Above: Michelle Wie Far Left: Cristie Kerr Left: Paula Creamer
Also there is a lot to be taken from the balance, poise and tempo of the women’s swings. Watching them I concluded that next time I play I’ll definitely slow my swing down and think harder about my choice of clubs. Time will tell if I manage to take the theory back to the course! The other key thing I learned was
actually from a 16 year old school leaver. After a fantastic round of 71, there was a press conference with Charley Hull, the amateur from England who qualified via a trip to our neighbours Caldy earlier in the week. She was asked, “How difficult it is to come to Hoylake, which is notoriously very difficult, and perform so well?” And Charley replied, “I just enjoyed it out there. I pretend I’m out playing with my friends.” When pushed about whether she could win the RICOH, she said, “It’s possible, but I won’t think about that until after it’s over. I just play one shot at a time, one hole at a time, and see what my score is at the end.” Ah, so that’s how you keep cool when you’re playing well at Hoylake, and explains why I can’t make it all the way around without capitulating in one of the deep bunkers, shortly after thinking, I could be in with a chance of winning today. Another tip to take back to the links! It was also pleasing to hear the links receiving high praise. This is what Cristie
Kerr had to say after her round. “It’s one of the best courses I’ve ever played. It’s so good. It’s probably the best Ladies British course that I’ve played, and I used to say Royal Lytham and St. Annes was my favourite, and it’s still one of my favourites, but this is an unbelievable golf course because you have to have it all, patience and a lot of long clubs into greens.” This great golf course enjoyed a great
first day. Close to 10,000 people came to see the golf. This was much higher than predicted, so everyone was very pleased, not least because, while well attended, the volume of spectators meant you could see whatever you wanted to see anywhere on the course.
Friday 14th September -
Round 2 (well, not quite...) What a day. talk about “mighty Winds”. So disappointing to have play abandoned, but it seemed like the right decision at the right time. It was clear that the course had become extremely difficult, in particular in the most exposed areas of the links on the Dee Estuary. It was explained to the players who went out that their scores might be cancelled if play had to be stopped. The rumour was that when the decision was made to do so, Suzann Petterson let out a yelp of delight
after experiencing some of the toughest conditions. Later she said, “I don’t think from the players’ perspective that there was any other outcome. It wasn’t just unfair conditions, it was unplayable.” In the Media Centre several people
observed to me that “the members would have gone out in this”. That’s true, many of us would. However with little more than a pot of tea and a crumpet as the prize fund, or 0.1 on our handicaps as the downside, it’s a difficult comparison to make. So I asked Michelle Wie, “If the scoring didn’t matter would you enjoy playing in the conditions just for fun?” Michelle replied, “I just may, you know, just to see how it would go. But it was just hard. I think it’s a good day to be short, because I felt like a flagpole out there.” Much of the day was spent waiting for
updates from the tournament officials. Once play was abandoned, I found that many of the journalists were looking for other ideas for side stories. So I found myself helping the fantastic team at the Ladies European Tour with a piece they were running about the history of the Club and helping them pick out some of the fantastic memorabilia in the Clubhouse to share with their audience. They remarked that it was like being in a museum of golf, but down to earth too, which was great to hear.
ROYAL LIVERPOOL GOLF CLUB 2013 MAGAZINE
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