My 154th Open Experience
- CoachDay
- 2 days ago
- 4 min read
As The Open continues on this weekend, I have returned stateside after my travels of about 2 weeks in the UK centered around Scotland & my first not only in-person golf tournament but major & Open Championship at Royal Birkdale. An amazing adventure that included golfing at the 5th oldest course in the world & chillin with some highland cows. Still, somehow the awe of Birkdale & The Open Championship took the cake, every golf fan has to find a way to get out there at least once.
A quick recap of Scotland just cause it truly deserves the attention: From Edinburgh to Inverness, the views delivered. Castles to Coos, golf links to Loch Ness, we had an amazing time start to finish. Even taking our chances with local dishes of Haggis & Black Pudding, though I can say without a doubt I was far from impressed with those. What was impressive, though, was Montrose 1562, the first course I have gotten to play in Scotland. Right off the coast of the North Sea, it was every bit of traditional links golf. Though my score wasn't pretty, the course was. We then continued the unreal memory-making by heading to the Highlands to meet the iconic cows of the Scottish. Pretty dope to be close up to the unique animals, even getting to feed & pet them on a small tour. But enough about that, it's The Open that you are here for!
For those who don't know, getting tickets to majors is not always an easy task. In fact, it is a lottery system for The Open. Of course there is resale later on, but even that is no guarantee. Over the past decade, every year I enter but never win, until the 154th Royal Birkdale came through! I went for Wednesday's Practice Round & Thursday's Round 1. A perfect intro into the golf-attending world in my opinion. First, I have to say the transportation in & out was really smooth, big applause to the UK rail system (or "the Tube" as they say down in Liverpool). Staying in Liverpool, the trips back & forth were stress-free.
Now before we get into the course, golf, & the players, the setup of the spectators' village was so dope as you had access to food, drinks, games, & merch all right off the 1st, 10th, 18th, & 13th holes too, getting you back to the action quickly. On Wednesday, I knew it was the day to check out all the fun, hitting the simulators & even almost holing one at St Andrews (not a big deal). After that we hit the shop...this thing was glorious. I also went to the Winter Olympics this year as well & the merch game is not even close. The Open does it right with endless options; if you aren't careful, you could easily max out the credit card in a matter of minutes. But I told my wife & myself it's all in "pounds", so that is basically monopoly money, so let's spend away.
On Wednesday, it was much more relaxed, from getting a photo with Ludvig Åberg to easily following Rory McIlroy for multiple holes without an endless sea of people in your way. If you are wanting to get out to one of the majors, I highly recommend grabbing a practice day ticket, one, you are more likely to get in, & two, it's much easier to see the big names up close & personal. Still, though, don't stop there cause on a tournament day the vibes are can't-miss!
On Thursday, it was unforgettable. We got there very early to see Max Homa & Jose Ballester before the big dawgs took the course, which was such a smart move as we were able to jump around to picture spots, seeing many of their shots up close. Also, Homa was the beginning of my Royal Birkdale high-five record day.
As the day went on, the crowds grew & the game got serious. Getting great views of a historic golf course with shots of Tommy Fleetwood (the hometown guy) and Jordan Spieth (the former champion), to the afternoon with my favorites new & old, Åberg & Rory. While yes, I get it, on TV you can see every shot from your seat, watching these guys in person brings golf to another level. Though somehow, running around a golf course through crowds of thousands, I saw 10x more shots by Åberg than I have on the broadcast since. So thanks a lot, NBC.
The Open has always been my number 1 major. Yes, I know that's a bit off the beaten path as people drool over the Masters or the U.S. Open, but to me, there is something about seeing the best in the world go back to golf's origins on courses that you don't see all year, in weather that at times can be unpredictable. To now have it checked off the bucket list is something I'll always cherish & believe all golf psychos need to do themselves. Make a trip out of it too with some golf of your own. Also, in life, enjoy these moments & take the trips, it's what we work for anyways, to make the money to spend. But you won't be alone in that lottery, as I have already submitted for St Andrews 2027! Let's run this back, UK!
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