The Bogey Men’s First Major as Media: Our Week at the 153rd Open Championship

thebogeymenpod
Jul 29
4 min read

Jonny & Michael in the media grandstand on the 18th hole as Scottie Scheffler lifted The Claret Jug

We’ve covered our fair share of tour events, but being accredited media at a Major Championship — the 153rd Open at Royal Portrush — was an entirely different beast. This wasn’t just another event. This was The Open. The scale, the stakes, the sense of occasion — everything was amplified. It was also Michael’s first ever Major as a fan, and that was something I felt strongly about. I wanted him to experience it from all angles, to feel the electricity as both a fan and a journalist.

So, how did it all start? With a 3:00 AM alarm.

We hit the road before dawn, rolling out of Dublin and winding our way north through Belfast, landing in Portrush in just over three hours. The excitement began to build the moment we pulled into the media car park. It wasn’t even 7:00 AM and already we were giddy. A quick shuttle to the course, a brisk walk through security, and there we were — standing in the heart of a Major.

And wow, what a heart it was.

From the second we stepped onto the grounds, the enormity of the event was unmistakable. The infrastructure that blooms around Portrush for the Open is staggering. Grandstands rise like small stadiums out of the dunes, the navy and yellow branding of the Open is everywhere.

The atmosphere on site at The Open Championship in Royal Portrush was incredible as all grandstands throughout the golf course were packed full

Michael had done his homework. He'd watched endless flyovers, preview videos, and course guides. But walking through the gates, seeing the sheer size of the grandstands and the details — the marshals with their “quiet please” signs, the roars echoing from distant greens — it was all bigger and more vivid than either of us expected.

The Viewing Experience at Portrush

From a fan perspective, Royal Portrush is a spectacular venue, there are view points scattered throughout the 18 holes, so our suggestion for anyone that week was, get to a spot and chill there for a while because Royal Portrush is a tough walk for the spectators. The grandstand on the 1st tee offers a brilliant sense of anticipation. You’re so close to the players you can feel the nerves. The crowd was raucous but respectful — a true appreciation for what each player was about to take on.

The grandstand by the 4th green and 5th tee gives an incredible perspective of one of the most exciting stretches of holes on the property. You’re elevated enough to see the undulations and strategies of the holes unfold in front of you — a dream for golf nerds like us.

And then there’s the beast: the massive amphitheater at the 18th green. This stand is enormous, wrapping around the hole like a coliseum. Sitting there on Sunday, watching Scottie Scheffler tap in for his win, we were struck not just by the moment but by the sheer scale of it all. It felt like the stage of a gladiator's triumph, even if Scottie’s reaction was... let’s say, understated.

Practice Days > Championship Days?

As strange as it sounds, I still think the practice days might be better — especially from a media perspective. Fewer crowds, more access to players, and a looser atmosphere all made it easier to move around, chat to people, and build relationships. During the week we got face time with the likes of Matt Wallace, Bryson DeChambeau, and Justin Thomas (who was kind enough to entertain a couple of questions about his fashion choices this week...).

We didn’t have “inside the ropes” access, which did limit us a bit, if you wanted to follow a player closely, you could — but it took commitment.

Michael followed Ricky Fowler for 16 holes one day and saw firsthand the emotional weight of the round — not something you can fully appreciate on TV. I spent some watching Matt Wallace grind to make the cut on Friday, then talk to him immediately afterward. That’s a surreal privilege we’re still wrapping our heads around.

Inside the Media Centre

Now, we’ve been in a few media centres, but nothing — nothing — compares to what the R&A put together for Portrush. The screen setup alone was enough to make your jaw drop: live range coverage, player tracker showing who was hitting balls and where, up-to-the-minute leaderboards, and full broadcast feeds from Sky Sports and NBC.

The view from our podcast booth at The Open Media Centre, look at the size of that screen!

Each media outlet had a dedicated workstation complete with a laptop loaded with everything you could ever want — stats, bios, tee times, interviews. It was like Command Central for golf. Add in the personal TV at each desk, the soundproof podcast booths, and the fully-equipped press conference theatre, and you felt like you were in golf’s version of NASA.

And yes, we initially had imposter syndrome. Big time. But by the end of the week, we’d asked questions in press conferences to Jon Rahm and Bryson, found a rhythm for collecting stories, and who to talk to when.

The Bigger Picture

Our biggest takeaway? This was more than just a week at a Major. It was a taste of where we want The Bogey Men to go. We weren’t there to chase hot takes or post Instagram reels of tee shots you could already see in 4K at home. We were there to find stories, give context, and highlight the players and moments that might otherwise go unnoticed.

We didn’t get 15 minutes with Rory or Shane, but we got five minutes with Matt Wallace and others and those conversations might just open doors for the next one.

There’s a lot to learn from being in that environment, and we were learning in real time. We asked ourselves daily: “What could we do better? Who haven’t we spoken to yet? How do we grow from this?”

This experience was the beginning of something bigger for us, not a one-off. And it’s made us hungrier to be at more majors, more tour events, and tell even better stories.