The British Open is at Hoylake but you must call it The Open. Looking at this year’s edition of the championship you can see that they have saved a lot of money on trees. Big crowds turn out for this golfing classic on the calendar. Royal Liverpool looks in good nick and the weather has been surprisingly fine for a British Open (sorry Open Championship). Dale Hayes, the South African golf commentator, made me smile when he described New Zealand golfer Ryan Fox’s speed of play like someone being chased by a policeman. A quick game is a good game in my book. Open thoughts of golf can do your head in.

Not The British Open, Just The Open Please

Watching golf is something you have to be in the mood for in this day and age with modern life’s pace of play muy rapido. The Open coverage is pretty spiffy with 3 channels via my cable network offering a smorgasbord of major golf. Listening to the commentators is, of course, a big part of the experience if you are settling down for a lengthy session. Thus, they have to be your cup of tea or the time grinds on my nerves listening to dick*****.

Watching The Open can be akin to viewing a wasteland in all sorts of weather sometimes.

Cool Giants At The Open Golf Major

Well, Rory’s been missing a few short putts. A giant South African amateur led the field for much of the first day. Should we ban golfers who are 6’ 8’’ from playing the game? Something to think about. Golf used to be a game for weedy fellows and non-athletic types but these days there are way too many giants striding the fairways. They make their golf clubs look like tiny toys and they launch humungous drives- it just isn’t fair.

Treeless Golf Is Very Open

Brian Harman is no movie star body double, and he is currently leading the tournament on the second day by some 5 strokes. Tommy Fleetwood is going well, and he would be a popular winner. Links golf is a strange looking version of the game we love to play. The Americans always look uncomfortable on these courses, where coming from such a wealthy country they can afford trees. The pot bunkers with revetted walls are a feature of Royal Liverpool, as they are at many Open courses.

These sand traps are penal unlike most bunkers around the golfing universe. Players coming out sideways and backwards are a torturous highlight for some fans to watch.

Claret Jugs & Making Putts Aren’t Open Secrets

The claret jug has become the iconic logo for The Open. It has morphed into a cylindrical metallic motif. Golf and claret, golf and wine, but it is, perhaps, just the shiny shell being celebrated as a timeless trophy. I doubt that many of these superhuman athletic golfers would be imbibing much vino this week. No time to drown sorrows over this major week.

Will Rory get back on the major winner’s train? Who will emerge on this treeless plain by the seaside? Will it be Brian Harman, an unlikely champion but a man who can putt the spots off his ball? Golf is a funny game and Open golf is its own beast.

My advice to the R & A – buy some trees please, for pity’s sake.

©GolfDom