15: Graeme Beatt and The Open at Royal Portrush - a podcast by Karl Hansell

Episode 15 of the Green Room Golf Course Podcast crosses the Irish Sea a month ahead of schedule to chat with Graeme Beatt, who is preparing for the biggest four days of his career.

 

Following the conclusion of the US Open last weekend, the next and final major on the golfing schedule is the Open Championship, taking place this year at Royal Portrush Golf Club in Northern Ireland.

 

This will mark the first time the Open has been held outside of England or Scotland since 1951, when Royal Portrush again hosted the event. Back then it was the flamboyant Max Faulkner who lifted the Claret Jug, the last Englishman to do so until Tony Jacklin in 1969.

 

There are some amazing stories waiting to be written this time out. Rory McIlroy shot 61 at the club aged just 16, while hometown hero Graeme McDowell will be playing on a course prepared by his brother and greenkeeper, Gary, who’s a part of the Royal Portrush team. So there’s tons to look forward to.

 

For Graeme Beatt, it’s going to be the first major challenge of his career. The 39-year-old was born and raised in St Andrews and has been greenkeeping since 1995, when he spent the summer working at Scotscraig. His career has taken him to Kingsbarns, Royal Melbourne, Castle Dargan and County Sligo, before joining Royal Portrush as course manager in 2015, just a few months before the club was announced as the host of the 2019 Open.

Throughout preparations for the event, Graeme has kept an incredible blog, that details everything the team has undertaken to get the Dunluce in championship condition for the Open.



Head to the BIGGA website to find out more about the BIGGA Awards ahead of the closing day on 31 October 2019. 



The Green Room Golf Course Podcast is produced by Karl Hansell on behalf of the British and International Golf Greenkeepers Association.

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