Disclaimer: Saying this right upfront – this is my opinion!
When you work in sports PR, it’s impossible to attend sporting events without taking inspiration.
There’s a photo of me at around 2 years old swinging a plastic golf club in the garden with my Grandad. During sport science GCSEs, I ‘had golf lessons’ coached by one of my friends whereby I pretended to have never played before to make his results look better than they really were. Then I married a guy who spends at least 12 hours on the course a week, so it’s fair to say that golf has and always will be a part of my life.
In the last 15 years, I’ve barely missed a weekend at The Open, so, naturally, I was back up at Troon this year for the Saturday round, a bit gutted not to catch another sighting of a Big Cat in action but excited nonetheless to see the best in the world battle it out.
That was swiftly followed by my first visit to the LIV Golf UK by JCB event, which, while positive, wasn’t exactly what I was expecting. So me being me, I thought I’d write about it and share my thoughts on where each event is getting fan experience right, and where they could potentially learn from each other.
The Course & The Golf
As you’d expect, the Troon course was the perfect example of links golf, with stunning views out across the Firth of Clyde. It was hard not to be in awe of the scenery, even when huddled between brollies as the rain hammered down.
But let’s get it straight. The way Troon was set up, especially with the weather as it was on the Saturday, made ‘positive’ golf nearly impossible. And when you’re stood in torrential rain watching the biggest hitters in the world hit driver twice on a par 4, it all seems a little silly – especially to those who are new to the game, perhaps.
But, that’s the beauty of The Open, right? It’s not meant to be easy, it’s intended to provide a challenge to those who hit under par every week with ease, and if I’m honest, seeing the World Number 1 duff it no further than the ladies’ tee did make me feel quite good about my own game.
The hospitality offering is second to none and the ‘fan village’, which is now monstrously large, offers everything you could want. The classic yellow and navy Open branding subtly blends in across every fan touchpoint, from the entryways to the maps, paper cups to the tee box branding, allowing the course itself to take centre stage.
My trip to LIV was a day bathed in sunshine for the most part, with barely a hint of breeze. With my marketing head on, I was excited to see the modern, vibrant branding and fan engagement aspects dotted around (which didn’t disappoint) but perhaps naively, one thing that I didn’t expect was just how stunning the JCB course is. The entire property from the car park to the course was immaculate, and the course itself was mighty impressive. Especially the 17th, a tricky par 3 into an island green from a deceptively tall elevation.
Where The Open stands with tradition and subtlety, LIV rebels. Bright colours meet your eyes at every turn and then…there’s the music. As soon as you step foot into the grounds you’re met with tunes from the official LIV Golf pre-golf playlist, constant calls to scan QR codes to sign up for the chance to win XYZ, and team branding demanding you ‘choose your team’. As gates open 3 hours before the shotgun start time, it’s easy to forget you’re at a golf event at all.
In fact, the quality and scoring of the golf barely registered in my mind throughout the day. The way the scoring works is new but fairly simple to understand, but it felt more like we were just there to watch them play and have a good time rather than pay too much attention to who was winning. Especially when only a small proportion of the field are ‘household names’.
Winner: The Open. While I understand and am on board with a more modern approach to making golf an ‘event’ not just a sporting spectacle, it’s hard to see past the iconic set-up of an Open where the best in the world take each other on.
Food & Drink
This time around, The Open could’ve been mistaken for a food festival with a side of golf. While the main fan village still boasts the classic beers, wine, fish & chips and breakfast butties, Troon had a secondary foodie zone which had every possible option you could think of.
Alongside Greek, Mexican and Italian we had gelato stands, cocktail vans, noodles and more. Stands were also dotted around the course for convenience (nobody wants to walk a mile for some chips), with quick-serve beer stands and fully sustainable cups and containers. The focus on sustainability was more obvious this year with water refill sites throughout the course.
Naturally, LIV is a still a much smaller event which was reflected in the size of the fan zone. That said, there were still loads of street food trucks with options to choose from. Unsurprisingly, there were plenty of beer stands in the zone and even a ‘pub’, branded in the Majestics team designs. But, (from what I could see) if you didn’t like Estrella or a fruity cider, you were bang out of luck, and at nearly £8 a pint it felt surprisingly pricey – which was compounded further when I had to pay £8 for two soft drinks. There were a handful of water refill stations, though I found them tricky to locate amongst the madness of everything else.
Winner: The Open, purely for the better integration of sustainability and its variety due to the size of the event.
Entertainment
At The Open, the golf is the entertainment. But, when you’re spending circa 10 hours there you do need a bit of a break every now and then. This is where The R&A’s partners have leveraged the opportunity to do some more ‘fun’ things, mainly in the form of skills challenges – for example, the Northern Ireland tourist board tasked patrons with chipping into a washing machine for the chance to win a Royal Portrush trip for the 2025 event, while the Skill Zone offered quickfire lessons with pros with HSBC offering something similar.
But, that’s about it. Those who go to The Open seem quite happy to immerse themselves in the golf, breaking for some lunch before heading back out onto the course. If it aint broke, don’t fix it?
On the flip side, this is where LIV comes into its own. As I mentioned, for those first couple of hours you almost forget that you’re there to watch golf. The fan zone is filled with bars, interactive skills challenges (more fun than the ones at The Open), a specific kids zone which is great for those with babies and toddlers, a replica Aston Martin F1 car to have a look at, and a raft of Team merch to sift through in the shop.
The practice area is also more engaging than a ‘traditional’ event, with fans able to watch the players arrive and walk straight out onto the putting green and driving range. The driving range is also a bit different – while usually you’d only see the player, caddy and coach max, at LIV you’re also likely to see partners, friends and kids join them too. Great if you like a bit of celeb spotting.
Finally, the ‘party hole’. At LIV Golf UK, the 14th hole at the JCB was branded as such. Fan galleries around the tee box and the green on this tiny 120-yard hole mean it gets rowdy. As the countdown hit 00:00 and the first players walked out to tee off, fireworks and pyros popped off and the party started. On this hole, each player selects a ‘walk on song’ which brings through some personality and gets the crowd singing along. Between groups, there was also a fan challenge – get a hole in one and you can win a digger. JCB are probably thankful that nobody got near.
Winner: LIV Golf UK. It is centred on being entertaining, and it doesn’t miss. It’s not everyone’s cup of tea but they’re okay with that. They’re playing to the audience they know will love it, and boy do they do it well.
Atmosphere
Same but different. I love The Open and the challenge it delivers to the players. But, as with many aspects of golf, it can get a little too serious for its own good at times which can often make for a limited atmosphere. Traditionally, golf events are very quiet affairs with people scared to move in case their clothes make a noise when someone’s in the middle of the backswing. God forbid you leave your phone on loud.
It makes sense, these guys are dialled in and they don’t want to be distracted. There’s a lot at stake. But when the likes of Matt Fitzpatrick are scolding the patrons before he’s even addressed the ball, it can feel a little stuffy.
Then, you have the poor LIV marshalls holding ‘zip it!’ boards to quieten the crowd while they stand next to a speaker that’s blaring Drake // One Dance at full blast as someone attempts a 20-yard putt. Fans are dressed more casually, there’s an abundance of Team caps as people support their favourites, there’s chanting, singing, booing when Bryson doesn’t get his driver out, and reciprocated sledging with Patrick Reed. It’s FUN.
Aside from the unfortunate few who just can’t handle their beers and take it too far, the atmosphere feels so much more free.
Winner: LIV Golf UK
@travel_with_vik Spend the day with me at #LIVGolfUK ♬ Walking Around – Instrumental Version – Eldar Kedem
Overall Experience
If you want a day full of pure, unadulterated golfing ability then The Open is for you. The traditions that have lasted to this point aren’t going anywhere soon, but the R&A have recognised the need to evolve certain aspects of the fan experience and they’ve done it well – without feeling the need to step outside of their comfort zone.
The full day of tee times means it’s easy to see everyone you may want to without having to rush around too much, and you know that when lunch rolls around you’ll have plenty to choose from. If you want a few beers you can, or if you fancy a cocktail, a G&T or a non-alcoholic drink you can do that too.
Like many of our pals across the pond, if you want to spend thousands in the shop then you’ll have access to the latest ranges of clubs, clothing and merch from every brand you can imagine, and when you’re feet can’t take it anymore you can grab a seat in one of the many, many grandstands across the course.
However, if you fancy something a little more lively then look to LIV. At only £25 a ticket for early birds it’s a third of the price of a ticket to The Open, with great offers to take your little ones with you, too. You can jump on the bandwagon like I did and grab a branded cap – the designs really are very good.
You’ll see some good golf, sure, but you’ll also get to see more of the golfers – more personality, more interaction, less crowds so better photos to brag to your mates with. A shotgun start means you can do it in a day without necessarily having to stay over and cost you more money, but you will be moving around constantly if you want to get a good look at the big names.
It’s also a great option for a big group of mates. You might not follow every weekly PGA competition but if you want a sporty day out with loads to do, a chance to have a few (sensible) drinks and a party atmosphere to match then this is it.
Winner: Draw
Call me a bottler if you must, but I can absolutely appreciate the successes of both events. I think we’re over the ‘are you PGA or LIV?’ debate – the two don’t have to exist exclusively and fans can enjoy both without feeling guilty.
You just have to accept each event for what it is, but you’re guaranteed to have a good time with both…for completely different reasons.
We are in the middle of a golf revolution. It was due, and I’m loving it.
