Carnoustie 2007
While there were 55 greenkeepers working at The Open as part of the BIGGA Open Support Team there was one greenkeeper who was actually playing in the Championship itself.
David Coupland, who has recently left Boston Golf Club, to play full time amateur golf was the leading qualifier from Monifieth Golf Club and played the opening two rounds in the company of US Ryder Cup player, Vaughn Taylor, and Australian veteran, Peter Fowler.
A 21 year-old +2 player David was in the fourth match on the opening day and with a birdie at the 1st may well have been leading the Championship for a few minutes – he certainly featured on the leader board. It was never going to last, but he acquitted himself very well shooting rounds of 79 and 74 – matching Tiger Woods’ score in the second round.
“I really didn’t expect to be here. I entered this year for the first time just to give it a go and qualified with a 71 at the Regional Qualifying at Gog Magog,” he explained while sitting the BIGGA Marquee after his second round.
He then shot 69 in the opening round at Monifieth to lie tied 8th in the chase for three Open places and followed that up with a 65 to win the qualifier outright by one shot.
“I holed a 20 footer on the last and thought that might have done it for me but I had to wait for six hours to see if anyone beat me. It was a nightmare.”
After it was confirmed he headed home and returned to Carnoustie the Sunday before it started to prepare.
“I bumped into most of the players in the locker room, apart from Tiger, obviously, and played a practice round with former Open Champion, Justin Leonard. Australian, Robert Allenby, also gave me some advice, which was very good of him. I did my best not to be in awe of the other players and to play my own game and I was pleased with the way I struck the ball.”
David made seven or eight birdies over the two rounds and brought the galleries to their feet with a monster putt on the 11th in the first round and an approach to two feet on the 13th during the second.
“The crowd enjoyed that,” he said, while admitting that the birdie on the 1st may have been the worst thing he could have done.
“It pumped me up even more than I was and I immediately drove into a fairway bunker at the next and double bogeyed.”
Players are well looked after during The Open. David took advantage of the Lexus courtesy car service on one occasion but, in an attempt to keep things as normal as possible, drove himself to the course on the other days.
“I drove my Corsa into the competitors’ car park,” he laughed.
He also received a new Titelist golf bag, two pairs of Footjoy shoes, Nike clothing and some Oakley sunglasses while he was most impressed with the food and refreshments available in the Players’ marquee.
David, who was supported by Bruce Hicks his former Course Manager and the Boston Secretary on the opening round, is determined to give amateur golf his full time attention with the English national squad and perhaps Walker Cup the ambition but he is pleased that being a qualified greenkeeper will give him some insurances for the future.
“I hope to be back playing in The Open again for many years to come,” said David.
Golden Nuggets supplied by BIGGA Support Team
Justin Rose was distracted on day one on his 2nd shot to the par-5 6th, when a golf buggy crashed off the side of the road.
Information supplied by Scott Corrigan, Greenburn GC.
Geoff Ogilvy smashed a sign on day one on the 13th hole in a temper.
Information supplied by George Stephens, Exeter Golf & Country Club.
Jonathon Byrd asked a marshal on day one on the 16th tee to turn the heating on.
Information supplied by Stuart Hogg, St Annes Old Links GC.
Day one on the 18th hole, a disagreement between two of the players in the second to last match had to be calmed by officials. Seung-Ho Lee had a drop on one side of the fairway and prepared to play. Meanwhile Holtman, on the other side of the fairway also got ready to play and both played virtually at the same time. Holtman, playing a split second after
Seung-Ho hit the ball out of bounds and then played a 2nd ball into the RH Stand. Holtman’s caddie went mad and the air turned blue.
Information supplied by Gary Cunningham from Trentham Park GC.
While backing out of the gorse bush looking for Andersson Hed’s ball, the end of the rake caught Rich Beem right between the legs. He joked that he was glad he wasn’t trying for children.
Information supplied by Neil Woolfrey from Great Lever & Farnworth GC.
Spencer Levin stopped a female spectator on the 9th, had a mouthful of her beer then gave her a kiss – it was his girlfriend!
Information supplied by Asa English from Charnwood Forest GC.
The Duke of York accompanied Shaun Micheel and Sandy Lyle’s game on day three of the Championship. Apparently he would like his lawn like the fairways of Carnoustie! Information supplied by Richard Beacham from Wrekin GC.
Tiger Woods 2nd shot on the 6th on day three struck a lady spectator on the head and bounced out into the rough. Tiger checked she was ok and gave her a signed glove. After completing the hole he asked the rules official, Andy McFee, to give her the ball as well. Information supplied by Richard Saunders from St Neots GC.
News from the Open
The BIGGA Cabin where Support Team members register before making their way to the 1st tee is not always found in the heat of the action but this year it was in the corner of the Carnoustie Hotel car park close to the pavement and a little bit easier to find. Peter Alliss popped his head round the door to congratulate the team on the work they were doing, while Radio 2 DJ, Chris Evans, was also spotted outside and signed some autographs for the team.
Team member, Neil Woolfrey, hit the back pages of his local paper after the first round. He was assigned the match that included a friend and local pro, Steve Parry, and bet £100 at 3-1 that he’d outscore his two playing partners. The bet duly came good and Neil was £300 richer. While delighted, the publicity in his local Bolton paper meant he was left with a nagging doubt that his wife might find out about the bet!
A greenkeeper never forgets. In 1992 BIGGA Board Member, Gavin Robson, leant Justin Rose a pound coin to act as a ball marker. At the end of the round Justin marched off with Gavin’s hard earned. Five years on Gavin spotted Justin at Edinburgh Airport as they both traveled to their respective homes after this year’s Championship. “Can I have my pound back?” Gavin demanded. It’s not known whether Justin recognised the Burton GC Course Manager but he did cough up, adding 10p to cover interest payments over the period.
Plonker of the Week Award
Three candidates. There was the man who was waiting outside the University of Abertay at 5.25am ready to go bunker preparing only to realise that the pick-up time was 4.30am. A quick taxi ride and £20 lighter in his pocket he arrived in time to prepare the last hole and a half! Candidate number two had his phone on silent and slept in on the
Saturday missing his mini bus and, consequently, his match. Winner, however, was the BIGGA official who carefully made sure that the minibus was wide enough to fit through a tight railway bridge but forgot about the fact that the minibus was a foot taller than the height of the bridge. Ouch!
John Philp and his team received universal praise for the condition of Carnoustie. The players were lining up to express their delight to R&A officials at what they found when they arrived in Angus and the course delivered an amazing Open Championship.
It is all the more praiseworthy as the weather conditions in the lead up to and during the Championship where not what would be considered ideal. High rainfall in the months preceding the Championship meant a course much greener than would have been hoped - certainly not close to the straw coloured course 12 months before at Hoylake - but given that the conditions by the team were as perfect as they could possibly have been. During the week the heavy rainfall continued but Carnoustie continued to soak it up and it was only on the final morning when some bunkers had to be emptied and some greens squeegeed. Most other courses would have succumbed under such a deluge.
