OPEN CAPERING 2008

There we were quietly minding our own business, trundling through the Yorkshire Pennines in the SMGTV motor home. The mood inside the wagon was one of quiet satisfaction. We'd just 'launched' ShowMeTheGolf.TV at The Open. Thanks to our friends at Auto Trail Motor Homes and The Vincent Hotel in Southport, we'd even managed to make it look like we knew what we were doing. Everyone seemed to approve of what we were up to and while the channel still had a lot of bugs to iron out we were well on our way to building the world's grooviest web tv golf channel & golf social networking unit. It was twenty past two on Open Sunday. We’d vacated the Southport area that morning having feasted on the Birkdale links for three solid days. Three days during which a relentless wave of hurricanes had reduced the field to a collection of nervous wrecks and, crucially, blown away any notion that Tiger Woods’ absence would in any way devalue this Open. The story was all about the weather, Greg Norman and ‘what the blazes happened to Padraig Harrington’s bad wrist?!’…. and who could stand tallest, strongest and remain resolute against all the gods had to throw at them. We were heading for Aunty Jean’s Cherry Tree guest house in Calder Valley, a warm TV to watch the final round unfold and the promise of yet more lager and crisps. All was well with the world. Until, that is, an Ian Poulter lookalike stormed round the corner in his Vauxhall Noncemobile and forced us to take evasive action. The noise was a dead giveaway. As the side of the wagon grinded against the 300-year-old Pennine road-side wall, it sounded like a gaggle of banshees dressed up in medieval armour were break-dancing in an enormous biscuit tin. The damage was significant but it could have been worse. A bit like The Open itself, no one was hurt but you can see the wear and tear on the protagonists. Three hours later, Padraig Harrington unleashed the shot of the year at the 17th. As he waved to the crowd his wrist seemed fine. Which was a bit annoying because I’d put all my money on Garcia, and for some reason I’ve yet to fathom, Kevin Stadler. The 2008 Open was drawing to a close. A massive success for Birkdale, tent pole manufacturers and ShowMeTheGolf.TV. Onwards and upwards granddads!
Mind how you go,
Tim