Advice on getting tickets for British Open

O.P.H

I am thinking of getting tickets for myself and a couple of friends to go to this years British Open in St. Andrews. I have never been to golf tournament, never mind a major, so no idea about where or how to get tickets, I assume through the Open website? Also, if anyone has experience of going to something like this and has any advice on things like packages or best place to watch when you're there etc, that would be great, cheers.

O.P.H

So any advice?

Ronney

http://www.theopen.com/Tickets

coylemj

It mightn't be a bad idea to visit the Irish Open in Portrush before going to the expense of flying to Scotland to see the other Open. When you're at a tournament, you'd be surprised how out of touch you can be in terms of the action happening elsewhere on the course. A radio is definitely a must so in the case of St. Andrews you'd probably need to bring a portable radio and headphones and listen to BBC5 Live. Unless you're beside one of the scoreboards or in the tented village (where there are loads of screens), you may feel that though you're right there in the middle of the action, you don't get a feel for what's happening because all you'll be able to see is two or three players at a time.

O.P.H

Ronney wrote: »

http://www.theopen.com/Tickets

coylemj wrote: »

It mightn't be a bad idea to visit the Irish Open in Portrush before going to the expense of flying to Scotland to see the other Open. When you're at a tournament, you'd be surprised how out of touch you can be in terms of the action happening elsewhere on the course. A radio is definitely a must so in the case of St. Andrews you'd probably need to bring a portable radio and headphones and listen to BBC5 Live. Unless you're beside one of the scoreboards or in the tented village (where there are loads of screens), you may feel that though you're right there in the middle of the action, you don't get a feel for what's happening because all you'll be able to see is two or three players at a time.

Cheers for that, thinkin of getting tickets for the Irish Open too but would prob wanna be sortin out the British Open tickets before then anyway.

cheves

st andrews is very boring people are unfriendly so stay in Glasgow or Edinburgh

tickets at theopen dot com

razorblunt

cheves wrote: »

st andrews is very boring people are unfriendly so stay in Glasgow or Edinburgh

tickets at theopen dot com

I find that very hard to believe and my experiences go completely against it.

joebloggs123

I'm for St Andrews for the open this year. Anyone got any advice for getting the most out of the experience?

SevesThreeIron

Did Hoylake last year and Sandwich when Clarke won. Went both years for Weds, Thurs and Fri. The main aim was to get up close and watch the ball striking, the scores didn't really come into it for me. It's more hearing the strike and seeing the ball flight, the stuff you don't get from TV. The crowds got much bigger from Friday on so for that reason and the fact that the scores are obviously a big deal at the weekend I was happy to leave and watch from home.

If keeping up with scoring is a big deal for you, you can buy the radio thingy that they sell on site. It's a fiver or so. There's also scoreboards around a lot of the grandstands.

For the best grandstand seats and to catch the top groups you have to be prepared to wait, maybe an hour or two. But sure there's never really any crap groups going thru anyway at the Open.

It's a great experience. Plenty of sunscreen and bring binoculars! Both are essential.

MisterAnarchy

SevesThreeIron wrote: »

Did Hoylake last year and Sandwich when Clarke won. Went both years for Weds, Thurs and Fri. The main aim was to get up close and watch the ball striking, the scores didn't really come into it for me. It's more hearing the strike and seeing the ball flight, the stuff you don't get from TV. The crowds got much bigger from Friday on so for that reason and the fact that the scores are obviously a big deal at the weekend I was happy to leave and watch from home.

As you said the practice days are the best if you want to see the players up close and watch them from a technical point of view.
Also the practice range is very good.

The way modern courses are set up (not so much links) with the ropes so far from the fairways ,its hard work following groups around if its busy.

Jimmy Two Times

St Andrews is also a difficult course to watch The Open as spectators are only allowed on one side of each hole due to the design of the course with the double greens and shared fairways.

However the history of the place makes it well worth a visit if you are prepared to live with this inconvenience.

Accomodation in the locality will be scarce and expensive, Glasgow is the guts of an hour and a half away and Edinburgh an hour and a quarter.

Dero123

Agree with the previous post St Andrews is very difficult to get around especially if you want to follow a specific group and pace of place is very slow. Was there in 2010 and we stayed in accommodation within St Andrews University from memory I think it worked out about the same price as what staying in Edinburugh and train fare would have cost - here's the link
https://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/alumni/relations/services/unibenefits/holidayaccom/

Great buzz around St Andrews in the evenings so it was worth staying there

I've been to Carnoustie, Turberry and Birkdale all of which I'd go back to but would not be to bothered about going back to St Andrews again.

Beaulieu

I'ld echo previous posters about The Open..Ive been to Birkdale (08) & Hoylake(14) as well as St Andrews (2010) but it is dire as a viewing venue -Open Championship or no Open Championship. Save your cash and go next year or else why not consider PGA at Wentworth...