"It's these little moments that make Open week different and memorable."

Alan Shipnuck's SI game story focuses on the communal aspects of this year's Open Championship, and includes yet another reminder that the game probably needs many more pitch-and-putts:

On the grounds of the hotel is a wonderful little pitch-and-putt, and that, too, was a place for the players and their families to unwind. Cink's boys, both tall and smart and a little shy like their parents, played the course a couple of times during tournament week. On Saturday evening Briny Baird and 2004 British Open champ Todd Hamilton enjoyed a spirited match, while nearby Butch Harmon was overseeing a rowdy skins game involving Rory McIlroy and a handful of friends and caddies, each playing multiple balls and employing old-fashioned stymies on the greens, which meant that instead of the balls being marked they were left in place as obstacles, leading to some billiards-style combos and very loud trash talk. It's these little moments that make Open week different and memorable.

Comments

[Smolmania]

On our trip across the pond back in 1990, we spent one night at the Turnberry Hotel. My two buddies got bored with the chip and putt course after a couple of times around, and went up the hill to down a pint or two. I think I ended up going around by myself a dozen times or so. Sometimes using only 1 club or another, sometimes trying for a low score with all of the clubs. At around 5:30 the guy with the bagpipe starts in. Shower, dip in the gravity pool and a massage in the spa. Life does not get much better (tho it does cost a LOT more to go first class!).

[lloydcole]

Stymies and trash talking - reminds me of golf with Geoff and Tommy.

[Geoff]

Damn right! We make no apologies for our pitch and putt behavior.