As promised here is my review/experience of the Open this year. Its a bit long winded but I hope you enjoy reading it.
First of all I will start by saying, if you have never been to an Open Championship, then you should. Its a great day out and there is a lot to see. Golf is the only sport as everyone knows where you could end up standing an arms length away from your heros. Also a place like St Andrews is great due to its layout (the loop at 8,9,10,11 is great as you can see 4 holes at once as well as 3, 4 which is a double green) So the choice is yours, you either follow a select group (which was my plan) or walk about and pick and choose players that you want to see (but if you have come to see El Tigre, don't bother as you won't see a thing)
Its expensive day out (£60 to get in, £6 for a Programme and Starter Sheet) but if you pack your own lunch, drink and come prepared (waterproofs, brolly, hat, sunglasses, lip balm, suntan lotion) then you can negate a lot of the costs
The Open Championship unlike tournaments in the US or even say the US Open is not sold out months in advance and like the tournament itself its the most 'open' Major that you can get to as a spectator. You can either buy tickets in advance or you can turn up on the day and pay at the door.
Anyways it was an early start for me on Friday as I opted to take the train up from Glasgow to Leuchers rather than drive to St Andrews. So left the house at 6.40am (yep you read that right!) Got to Leuchers for 9.20am and then off to the course in a bus (with its own Police convoy!)
Phoned Yoda on route to the course and we agreed upon meeting up on the 2nd tee as Brian Gay was off at 10.26am.
Once upon the course you had to get your ticket and check in your phone as well as clearing security. A process that ran extremely smoothly I might add.
The main door as it were is at the back of the Old Course Hotel (Yoda's run down digs for the week. More to add later ) so I just walked past the Tented Village, the Hospitality Tents and the display of Lexi (gorgeous Lexus Hybrids and IS350s there) and headed towards the 17th Fairway where there is a crossing that took you past the 17th green and then across the 2nd fairway and to the 2nd Tee.
It was still early in the morning but you can see the crowds starting to gather. The weather at this point was still dry and the wind was starting to pick up (more that later......)
So picked a good spot on the 2nd tee and made it in time to see the group in front (Heath Slocum, Jose Manuel Lara and Darren Fichardt) put out on the 1st green and then walk over to the 2nd tee. Watched Heath and company tee off, good swings the lot of them but I was more focused on what Heath was doing and boy did it look good!
As the group walked off the 2nd tee, on the 1st fairway was Brian's group (Paul Streeter Brian Gay, Gareth Maybin) and were hitting in.
Brian started with a par on the first as did the others. Solid start, then the wind started to pick up.
Watched them tee off on the 2nd tee. Brian didn't hit it well off the tee on the 2nd or the 3rd (low left and in the rough) but escaped with pars on both.
Still not seen Yoda yet by this point but I walked on thinking that wherever Brian was I would find Yoda at some point.
Going back to what I said earlier, there are a few holes in St Andrews where as a spectator you can see a few holes, the 3rd green and 4th tee are close together so if you are savvy enough you pick a good spot at the 4th tee and you can see the guys putt and then not move till they hit off the tee.
The 4th wasn't a good hole. I think Brian bogied this one and this was the start of the weather changing (think horizontal rain, 25-30 mph winds, dark clouds...)
I was standing on the 4th tee and Kip came over with the bag whilst the group was finishing off. Said hey and asked how he was and how his Boss was playing. I think he remembered me from Loch Lomond last year...or maybe not
Watched them tee off again and a fairway hit for our hero
Along with the players and everyone else we thought a way through our a squall (seemed to remember Yoda and I fighting our way through a similar one this time last year when we played)
Good golf being played but nothing for our Hero yet.
Again no sign of Yoda but figured nothing of it. Walked towards the 6th tee and was a bit forward of the tee to watch the guys tee off and then lo and behold I see the familiar figure of Yoda. Gave him a wave and we joined up. Also with Yoda was Mrs Gay and it was nice to meet her.
We chatted and the like. Watched Brian play the rest of the round, discussing Golf, life, the wind conditions (by this time it got pretty windy!) but it stayed dry!! Whooohoo!!
Brian's game was solid but he wasn't getting anything and the wind was obviously affecting everyone's game.
To show you how strong the wind was. On 10 the par 3, players shots were being blown off course by as much as 30 yards from the pin. Basically you had to aim towards the end of the 11th tee for the wind to bring it back and none of the players that we saw did it.
If you look at Yoda's post there are a few pics that he took of the day but I wasn't allowed as us mere mortals are not allowed cameras on course.
Fast forward to 13, 14 and 15....not good holes at all for our Hero BG. On 13 I think it was all 3 players 3 putted from inside 10 feet! The wind was affecting the ball and Brian backed off from his putt about 3 or 4 times.
Play was finally suspended when we were on 14 or 15 (winds of 25-30 mph with strong gusts) Play was suspended due to the ball moving on the greens and the players unable to putt properly. Kip ran off to find food as he was starving and the players just marked their golf balls and took time out. It was another hour till play got underway again at which point Kip was fed, Gary Maybin and Paul Streeter spoke to their respective fans/family who were following him.
Another great thing about going to a golf tournament is the fact that you get to meet some interesting people and chat to them. We were sitting in the grandstand by the 15th tee (I think!) and I got chatting to a lady who played locally and who's husband was caddying during the week for a player. We both commented that on any other competition at our club if it got this windy we would have been told to get on with it. These prima donnas honestly
Also met two gentlement from London who were up for the day watching the golf (they flew in from Luton and played the day before then heading home that night) as they wanted to know how I knew Kip and if I knew Brian. I guess they found it a bit strange that I would start talking to one of the caddies.
So an hour passes by and the horns sound off (I call them horns not hooters as the 6 year old behind Yoda called them)
Anyways it gets a bit hazy after that. But we prevailed, walked after Brian, willing him on but to no avail. Solid golf but no reward. Don't know what happened on 17 though (triple bogey) as we had to go round the back of the hotel to get to the green.
Watched Brian finish with a a birdie on 18 though which was good. By this point, Yoda went back to the hotel and Mrs Yoda and I walked all the way up 18th and then back down the 1st and then across 2 and 17 again to the Hotel.
Not a good day for Team LBG but it was good to see Brian play again (saw him last year on the final day of the Scottish Open) Maybe I should stop seeing him play live as he doesn't seem to do well.
Thanks to Yoda for sorting out my Pass to get into the Hotel (first time I have gone into the hotel...oh how the other half live...) and we found Yoda, in front of the PC trying to send pics to BamBam to put up on the site (I hope that all y'alls appreciate the work that Yoda does, its hard trying to send pics using a crappy hotel internet connection)
Anyhow, was in the hotel watching some of the golf on the telly. You see so much more on tv than you do on foot but you can't replace the atmosphere or experience. Oh yea we did see El Tigre hit one shot.
Had a late lunch with Yoda and Mrs Yoda in the Hotel and got a tournament courtesy car back to the train station (thanks again to Yoda for sorting that out and thanks to Jodie the driver for being fun company and also thanks to Lexus for making such a comfy smooth car)
I would also like to say thanks for Kimberly Gay for her company and it was a pleasure to meet you.
As for Star spots, last year I bumped into Rory Sabbatini at Cameron House, this year it was Adam Scott and also a glimpse of Phil Mickelson (or Philip Mickelson as his mum refers to him. Another Yoda story that I am sure he will share) and Bones coming back to the hotel after a practise session.
Like I said at the start, going to the Open is great, and we are lucky in the past few years that we in Scotland have had a chance to go to either the Scottish Open or the Open or both depending what you did. The Open is doon sooth for the next 2 years (St Georges' and then Lythm and St Annes before coming back up to Muirfield) so can't wait for 2013 and go to Muirfield again.
Again Yoda my friend it was good to see you and speak to you again. Also to the wonderful Mrs Yoda, it was good to see you too. Maybe next time we meet, we get to play some golf and work on my game again.
Hope that you enjoy the rest of the week in the old toun and safe journey home. I got home about 11 pm last night and was ready for bed.
I think they are entertaining the MacDonald brothers tonight (O.B. Left) so have fun guys.
Alex
Last edited by alex_chung : 07-17-2010 at 04:06 PM.
__________________ The student senses his teacher’s steadfast belief and quiet resolve: “This is doable. It is doable by you. The pathway is there. All you need is determination and time.” And together, they make it happen.
Thanks for taking the time to read GP.
Here is some random details:
1) St Andrews Beach was used in the film Chariots of Fire
2) Hazel Irvine, the BBC anchorwoman is from St Andrews and went to University in the town.
3) There is currently about 20 ways of saying Louis Oosthuizen
4) Its the 139th Open but its the 150th Anniversary because of the years missed out due to the World Wars. So the Championship is 150 years old but there has been only 139 stagings of the Championship
how about Canizares father being Jose Maria Canizares, every time a commentator on bbc mentions his name they feel obliged to say it.
__________________ The student senses his teacher’s steadfast belief and quiet resolve: “This is doable. It is doable by you. The pathway is there. All you need is determination and time.” And together, they make it happen.
he is a fine player indeed which made the continual reference to his father all the more irritating
__________________ The student senses his teacher’s steadfast belief and quiet resolve: “This is doable. It is doable by you. The pathway is there. All you need is determination and time.” And together, they make it happen.
) so I just walked past the Tented Village, the Hospitality Tents and the display of Lexi (gorgeous Lexus Hybrids and IS350s there) and headed towards the 17th Fairway where there is a crossing that took you past the 17th green and then across the 2nd fairway and to the 2nd Tee. 
Linear Mode
