Welcome to GOLF.com’s “Seen & Heard” video series, where we’ll endeavor to give you an inside look at golf’s biggest events through the eyes and ears of our onsite crew. On deck this week: The 2023 Open Championship from Royal Liverpool Golf Club. Let’s go!
There’s just something unique about traveling abroad, isn’t there? Whether it’s taking in the different culture, adapting to a unfamiliar pace of life, or simply just enjoying local grub that isn’t available in the States, anytime you get the chance to cross the pond, it’s special.
And it’s no different for our onsite crew at this week’s Open Championship from Royal Liverpool Golf Club.
Before the madness begins and the real pros tee it up, GOLF’s Sean Zak and James Colgan got an experience that’ll last a lifetime. No, I’m not referring to the torrential downpour that greeted them before a round at Allerton Manor Golf Club, but the opportunity to play the very course that Beatles John Lennon and Paul McCartney grew up near.
2023 Open Championship viewer’s guide: Tee times, TV schedule, streaming, how to watch
“We checked in, and the pro shop attendant said, ‘there are no other idiots on the golf course today,’ which I think implies that we would be idiots,” Zak says. “But, look, it’s our only day in Liverpool.”
The boys didn’t seem to mind the soggy conditions.
Despite standing water on the greens and plenty of Beatles-themed knee-slappers from Colgan, the round was a success — especially with the view of Lennon’s childhood house from one of the tee boxes, which was a mere pitching wedge away.
Given the venue and the history of this week’s Open Championship, even players like Rory McIlroy are showing some love for the Beatles, with the four-time major champ rocking some custom kicks while getting in some practice.
Rory McIlroy’s Beatles-inspired Nike Air Zoom Victory Tour 3 NRG “Play to Live” kicks for the Open Championship. pic.twitter.com/HUjTSbCHZP
— Jonathan Wall (@jonathanrwall) July 17, 2023
After the round, Zak and Colgan discovered what else Liverpool has to offer, taking in some of the sights and sounds and interacting with some of the locals.
If you’re in need of travel suggestions, Zak appears to be a pro by now after spending the summer in the UK, and shows off his favorite bakery in town, Thoughtfully Cafe.
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With their bellies full and another day of golf ahead, the boys make their way to Hoylake with a few other GOLF staffers, Dylan Dethier and Josh Berhow, teeing it up at nearby West Lancashire, which recently hosted a qualifying event for this year’s Open Championship.
The links golf course was a true beauty, with the gents launching it with their drivers and playing strategically around the greens.
In the end, though, Monday from the Open Championship was about reconnecting with buddies and enjoying a true links course.
Links golf, man, nothing beats it.
You can catch a recap of the the GOLF crew’s highlights from the first day of the Open Championship in the video above. Thanks for watching! We’ll be back with more Seen & Heard from Royal Liverpool all week long — so be sure to follow along!