THE STARTER SHACK
Did you get up at 3am to begin the marathon of early morning Open watching? It's like birdwatching...you're wide awake with excitement in the beginning and then wakeup 4 hours later not really sure where you are.
🎯 The drop zones at The Open look eerily similar to...
🏌️♂️ Want to hit the "stinger", c'mon, of course you do
🧈 Greg Norman's 1-iron is nearly invisible at address
⛳️ New Nike shoes to resemble an English Pub
PGA TOUR
Facts of the Open, brought to you by John Montagu, Earl of Sandwich (mmmm, Sandwich)
The Open is underway and we just want to ensure you have all the facts handy (well known and little known) for your upcoming card game banter:
The first Open included a field of eight professionals played that played three rounds of Prestwick’s 12-hole course in one day.
Roger Wethered almost refused to participate in a playoff in 1921 because he had scheduled a cricket match. Needless to say his heart just wasn’t in the competition the next day and lost by 9 strokes.
The last Englishman to win The Open was Sir Nick Faldo...previously known as Nick Faldo. His win came at Muirfield in 1992, back when pleated pants were fashion forward.
Tom Watson has won an Open on every Scottish course currently on the rota except for St. Andrews (Seve nipped him in 1984 as “New Tom” was pursuing his third straight Jug)
Bad spellers of the golf world, untie, we mean, unite! The claret jug has a spelling mistake. In 1947, when Fred Daly won the Open at Hoylake, the engraver carved it as “Holylake.” Suffice to say this isn’t easily fixed with whiteout or a backspace button on a keyboard.
Cliff Clavin Fun Fact - the Open is being played in the backyard of the man who is known as the father of the common sandwich as we know it:
- John Montagu, the 4th Earl of Sandwich (1718-1702)
- enjoyed a daily card game that drew his complete attention
- his servants were asked to bring him the “leftover roast in between bread”
- guests exclaimed to want “what Sandwich is having” (voila, the sandwich is born)
Sandwiches, nachos, Johnny Miller's canned squeeze cheese...whatever your pleasure is, here’s to a great week of early rising to watch the world’s best get ravaged by the most “unfair test on the Open rota”.
GIMME
- Soft in the middle: is how Royal St. George's is going to play this year. The pros are quite content with the conditions and playability of the course after their practice rounds. Royal St. Georges is famous for spitting perfectly placed tee shots into the long rough...making Greg Norman's final round 64 one of the best in golf history.
- How to be svelte like Phil: we're not turning into a fitness newsletter but we couldn't help but notice Phil's slender physique. Apparently a 36 hour fast every week is the answer. Question, beer is not food, right?
- 7 shots your probably don't know how to play: The Open brings with it a different kind of shotmaking. Stingers, bump and runs, flighted irons... all the shot we don't know how to hit. Until now, ha! Good luck!
- The Open or British Open: why is this even a thing? It's being debated nonstop this week and frankly it's getting irritating...so let's irritate you a little this morning with the debate.
- Rahm born with a club foot: and that's the reason his back swing is so short... it helps him keep stabilized. Our constant swearing, club throwing, and shotgunning beers keeps us stabilized on the course.
- Westwood is setting records and breaking hearts: mainly his own heart. His record going into The Open is 0-87 and if he fails to win he will be the outright leader in starts without a Major.
- Darren Clarke all pissed up: in 2011 Darren Clarke sat and delivered quips to the media half or maybe all the way in the bag after his win at Royal St. Georges. Listen, you have the win of your career you are entitled to "some pints and some beer until about 30 minutes ago."
PIC OF THE DAY
"What do you want the rough to look like this week?"
"I can't tell you off the top of my head, but let me think about it"
W(was)ITB
Greg Norman shot an astounding 64 at Royal St. Georges with a butter knife. I guess if we learn how to hit the stinger we can start buttering our bread with the 1-iron pictured above. *WARNING: image may be graphic for some viewers
Driver: Cobra King Cobra Tour (8.5 degrees)
3-wood: Maruman Conductor (13 degrees)
Irons: Cobra Norman Grind (1-PW)
Wedges: Cleveland 588 (57 degrees)
Putter: Ping Anser 2
Ball: Maxfli HT 100
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet Full Cord
INSIDE THE ROPES
Um, yeah, no, we're looking for the actual Drop Zone, not this gnarly snarly b@llish!t.
The players aren't getting drop zones coifed like a young Elvis haircut...they're getting drop zones resembling the salad on the noggin of Paul Larsen, the Head Greenskeeper at Royal St. George's.
(see Pic of the Day)
GOLF GEAR
Nike has started corking their shoes. We're confident this is nothing like corking your bat.
These Air Max 90 G, Air Zoom Victory Tour and Air Zoom Infinity Tour golf shoes are tricked out with cork details an homage to the cork boards found in pubs throughout the UK. Starting at $150 USD.
*not a sponsored post
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