The Open celebrates its 150th anniversary this year and is the oldest championship in golf. First played in 1860 when eight men took to the links to find out who would become the champion golfer of the year.
To this day all seven of Scotland’s Open venues are ‘Open To All’ and we sent friends and film makers Ollie Allison, Harvey Jamison, Oliver Lawson and Michael Allison to document their experience of walking in the footsteps of legends on those hallowed links.
This episode comes to you from Royal Troon Golf Club, which most recently staged the Championship in 2016, when Henrik Stenson prevailed in a stunning duel with Phil Mickelson. Royal Troon will host the 2024 Open Championship.
Never fails to amaz me I would assuming these cares I Turn what is it that Springs to mind when you think about the open the world’s best chopping out of deep roof at mfield battling the Scottish wind and lashing rain at St Andrews or those little puffs of sand when balls land on sunb Junes the open his golf’s most historic and coveted
Championship played on our game’s most hallowed turf a championship still played today born where golf began this series documents the trip of a lifetime showing that anyone can follow in the footsteps of Champions and taste the glory and history of those Pioneers that came before [Applause] us Morning and welcome to Royal TR we are here early on in the morning Monday morning there’s nobody about we’ve got like the course to ourselves cuz we’re out before everyone so that’s a pretty decent way to start Monday morning I’d Say I couldn’t tell you if it was driver or not cuz those bunkers look like they well way just give it a smack I just again think don’t go right okay he’s saying that in Scotland yeah sh and I was trying to be cute and like Chase it in
There there’s so many bunkers in these first two holes already I know golf on these Coastal links is not Target golf a course like Royal TR will test you from the moment you set foot on the first tea the wind catches your breath the Salt Air fills your lungs and the beach seems
Far too close this is proper linky yeah proper linky and the the the greens are just propag guarded as well are they like yeah you know when they say about pop bunkers in L go yeah I think I’ve counted about 24 already yeah I’ve been in about 12 already first two [Applause] hours get left sit sit sit flirting with the bunkers the opening four holes are a navigation between mounds of tall waving f skes and maram the right side of the predominantly flat Fairways tightly hugging the coast and then the Junes 20 bunkers over the first two holes make
You wonder what’s ahead but the course is long and linear using distance into the prevailing wind to challenge you scrambling a little bit it’s uh give an example this part five the Fairway is proper narrow I’ve not at a fairway yet the history of the club and it’s car
A legendary founded in 1879 it was initially only five holes then in 1882 assisted by the Greenkeeper of preswick just up the road tr’s professional George Strath and open Champion Willie fery expanded it to 18 holes in 1888 just before hosting its first Open championship in 1923 Royal tro was redesigned and
Lengthened by Golf Hall of fmer James braid just it’s on the just on the up slope on the left of the bunker sonof driver shot what going on Railways were the Catalyst for the growth of golf in Asia with many of the local landowners playing their golf as
Members of the royal and ancient Club of St Andrews courses began to spring up in close proximity to railway stations and wherever the untamed linkx land offered an opportunity to design a set of holes just walking up to the eth this is the famous postage stamp oh
Wow it’s just a flick but it’s a very small green quite sloppy and heavily guarded all it looks good it’s all over it great shot makes it all worth it isn’t it get it on that short on that thin slice your knes your knees start good on the postage down but that’s all
Right strike gone oh sh three balls in the green wow so this bunker is what they call the coffin and you can see why they call it the coffing because you can’t really see it from the tea but uh it’s very narrow and very deep and very like
Bold you don’t want to be in there really tough hole short but tough Well done take that off the list B birded postage down birded I’ll have that well Done yeah but so this is the 11th tea what a picturesque hul this is especially when this Gau is In Bloom as well it’s got like flanked by Gau on the left all this yellow you got the train track on the right with the Old Stone Wall um yeah very picturesque
Hall it might be picturesque but the 11th has been a card record for many professionals from a gwall te the wind will push your shot towards the railway tight on the right and off the tips you have 190 yd blind carry to clear the roof and the deep deep
Gauze one more change of Direction and then it’s a straight run back parallel to the outward six the fairways from the 13th to the 15th are by no means as flat with some impressive undulations to overcome yeah great shot it’s on these final holes we remembered that epic
Jewel between Henrik Stenson and Phil nichelson and how 100 years later Royal tro is still the perfect stage to test the world’s best me and Michael were saying it’s golf ball placement so many bunkers you got to place it off the Fairway you’ve got to place it on the right shelf on
The green and then the greens are so there’s obviously big undulations but they’re so subtle you’ve got a really place where you B is going to fall in the hole so you can tell why the great of the game have won here is it’s a true test but it’s uh it’s it’s Fun thank you fellas really good fun thank you such a fun course you thank You
