Away from the golf course, the Spectator Village provides an incredible atmosphere for fans that visit the Open Championship, as I found out at Royal Troon…
To set the scene, it’s Saturday lunchtime on a pretty decent Scottish afternoon. The sun might not be out, but there’s no rain, and just a breath of wind in the air.
There is a hubbub around the Spectator Village, with fans from all over the world sitting down to watch some golf on the big screens, as they look again at what they’ve just purchased from the incredible shop.
The queue for the shop is long, but constantly moving, as the money-spinning operation gets people through the door and looking at all sorts of merchandise. I have to say, earlier in the week, I did spend a small fortune in there… But you have to! The Open only comes around once a year!
You can overhear conversations of people wondering where to go next. Should they go and find a grandstand to sit in or should they follow their favourite golfers?
Food and drink are being consumed, with the smells of fish and chips, pizza and plenty more filling the air. Add in the whisky, beer and cider, and it’s almost got a slight festival feel at times.
On the other hand, there are kids, most of whom will be experiencing the Open Championship, who are running around with joy. One lad was swinging a plastic club, and I was envious of how good his swing was..
Some fans might well choose to stay in the Spectator Village for most of the day, and honestly, I can understand why!
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“We love you Bobby, we do!” – One man’s serenade for their home hero
Following his success on home soil last week, Robert MacIntyre gained even more fans (if that was possible) in this part of the world.
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One fan seemed to take that to the next level though. Possibly a few pints of Tennent’s, or a wee bit too much whisky (even at lunchtime), meant that as soon as Bobby was shown on screen, the singing began.
There were a couple of different renditions, with sounds akin to what you would hear on the terraces at your local football ground.
“We love you Bobby, we do! We love you Bobby, we do! We love you Bobby, we do! Oh, Bobby we love you!”
That seemed to be the favourite choice for this inebriated fan. He also seemed to be the only one in a particular state at this point in the day, but no-one around him seemed to care.
I can only imagine by now, that in the pouring rain, fans have taken cover and drank even more! What else would you do when the weather turns?
All I can say is that if you ever get to the Open Championship, you have to spend an hour or two in the Spectator Village, just to experience the atmosphere.
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