans are all on the outside and not really noticeable on tv. Still, it did look pretty empty which is really weird.
Logged

Bill_McBride

Re: The Open: Where are the Spectators?
« Reply #6 on: July 18, 2010, 02:36:54 PM »
The empty ones are seen late in the day on the outward half where there's nobody to watch anymore.  As someone mentioned, the crowds have been rather typical.
Logged

Dan Herrmann

Re: The Open: Where are the Spectators?
« Reply #7 on: July 18, 2010, 06:30:03 PM »
Did you see the prices?  A weekly pass was 240 pounds ($366).

I think that $366 explains the attendance perfectly.  Heck, bring the wife and 2 teenage (16 and 18 year old) kids ---> $1400!

I think I'll pass...
Logged

john_stiles

Re: The Open: Where are the Spectators?
« Reply #8 on: July 18, 2010, 06:31:59 PM »

With warm weather, Tiger playing well, Open near major metro area,   one report was  230,000 for Royal Liverpool.
Logged

Philippe Binette

Re: The Open: Where are the Spectators?
« Reply #9 on: July 18, 2010, 09:15:01 PM »
I don't think I would really want to go see the Open at the Old Course...

you only have peripheric view, can't go behind green...

moving around the course must be tough... might as well watch it on TV
Logged

Bill_McBride

Re: The Open: Where are the Spectators?
« Reply #10 on: July 18, 2010, 09:22:26 PM »
Quote from: Philippe Binette on July 18, 2010, 09:15:01 PM
I don't think I would really want to go see the Open at the Old Course...

you only have peripheric view, can't go behind green...

moving around the course must be tough... might as well watch it on TV

I was there with my wife and another couple in 2005, we had a ball.  You sit in the bleachers a lot, but that's fun because you see play from both directions on both sides of the double greens.   You can wander around quite a bit in the loop.  We stood quite near the front left of #9 and watched 10 groups go through.  We stood close to the gorse front right of #4 and saw some excitement.

There are quite a lot of patrons ( ;)) who never leave the beer tents in the tented villlage with the huge screens.

Biggest problem in St Andrews was finding a spot for dinner, the town is overloaded.
Logged

Phil_the_Author

Re: The Open: Where are the Spectators?
« Reply #11 on: July 19, 2010, 07:38:46 AM »
Is it possible with the Dunhill there every year that having the Open every 5 years is simply too much? Especially as the costs are pretty high for many of the locals to justify.
Logged

Melvyn Morrow

Re: The Open: Where are the Spectators?
« Reply #12 on: July 19, 2010, 08:18:31 AM »

And here I thought all you Americans were keeping away as Tiger Woods was not firing on all cylinders. ;)

Melvyn
Logged

Dan Herrmann

Re: The Open: Where are the Spectators?
« Reply #13 on: July 19, 2010, 12:41:56 PM »
Melvyn - Nah - The real reason is the cost to fly over there.   PHL <--> EDI is going for over $1200.
Logged
Pages: [1]   Go Up
Tags: