There are rooms with a view and then there is this. Cath Gregory has got the best seat in the house at The Open. All she has to do is look out of her window.
Cath and her husband Paul own one of two cottages, planked right in the middle of Royal Troon, that make up Blackrock House.
On the west side of the house is the 2nd green. Almost backing onto their lawn on the east side is the 16th.
Pop out into the garden and, in the distance, you can see the unmistakable huge scoreboard that dominates the 18th grandstand.
“Mostly people are curious as to why it’s here,” she says. “It’s the only house on a golf course that’s played in the major competitions.
“Other golf courses have houses roundabout it but nobody on it. [But] Blackrock Cottages were here first, before Royal Troon.”
Around 250,000 people will walk past her living room window this week and there may be a few more interested eyes than usual gazing at the distinctive property at 14 and 16 Crosbie Road.
That’s because her neighbours have put their side of the 1920s building up for sale – and its unique location is bound to have golf fans salivating to grab one of the best views in championship golf. Expect to shell out seven figures if you’re planning on opening your wallet.
Blackrock House Troon: The best place to watch The Open?
Blackrock House has a long history. There was a building already there when Royal Troon first opened its doors – as a six-hole course – in 1878. Its name reportedly comes from the rocks which sit between the course and the water.
“Paul and I are from here,” Cath said of how they came to buy the property, which would now easily reach seven figures, 17 years ago.
“My mum is here. We have brothers and sisters down here. When we visit mum we like to have somewhere to stay. It was about that initially, but we do play golf so it has got a double bonus.”
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She added: “We have a lot of friends who suddenly appear [at Open time] but, seriously, it’s great fun. We have people staying all week and we also have lots of people who will pop in and see us.”
It will be the couple’s second Open – the first culminating in that memorable duel between Henrik Stenson and Phil Mickelson back in 2016.
“It’s different this time,” she explained of the 152nd renewal. “It’s much bigger – a much bigger enterprise entirely. We have a lot more scoreboards.
“I used to be able to see the 2nd green sitting on my wall and they’ve stuck a scoreboard there, but that’s fair enough.”
Though the house is out of bounds, do the Gregorys find their garden filling with errant shots – and could it be in the firing line this week?
“Very occasionally,” Cath adds. “You would have to go very awry from the 2nd but we’ve occasionally had one, and occasionally one from the 16th. Hardly ever, believe it or not. Obviously, the Royal Troon players are good.
“Interestingly, we have a lot of big hitters this week and a lot of them will hit the ball much further.”
But even with such a grand vantage point, you might be surprised to learn Cath has no plans to simply stay homebound when play gets under way on Thursday.
“I like going out to the 8th,” she said. “There’s a stand out there at the Postage Stamp and you can see 8 and 7. It’s great.”
Now have your say
What would you give to have a similar view at The Open? What do you think of Blackrock House Troon? Let me know your thoughts by leaving me a comment on X.
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