Take a Tour of Royal Troon Before it Hosts The Open

This summer, Royal Troon will host The 152nd Open Championship, which brings the sport's oldest major back to its origins on the Ayrshire coast. Preparation for the event is well underway, so special contributor and friend of Golfshake, Stewart Armstrong decided to pay the famed links a visit to see what has been going on.

It is said that Anne, Princess Royal thinks that the world smells like new paint. If that is the case, then the honorary member of The R&A would be impressed with the town of Troon. On this warm summer’s day in late May, the South Ayrshire town is in the midst of having a spruce up. Craigend Road, the southerly access road to the town and golf courses, sports a new bitumen black top complete with freshly painted lines. Property fences are pristine. The mown grass verges on Fullarton Drive can record a decent Stimpmeter reading. Troon is already looking its Sunday best, ready for the arrival of the circus.

On 14 July the golfing world will descend on Royal Troon Golf Club for the 10th time. 200,000 visitors are predicted to attend, bringing an estimated £100m to the local economy. They will shop for branded merchandise, eat food, drink beer and follow the red route around the links. This private club is unusually publicly accessible. Wrack Road (Smugglers Path) crosses the links. The Ayrshire Coastal Path runs adjacent to the first six holes. Crosbie Road bisects the Old Course (not that one) from the Portland. The stone walls that define the edge of the courses are being demolished, holes punched in them to cater for the flow of thousands of people, and there is temporary fencing everywhere. Approaching the security hut on Crosbie Road expecting to be turned away, the cheery guard says "aye, on ye go mate." The links are still open until late June, despite a full blown construction site erupting all around.

Patrons of the Marine Hotel on the terrace are enjoying the late afternoon sunshine, a gin and tonic and the view of workers labouring away in "taps aff" form. It is 5pm on a warm Saturday and yet there is no let up on the pace, the skeleton frame of the hospitality venue is emerging out of the ground. It’s no tent, it’s a three story dining palace chaperoning the final 200 yards of the 16th hole. Across the road, the entire first hole of the Portland Course is covered by what will be the Open’s largest ever merchandise superstore. Disney would be impressed.

The iconic yellow scoreboard is already in place atop of the vast grandstands that straddle the 18th fairway, guiding the golfer towards the clubhouse that forms the head of the cul-de-sac. The scenes it has witnessed, and what more to come? Mark Calcavecchia’s steely Ping Eye 2 to win a playoff against Norman and Grady. Henrik Stenson’s birdie to seal the second Duel in the Sun. Let’s not speak about Todd Hamilton’s rescue club. Standing proud at the end of the grandstand, adjacent to the pro shop and putting green, is a ship’s mast used as a flagpole, a curiosity shared by rota cousins Royal Lytham and The R&A.

Moving round to the first tee, the championship tee is closer to the beach and uses every last inch of property. Any further back and it would be in the media centre in the beach car park. Let’s not give them ideas. A small stand creates an intimate setting overlooking the sands, a tranquil moment where maybe some peoples’ thoughts will turn to Ivor Robson, his soft southern Scottish voice and cups of tea. The 2016 hosting was the first Open without him announcing on the tee, this year will be the first since he passed away.

The path to Blackrock House sits between the 16th green and 17th tee. With distances pushed to the tips, the championship tee on the par 3 now plays across the road with the modern style "football terrace" forming the backstop behind. The 18th tee has been moved back by so much it is now next to 16th green, meaning that after completing the penultimate short hole, the players will have to walk back the entire length of it to tee it up on the last. Troon will either run out of space for the infrastructure needed to host, or the course will soon be rendered too short. Pending the results of the rollback, this tenth edition at Troon may be the last.

Behind Blackrock House is the parking area awaiting the mobile cranes. Slender arms will reach up high providing the antennas for communication to beam the pictures around the world. During the broadcast, there will be a lull in the drama and an aerial camera will pan looking for a scenic shot with accompanying pithy remarks, a view of the airport, a passing train, and will undoubtedly settle on the dichotomy of somebody walking with their dog along the high water mark, oblivious or just nonplussed by it all. 

The infrastructure will have been used for barely one week, then on 21 July the Claret Jug will be hoisted by the Champion Golfer of the Year, pictures will be snapped, journalists will file their stories, missed chances will be rued. The press centre will once again be on the beach car park. The premium parking becoming the Lochgreen course. The grandstands, snack bars, toilets, all gone without a trace. Professional golf exists in a transient state, the circus has packed up and normality will quickly return to this Scottish seaside town.

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