Glenmorangie is known for their well made single malt whiskeys – but is now searching for the world’s most “Unnecessarily Well Made” golf courses. Every golfer has a favorite golf course – maybe it’s because you had a great round there or watched a Major there or just really enjoy the layout of the course. They want to find out which course that may be, and to help do so have brought four established professionals on board to help as ambassadors.
I recently came across this video (click here to view) while doing some research on the three Royal courses in North West England.
My Granddad, Willie Aitchison, can be seen caddying for Roberto Di Vicenzo in the 1967 Open Championship at Royal Liverpool. I recall him telling me the story about this being the last time the Open was won without the use of yardages and all distances were measured by eye. These were the days when good caddies were worth their weight in gold! This was Di Vicenzo’s first and only Major Championship victory, but the first of 3 which my Granddad won as a caddie. The other 2 victories were with Lee Trevino at Royal Birkdale in 1971 and at Muirfield in 1972.
By Gary Sheppard. Gary has been with PerryGolf for over 4 years and is one of our Golf Travel Specialists.
The British Open returns to Royal St George’s this year. It will be the 14th time the Championship will be played at what is the southernmost course on the Open rota. With legends of the game such as Harry Vardon (twice), Walter Hagen (twice), Sandy Lyle and Greg Norman being previous Open winners on the course, every PGA Pro in the world will be dreaming of joining this elite list.
Royal St George's Golf Course
The last time the event was held there, relative unknown Ben Curtis won the trophy, narrowly edging out superstars like Tiger Woods, Vijay Singh, Nick Faldo and Davis Love III; so anyone who qualifies this year will have Curtis’s victory in the back of their mind, knowing anything is possible.
PerryGolfwill very soon be promoting an Escorted Tour to attend the Open, which will be combined with some time on the Lancashire Coast, which is home to the 3 other English courses on the Open rota (Birkdale, Lytham and Hoylake) so keep your eyes peeled for what is bound to be a special trip taking in some of the best links golf the world has to offer.
By Keith Baird. Keith has been with PerryGolf for over 10 years and is one of our Golf Travel Specialists.
The R&A have announced that Royal Liverpool Golf Club will host The Open Championship in 2014. It will be the 12th time the Hoylake links has hosted golf’s oldest Major.
It has always been one of the finest and most enjoyable venues on the Lancashire coast, however during an almost 40 year absence from the British Open rota between 1967 when Argentinean Roberto De Vicenzo became the first South American to win a Major, and 2006 when Tiger Woods became a back-to-back Open Champion, it arguably did not receive the attention of the golfing world which it deserved. It has certainly been a consistent favorite with PerryGolf clients, and indeed we have taken passengers here on our golf cruises to enjoy this great links course on a number of occasions.
Royal Liverpool Golf Club
The Club has a rich and illustrious history. In 1885 the links hosted the first Amateur Championship; in 1902 the first ever international golf match which was between England and Scotland (the centenary of which in 2002 I was very privileged to have played in … and yes, 100 years on we beat England again-:); and, in 1921, the first international match between Great Britain and the United States of America, which we now know as The Walker Cup. In fact, it is Royal Liverpool Golf Club’s contribution to the amateur game that has set it apart from all other clubs in England. Although, at the end of the nineteenth century, it was the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews that took on the role of the governing body in golf as the game developed, it was at Hoylake that the rules of amateur status were laid down.
ROYAL LIVERPOOL TO HOST THE 2014 OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP
16 February 2010, Hoylake, England: The R&A has announced that Royal Liverpool Golf Club will host The Open Championship in 2014. It will be the 12th time the Hoylake links has hosted golf’s oldest Major.
The venue has witnessed a string of unique Open Champions: in 1907, Arnaud Massy became the only Frenchman to have won the title; Fred Daly became the first Irishman to do so, in 1947; and Argentine golfer Roberto De Vicenzo became the first South American to win a Major when he lifted the Claret Jug in 1967. When The Open returned to Hoylake in 2006 after a 39-year absence, Tiger Woods became the first back-to-back Open Champion since Tom Watson in 1983 in front of 230,000 people, a record attendance for the Championship in England.
Two of the three amateurs to have won The Open were Royal Liverpool members: Hoylake-born John Ball Jr, the first Englishman to win The Open, lifted the Claret Jug at Prestwick in 1890; and Harold Hilton, who, on his home course in 1897, won his second title at the first Open Championship to be staged in the north west of England. The only other amateur winner is Bobby Jones, who won his third Open at Hoylake in 1930: the second of four steps to his unprecedented and unmatched Grand Slam.
In 1885, Hoylake hosted the inaugural Amateur Championship – the first of 17 to date – and, in 1921, it staged the first international match between Great Britain and the USA, a contest which would later become the Walker Cup Match.
“We are delighted that The Open is returning to Royal Liverpool after a relatively short period of time,” said David Hill, The R&A’s Director of Championships. “In 2006, Hoylake showcased links golf at its best and players, spectators and officials were united in their praise for the course, and for the venue as a whole.
“We would like to thank the Club’s officials for their unfailing co-operation, which has enabled the Championship to come back to Royal Liverpool, a Club whose history is interwoven with both The Open and The R&A.”
Paul Cassidy, Captain of Royal Liverpool Golf Club added, “we are very proud of our Club’s rich heritage and the many memorable golfing moments staged at Hoylake since our founding in 1869 and are extremely thrilled to be again invited to host The Open Championship in 2014. We are thoroughly looking forward to working with both The R&A and Wirral Council in the planning, organisation and staging of another successful Major championship.”
With The Open Championship estimated to boost the local economy by £70m each time it is played in the north west of England, the news has also been welcomed by Councillor Steve Foulkes, Leader of Wirral Council.
“This is fantastic news for Wirral. We look forward to getting ready to welcome new visitors to the Peninsula as well as returning golf fans who enjoyed themselves so much with us four years ago,” said Councillor Foulkes.
“The return of one of the world’s biggest sporting events to Royal Liverpool Golf Club is not only great for Wirral, but the whole of the North West. We are absolutely committed to ensuring local residents, businesses and golf fans alike benefit from this fantastic opportunity once more.”
1907 – Arnaud Massy (FRA) 1956 – Peter Thomson (AUS)
1913 – J H Taylor (ENG) 1967 – Roberto De Vicenzo (ARG)
1924 – Walter Hagen (USA) 2006 – Tiger Woods (USA)
1930 – Bobby Jones (A) (USA)
ENDS
Note to Editors
The R&A
Based in St Andrews, The R&A is golf’s governing body and organiser of The Open Championship. The R&A is committed to working for golf and operates with the consent of 138 organisations from the amateur and professional game and on behalf of over thirty million golfers in 124 countries.
