Is it time for the Open to go back to Northern Ireland?

[Ben Stephens]

With the recent wins of G-Mac and Rors plus the more recent stability and investment in Northern Ireland. The question is the Open ready for Northern Ireland it is ready the other way round and if it happens it would be mad and awesome!!

Come on R and A its time it went over the Irish Sea for the first time since 1951!

[Pete Lavallee]

Ben,

What course in Northern Ireland can handle the crowds and tented village; I suspect there are only two Open worthy courses to pick from.

[Ally Mcintosh]

Someone previously mentioned RCD don’t want the patrons tramping over the vegetation… Portrush have logistical problems I believe… That’s the North…. Would the R&A be bold enough to take it to the Republic?

It would be fantastic to see it back to Portrush or a new venue over here though…

[Ben Stephens]

RCD and Portrush have more area available than Lytham and Hoylake for tented villages (Annersley course at RCD and Valley course at Portrush!).

Its more accessible than Hoylake and Turnberry - I have been to RCD and my friends have played Portrush many times and said Turnberry was harder to get to!.

The R and A are very good at planning logistics etc. I would think its more the political situation rather than logistal situation that puts off the R and A. At last years Open both G-Mac and Rors as well as Darren Clarke were voicing their approval and support for Portrush.

Portstewart could be a contender if they built a few more holes in the dunes system.

 

[Matthew Hunt]

Clarke and G-Mac are going to be biased towards their own town,  but Newcastle is better than Portrush from a logistical perspective.

[Ben Stephens]

Clarke and G-Mac are going to be biased towards their own town,  but Newcastle is better than Portrush from a logistical perspective.

Matthew

I agree and it is a fantastic setting and has an amazing hotel right by the clubhouse! I would think that RCD will have to change the course to eliminate lots of blind shots and improve the back nine which I think is not up to championship standard.

Cheers
Ben

[Ted Harris]

"That is a lifetime dream," said McDowell. "I've played with Peter Dawson [the R&A's chief executive] a few times and I've quizzed him are we ever going back to Portrush. He's told me it's not the logistics of hotel and travel, but it's the surface area of the course itself, accommodating all the crowds and grandstands. But it would to make it happen. It would be great for Northern Ireland."


Maybe if the R&A could accept smaller crowds and the fans could accept higher ticket prices then maybe it could work - Hasn't the USGA accepted they will take in significantly less revenue for the US Open at Merion due to the tight surroundings of the course ?

[Bill_McBride]

Clarke and G-Mac are going to be biased towards their own town,  but Newcastle is better than Portrush from a logistical perspective.

Matthew, I thought Newcastle was pretty stressed for the Walker Cup in 2007.  We booked eight months out and could book no closer than Kilkeel.  Perhaps shuttles from Belfast.

Nonetheless I would love to see an Open in either Northern Ireland venue.

[Mark Chaplin]

Until the daily terrorist attacks/activity stop then I doubt the R&A would consider NI.

[Jim Eder]

Doesn't it just come down to the money sadly?  I would love to see the Open at RCD or Portrush but they could never get the crowds. Now, I think that would make for a better spectator experience (I have been at several Opens and the crowds tend to be rather large and seeing the action can be difficult) but they want the ticket and other revenues. Why they don't just increase the TV license fee is beyond me. It would be terrific to see these gems with the best players in the world under tournament conditions.  I do understand the clubs worry about spectators............

It is time though. Let's hope they do eventually make the decision.

[Tom_Doak]

"That is a lifetime dream," said McDowell. "I've played with Peter Dawson [the R&A's chief executive] a few times and I've quizzed him are we ever going back to Portrush. He's told me it's not the logistics of hotel and travel, but it's the surface area of the course itself, accommodating all the crowds and grandstands. But it would to make it happen. It would be great for Northern Ireland."

That's the most politically correct lie I've heard all year.

There is only one reason the R & A won't commit to going back to Northern Ireland, and Mark Chaplin finally brought it up.  Are the Troubles so completely over that you would bet the franchise on it?  I think the answer from the R & A is clearly, "Not yet."

Both Portrush and County Down have another 18 holes to handle the parking and infrastructure issues.  County Down would be tough to get spectators around in some areas -- like #9 -- but they could do it if they trusted the political situation.

[Carl Nichols]

Watching someone throw the Irish flag at Rory as he walked off 18 [which someone then immediately grabbed], and then watching Rory's father holding the Northern Ireland flag later on, made me have the same thoughts as Messrs. Doak and Chaplin.

[Kirk Gill]

Perhaps someday the Irish Open could be played at Portrush or RCD.

Or is that too naive a notion?

Yeah....probably.

[JMEvensky]

For anyone with knowledge:

Was pressure brought to bear on the R and A in 1951 to go to Portrush?

Was there something special about Portrush,other than the golf course,to warrant hosting the tournament?

Were there any repercussions after the 1951 Open?

[Ben Stephens]

"That is a lifetime dream," said McDowell. "I've played with Peter Dawson [the R&A's chief executive] a few times and I've quizzed him are we ever going back to Portrush. He's told me it's not the logistics of hotel and travel, but it's the surface area of the course itself, accommodating all the crowds and grandstands. But it would to make it happen. It would be great for Northern Ireland."

That's the most politically correct lie I've heard all year.

There is only one reason the R & A won't commit to going back to Northern Ireland, and Mark Chaplin finally brought it up.  Are the Troubles so completely over that you would bet the franchise on it?  I think the answer from the R & A is clearly, "Not yet."

Both Portrush and County Down have another 18 holes to handle the parking and infrastructure issues.  County Down would be tough to get spectators around in some areas -- like #9 -- but they could do it if they trusted the political situation.

I agree with Tom on Peter Dawson's statement. Portrush and RCD have acres of space compared to Lytham and Hoylake!

I have close friends who live in Belfast and I have been in Northern Ireland a few times. It is a much more peaceful and beautiful place these days. Don't always believe what you read in the press these are stories that are blown out of proportion if a similar thing happens in London, Birmingham or Manchester they are localised if is was Belfast because of its recent history of the Troubles it is transmitted nationally or globally which is unfortunate for Northern Ireland.

The investment going into Northern Ireland is awesome. In Belfast a new 'Titanic' quarter is being built in Belfast and a museum dedicated to the doomed Titanic is to open on the 100th anniversary of its sinking. I believe it is the right time to take the Open back there and the following and the atmosphere there will be incredible.

Its time for the R&A to branch out a bit more in terms of Open venues. They have done it in the Amateur by taking it to Hillside and Deal.

RCD/Portrush, Porthcawl and Saunton are missed opportunities at the moment. The USGA are spreading their wings both ways by taking US Open back to classic courses as well as brand new courses.

Cheers
Ben

[Mark Chaplin]

Ben believe me most activity is NI isn't reported, the press do a marvelous job of surpressing what's happening, that's why the mainland has and always will be such an attractive target. Sadly all the time there is a tiny minority who think the bomb and bullet will further their cause The Open is unlikely to be held in NI.

As I write bomb disposal are dealing with an "incident" in Belfast.

[Anthony Gray]

  The crowds are the problem not the venues.It would be great for TV.

  Anthony

[Mark Chaplin]

Brian there are two 80 minute high speed trains departing London prior to 0500 on the first two days of the event at Sandwich and six depart by 0710.

[Bill_McBride]

  The crowds are the problem not the venues.It would be great for TV.

  Anthony

Anthony, the crowds and the venues are all part of the problem.  Can the venue handle the crowds and the tented city and all its logistics?  Is there room at the venue for all the grandstands that serve so well at the Open Championship?  The courses in Northern Ireland are terrifiuc but not so much as Open venues.

[Dan_Callahan]

Is any course in Northern Ireland as much of a pain in the ass for crowds to get in and out of as Shinnecock in the summer?

[Bill_McBride]

Is any course in Northern Ireland as much of a pain in the ass for crowds to get in and out of as Shinnecock in the summer?

Similar. 

Did they park cars on NGLA?   

[Ben Stephens]

Ben believe me most activity is NI isn't reported, the press do a marvelous job of surpressing what's happening, that's why the mainland has and always will be such an attractive target. Sadly all the time there is a tiny minority who think the bomb and bullet will further their cause The Open is unlikely to be held in NI.

As I write bomb disposal are dealing with an "incident" in Belfast.

Mark,

There has been a rise of splinter groups on both sides in NI but they are concentrated in the cities not on the coast. Surely London is more of a terrorist target than Belfast and yet they are hosting the Olympics next year!!.

I am sure the bigwigs at the R&A are more concerned about how much profit the Open will make rather than politics. It is logistics of moving supplies and facilities over the pound to NI would cost them more money in terms of travel expenses. As well as number of spectators attending the tournament it is an unknown terrritory for all. I still believe you could get more than 200,000 for a Open Championship in NI due to Rors and GMac.

England is a more reliable source of profitability which could be why the R&A are bringing the Open at Sandwich this year, Lytham next year and Hoylake in 2014! This gives more evidence that the Open has become more commercial/profit driven rather than politically.  

They did not think that the Ryder Cup would be a success for Wales in the early days. In the end it brought over £80 million to the Welsh economy!! Imagine what the Open would do to the NI economy.

Cheers
Ben

[Melvyn Morrow]

I believe that The Open will never again be played in Northern Ireland. This is in the main thanks to our political masters both in UK, Ireland and America, not to mention the men of violence.

What will happen if Scotland votes for independence from Westminster may also set off a serious debate that will result in The Open being played back on Scottish soil only, but we have yet to see if the SNP can carry the vote for independence?

The question is simple, The Open could be played anywhere in a united land but divided it will resort to its original home. But is this not the way of the world, united we share, divided - we do not. So it’s worth thinking seriously of the consequences of our actions, well before we commit ourselves to specific goals.

I do not believe the R&A would consider NI again, even at RCD which is a pity. Another fine legacy accredited to the Men of Violence and their backers.

Melvyn

[Scott Warren]

Ben S:

Don't always believe what you read in the press these are stories that are blown out of proportion if a similar thing happens in London, Birmingham or Manchester they are localised if is was Belfast because of its recent history of the Troubles it is transmitted nationally or globally because of its recent history of the Troubles

Ben, that is total and utter crap. As Mark says, much of what goes on there to this day goes unreported so as not to give them the publicity they crave.

There are many reasons to criticise the British media. This isn't one if them.

[Matthew Hunt]

The Idea that Newcastle's infrastructure could not cope is a fallacy, we hosted an Airshow with over 125,000 visitors with no bother at all. Accommodation may be a bit of a problem but there is alot more than any Scottish host town apart St Andrews. We are 45 minutes from Belfast, 90 minutes from Dublin and have 3.5 million people within a 2 hour drive in the are with the most per capitia golfers in the world.

The Troubles are over. There are a few druggies, lunatics and hopeless conflict junkies in the bandwagon. They are few in number and about 25% are undercover British agents and it is probable the Irish and Americans will have moles in there too. We are the safest part of the UK, thought like as we seen in America and the UK over the past 10 years, a group of weirdo's goofing around with guns pretending they are political carries more fear than the very real fear of crime on the streets. Anything that happens in Northern Ireland is overblown internationally. Scott, nothing is being covered up, people are bored of a bunch of irreverent idiots prancing around are TV screens. We want our News to about Health and Education (as well as McIlroy and politicians affairs )