The 144th Open Championship at St Andrews gets underway in less than a weeks time and it is set to be a cracker despite the sad news that Rory McIlroy will be unable to defend his Claret Jug.
The Old Course will be a gruelling test of links golf for the debutants and experienced heads such as Nick Faldo and Tom Watson as they take on the 112 bunkers that surround the stunning course.
If you’re thinking of attending the Open Championship this year, it is not too late and here are four reasons why you should stop what you’re doing and purchase a ticket ahead of next week (or for any major!).
It is the only way to fully appreciate the difficulty of a championship course
You may capture the ball landing three feet away from the hole and rolling 40 yards down the fairway on the television, but until you see it with your own eyes, it really is impossible to do it justice. The slopes and nuances of the fairways, the speed of the greens and difficultly of the rough, it is all part and parcel of a major tournament. You don’t realise how difficult it is until you’re witnessing one of the world’s best struggling.
Watch how the players approach their shots
Each shot the players face, you can see the way they’re thinking and having deep discussions with their caddies – something rarely seen on TV. Where do they stand on the tee box? What part of the fairway are they aiming for? And just how narrow the fairways are when they’re about to hit their drives. The added pressure of a major tournament makes these decisions all the more crucial.
Experience the major tournament ‘buzz’
You don’t get the same atmosphere at a European Tour event like you do at a major tournament. Everybody is excited, from the practice rounds on the Wednesday right through until the final putt on a Sunday evening. Being in the grandstand around the 18th green when two or more golfers are battling it out for a major is exhilarating. The pressure on the players in enormous and it rubs off on the crowd in attendance.
Follow your favourite players
If you have a flutter on an outsider or just have a golfer you want to follow throughout the round, that is no problem. Unless it’s Tiger Woods where hundreds flock to see him in action and many will set their stools out a couple of hours before he tees off so they can get a glimpse of him in action. A major tournament means many top players are out doing battle and you can learn from the best by keeping note of their on-course habits.
Click here to buy tickets for the Open Championship
Or click here to view the packages on offer for any major tournament