Open Golf 2008, Royal Birkdale

more details here http://www.britishopengolf.co.uk/index.php
this tournament is on July 17-20, 2008 at Royal Birkdale


A few of the golfers have already shown up in Southport and Birkdale, in my travels I haven't seen any yet - the golf course is 2 miles from my house and some golfers are renting houses around the corner, yey! (don't ask which, legally we're not allowed to say)

pretty much all of the hotels are fully booked, just a few of the smaller B&B's have still got rooms..



so - is anyone from HEXUS going? any HEXITES going? anyone care about golf? watching it on TV?

http://www.usedgolfballdeals.com/v/v...ilshade-2T.jpg

I'm going, I went to the last two of them! But I haven't booked a room yet....whoops, can I put a tent up in your garden :D

gardens a bit full of ducks, fallen over 50ft trees and 8ft grizzly bears, not much room..

if i find any hotels that still have rooms left i will let you know.. part of my job is delivering mobility scooters to hotels, i'll ask around over the next week or so.. just for you..

Did I mention I will pay you for the pleasure of using your garden?

hotel availability in july...

Balmoral lodge - full
Best Western Stutelea - full
the Penkelie - full
Alexandra & Victoria - full
Cambridge house - full
Crimond - full
Formby Hall Golf Resort & Spa - full
the Chadwick - full
Scarisbrick – full
Prince of wales – full
Bold – full
Royal Clifton - full

I will try and check the B&B's out for anyone who's interested.. theres a couple more smaller hotels, I'll check them too..:undecided

you can always rent a house: they're going from £3,000 up to £30,000 - yup we are a bunch of greedy barstewards in southport:mrgreen:

dont ask about my garden: full of ducks, dont want to disturb them, protected nesting species and all that jazz.. so I can't rent it out even if I wanted to...
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back to golf news:

interview with Mark O'Meara: southportvisiter.co.uk

thats all for now..

My friend knows Bart Bryant who is probers renting a house, so I might be able use their garden.

other accommodation availability in july..

B&B's down Bold street & Bath street - everyone is full, no rooms, nuffink wotsoever..

only options:

sleep in car after finding an area where no-one is likely to call police - not near town center though, police patrols, rowdy drunk yobs, been a couple of shootings/stabbings this past year..

find a friend in southport who has room in their house.. (I dont have room so dont ask!)

check Liverpool hotels out - Liverpool is 45 minutes away on train.

thats's all for now..

I have found a B & B in Southport thats 10 mins drive to teh golf, through the power of good old mum. :D

I only checked the town centre ones..

glad you found a B&B though.. (interesting avatar!)

(forgot i made this thread.. oops)
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players entry list for the open... http://www.opengolf.com/Championship...EntryList.aspx..

website for info on the course itself .. http://www.royalbirkdale.com/home.asp

any other HEXITES coming to lovely southport.. we don't all bite..

information from http://www.southportvisiter.co.uk/so...1022-21320859/
PARKING:

The R&A has organised four official public park and ride sites located in Birkdale and Southport town centre. Buses servicing the park and ride sites will only be available to Championship spectators.

On July 13, 14, 15 cost for Park and Ride is £5.

On July 16, 17, 18, 19, 20 cost for the Park and Ride is £10.

Weekly reserved spaces £45 are available from R&A ticket sales on 01334 460010.

Southport - Esplanade Park & Ride & Princes Park & Ride Sites

Traffic will be directed to these park and ride sites via the Formby by Pass/A565 and Coastal Road from the south and via Water Lane/A565 from the North.

From Esplanade a dedicated bus service will then shuttle spectators to Royal Birkdale via Victoria Way - Rotten Row - Weld Road - Westbourne Road - Grosvenor Road - Trafalgar Road before arriving at Greenbank Drive.

From Princes Park, the shuttle service will run along Victoria Way – Rotten Row – Weld Road – Westbourne Road – Grosvenor Road – before arriving at Trafalgar Road.

Birkdale - Carr Lane Park & Ride

Traffic arriving from the east and south east will be directed to this park and ride site via the A41/A55/A483, M53 (junct 11), M56 (junct12), Runcorn Bridge, A5300, M57 (J7), A59, A5147, New Cut Lane, Guilford Road before entering the park & ride site at Carr Lane.

From Carr Lane, the shuttle service will operate from a collection point situated on Liverpool Road and run along Waterloo Road – Gainsborough Road – Trafalgar Road - Selworthy Road – Sherringham Road – Cromer Road – Trafalgar Road before arriving at Selworthy Road.

Birkdale - Bedford Park and Ride

Traffic arriving from the east will be directed to this park and ride site via the M6 (junct 26), M58 (junct 3), A570, A506, Long Lane, B5197, A59, A570, B5243/Birkdale Cop, Moss Road, Guilford Road entering Bedford Park at Lyndhurst Road.

The shuttle service will operate from a collection point situated on Bedford Road Liverpool Road – Arundel Road – Waterloo Road – Gainsborough Road – Trafalgar Road - Selworthy Road – Sherringham Road – Cromer Road –before arriving at Trafalgar Road.

Parking along park and ride routes to and from the golf course will be restricted.
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PEDESTRIANS:

THE main entrance to the course will be located on Waterloo Road at the main entrance to Greenbank High School.

To assist pedestrians cross Waterloo Road there will be a temporary footbridge erected across the highway.

Pedestrian signage will be located along all the main thoroughfares to the course from Hillside Station, Waterloo Recreation Ground Car Park, designated taxi drop off areas and the park and ride drop off area situated at Greenbank Drive.
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http://img378.imageshack.us/img378/8125/golfmapya0.jpg

deserves a post on its own..

MOBILE phones will not be allowed to be taken into Royal Birkdale for The Open.
To enforce this policy, the R&A will be locating mobile phone search at all the main park and ride sites as well as at the main entrance to the course on Waterloo Road.

Mobile phones can be left at the designated checkpoint and will be returned on departure from the course.

People caught using phones inside the course face being ejected.

:o park and ride was free the last two years. And if you clever, just put a mobile in a funny place in your bag where they wont look ;).

I always think it's safer not taking a phone in at all. I just leave it in the car.

Theres always the risk that you'll forget to switch it off :) And you'll then get turfed out on your ear!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by bigblue

I always think it's safer not taking a phone in at all. I just leave it in the car.

Theres always the risk that you'll forget to switch it off :) And you'll then get turfed out on your ear!

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I will always remember watching seve Ballesteros putting and this guys phone went off (nokia tone).
Seve went to lay into him but realised he was on a golf course, so just gave him plenty of verbal abuse in stead.:D

Quote:

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Originally Posted by No.72

I will always remember watching seve Ballesteros putting and this guys phone went off (nokia tone).
Seve went to lay into him but realised he was on a golf course, so just gave him plenty of verbal abuse in stead.:D

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I've seen it happen once or twice too :)

A few years back, at the Dunhill, one of my mates went into one of the hospitality areas where phones were allowed. He finished his call, forgot to switch his phone off, came back out to the side of the green. Then we heard the dreaded "beep beep" of a text. He quickly turned and gave some dirty looks at passers by, shook his head, then hastily fumbled inside his jacket to switch the thing off!

Since then, I've always left the phone in the car. Quite glad to be away from the thing for a few hours!

getting close now..

alot of the golfers and business boss type people are already here, swaggering around the place, showing off in their bentleys and porsches - according to my mate, they have bombarded the other courses in the area to get some practice in and acclimatise to the climate..


I'll try to get photos if I see anyone famous.. daily score sheets too if I remember..

http://www.southportforums.com/forum...eadid=50387655
and..
http://www.southportforums.com/forum...eadid=50387702
for some pictures of the golf...

couple of videos..
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/7510676.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/7510635.stm
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http://www.southportforums.com/forum...id=68940&stc=1

we aren't allowed to take mobiles in, but the golfers are.. how nice..
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other slightly relevant news - if you're in southport going to the golf -

the traffic near the plough roundabout (preston end) was gridlocked for an hour or so.. around 9am and also 5pm..

the train-line crossing in birkdale village is playing-up a bit, the barriers are slightly broken.. try and avoid if possible, the road may be blocked..

the road closure/blockage on eastbank street was someone who'd been run over..

thats all for now...


kick-off is at 6am thursday..

Its not on BBCHD, why is it not on BBCHD? They put every other bloody sporting even on there, why not the open????!??!?!?!

good question - ill try and find out for ya..
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for those of you who cant find a tv, at work, on train or a plane.. try these for size.. most of them are UK only though.. if anyone international wants the international links, or these don't work, just ask in this thread..

LIVE tv coverage.. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport/ - theres a button for a stand alone player too..

Radio 5 live - http://www.bbc.co.uk/mediaselector/c...&nbwm=1&bbwm=1 - opens in seperate window tab.. just select internet speed and favourite player - bung on headphones and pretend to work all day..

and the handiest feature (because it saves me doing it)..
a video leaderboard - complete with a small LIVE video coverage on the right.. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/golf/7510134.stm

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Sandy Lyle has quit !! 11 over par after 10 holes.. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/golf/7511332.stm - complaining about the weather.. PAH!!.. try living here for 25 years ya big wuss!:embarrassed:
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yet another mobile phone mishap..

Golfing star, Greg Norman received a caution by Merseyside Police for using his mobile phone whilst driving.

Police stopped Norman in Birkdale at 8:25am whilst he was on his way to Royal Birkdale Open golf championships for a final practice round.

http://www.southportforums.com/forum.../ots/bb836.jpg

took 1/2 hour to fill out paperwork... do you think he took his phone onto the golf course? he might get chucked out of there too.
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and the trains are broken.. due to engineering works and a power failure..

none between formby and southport..

bus replacement in operation..

someone in the know has said.. 'due to the excessive amount of trains on the line. the electric substation in hillside has melted/exploded due to excess load..

service will be affected until next week sometime..

anyone have an air horn :mrgreen:

had the open round here in 2006 loads of rumours about celebrities etc.

1 of them was that george clooney, robbie williams and brad pitt were drinking in wetherspoons or something stupid like that.

well alot of celebs actually live or have houses in southport.. some of the Liverpool and Man-U squad.. allen hansen (he can see the golf from his house). jean alexander who played hilda ogden in corination street.. miranda richardson. to name a few..

Quote:

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Originally Posted by stevie lee

good question - ill try and find out for ya..

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The Beeb have had many angry emails about this. Seemingly they've said that it's due to the expense of covering it in HD at the moment, possibly due to the majority of their HD hardware (and other units HD gear that they use) being on route to the Olympics.

Quote:

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Sandy Lyle has quit !! 11 under par after 10 holes..

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I hope that's a typo :surprised: :D

yup typo.. thanks.. keep getting over and under mixed up..

I don't blame Lyle to be honest. It was horrendous this morning.

God knows what the US Tour players must be thinking, playing a sea-side course in the height of summer, yet everyone is wearing woolly hats, waterproofs and polo necks!

If it settles down, some of the late starters will have a chance to take advantage.

Just out of interest, who is everyone putting their money on?
I going for Goosen, he's a strong player with 3 major victories to show for it, he's just never pulled ahead in the British Open.

For the first time...... Garcia :) Any of you going this week? I can only make it for the Sunday and ime coming all the way from Poole :o.

Not going this week sadly :( I often go, but I'm too busy with other things this year.

Pity, as I really like Birkdale. I was a big Ian Baker-Finch fan and I still watch the '91 Open DVD from time to time, so I'd like to see the course up close.

I used to hate this time of year, as I worked in the golf trade. It's like the Christmas rush in July, only with dafter requests and questions! Everybody wants what the pros use, forgetting the fact that there's a slight talent difference between them and us :D

Ohhhh just got back, 7 hour train journey and 5 changes :crazy:, my face is all sunburnt/slapped by the wind. But hay, I still really enjoyed it! Going for 4 years in a row next year!