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My first Open trip
What an experience – but should a pie really cost over £5?
The Royal Lytham leaderboard
Despite being a self-confessed sport addict, this was my first ever trip to an Open Championship.
Turning up at the antiquated train station which backed on to the 9th green I wasn’t really sure what to expect from a day at Royal Lytham & St Annes, but it was safe to say that my first Open experience will be one that will live long in the memory.
Arriving at the course at 11am I was surprised to see just how easy it was to purchase a ticket. No queues, no prolonged wait, just one concession ticket in exchange for £30 and I was in. Good start.
It was around this time that I caught my first glimpse of the magnificent course at Lytham, with an initial thought being – I wouldn’t fancy my chances out of those bunkers or that rough.
Watching golf live rapidly makes you realise that TV coverage is essentially an extended highlights package. You simply cannot experience how much strategy plays a part in a player’s round when you only see their very best shots.
I assumed that watching Bubba Watson and Ian Poulter would guarantee some form of maverick excitement, but it wasn’t until both players arrived on the 9th tee that the public saw even the remotest form of adventure.
However, if the front nine didn’t offer much life, the back nine proved the complete opposite. A birdie on 10 seemed to spark Watson into action and three holes later he was five under for the day and mounting an assault on the leaderboard.
Lytham's understated nature provided the perfect setting for me.
That all said, another three holes saw the Masters champion squander his previous work and he was back at two under for the tournament. The round showed how patience is undoubtedly a golfer’s closest ally, and Bubba misjudged when to take his foot off the gas and concentrate on keeping his round intact.
As for the event itself, I thought that Lytham provided a spectacular setting for the Open. It is possibly fair to say that the Lancashire links doesn’t carry the same history as a venue such as St Andrews, but its understated nature provided the perfect setting for me.
Standing out on holes seven to 11, away from the food stalls and grandstands, Lytham provides a true championship experience. It really is just the fans, the golfers and the course in that area – everything I was looking for from the event.
The only parts of my day that did not live up to expectation were watching a small child being barked at by a steward for attempting to take a photo of Tiger Woods walking down the fairway and being charged over £5 for a pie.
The photo incident was ridiculous as Tiger was nowhere near his ball, and a pie is never worth £5.50. Mind you, the catering assistant was kind enough to give me £24 change when I handed over a £20 note. He clearly sensed my indignation after all.
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