Getting back into golf and watching the Open last week reminded me of a fantastic July day in 1990. I had just finished my last term at the small boarding school where I worked and was packing up my flat ready to move to Norfolk.
A couple of friends and I spent Friday at the Open - held at St, Andrew's that year and won by Faldo. We stood halfway down the 1st fairway for some of the early games, then picked up a game to follow to about the 5th. After we had sat in a stand for a while the late great Seve Ballesteros came past and we followed him to the turn. Incredible golfer!
Just by the 7th or 8th there was a stand with a refreshments tent. We sat there for hours (fortunately I was being treated to a day out as a parting gift and wasn't the driver!). On this part of the Old Course a decent vantage point like that will let you see 5 or 6 holes around the turn. From where we sat (we all took decent binoculars) we were able to watch: Palmer, Nicklaus, Trevino, Player, Watson, Norman, Woosnam, Olazábal, Crenshaw, Stewart, O'Connor, Torrance...literally a host of top players of the day and some legends!
Late in the afternoon we followed a couple more games and ended up in a stand near the 17th green, where you could watch the whole of the 18th up to the R&A clubhouse. I think Faldo was late out that day so we watched him play the last two.
I fell asleep in the car on the way home, and my friends dropped me off about 9.30 pm. In time to watch the late night highlights. No iPlayer or catch-up in those days!
A day I will never forget!