Swing and Hope

LIV Golf returned to the UK this year at JCB Golf and Country Club in Rocester. I attended the first round on Friday, and it wasn’t just the golf grabbing the headlines—several noteworthy moments and events added to the excitement of the day.

Traffic disaster

The traffic heading to the course was an absolute disaster! What should have been a 20-minute bus journey ended up taking close to two hours. A 15-minute pushback of the shotgun start hardly made any difference.

The gates to the course didn’t open until noon, so naturally, everyone tried to arrive around the same time, resulting in utter chaos. The police were forced to stop traffic at roundabouts, cars were turning around in the middle of the road to head the other way, and some people even decided to brave an hour-and-a-half-long walk, thinking it would be quicker!

I arrived just in time for the shotgun start, which had been pushed back to 2:30 pm. Unfortunately, this left me with little time to explore the course and the various offerings of the event.

I tried to take in as much as I could, but found it difficult, as I was torn between exploring and watching the golf that had already started. In the back of my mind, I was also worried about whether the traffic would be as bad on the way back, and if I would be able to get home in a reasonable time.

The Course

Despite all this, I found JCB Golf and Country Club to be an absolute stunner. Every hole seemed distinct from the last, the greens were immaculate, and some of the views across the course were mesmerising.

I was also pleasantly surprised by how close you could get to the players at times. A particular highlight was watching former Masters winner Jon Rahm take an impressive shot up close.

I also caught glimpses of Tyrell Hatton, Louis Oosthuizen, Dustin Johnson, and Bryson DeChambeau. A standout moment was watching Tomas Pieters execute a seemingly effortless bunker shot at the ninth hole.

The 18th hole was certainly a highlight for me. It’s a 462-yard, par-4 that features a daunting tee shot over water, followed by an uphill fairway lined with bunkers all the way to a three-tiered green. It was thrilling to be instructed to stand behind the rope on the path as the golfers launched their massive tee shots over the water and right over our heads.

Fan Village

The fan village near the ninth green was enjoyable, especially for families. There were plenty of activities to engage in, but I expected more food and drink stalls. As a result, the queues were quite long, which seemed to be a recurring issue throughout the day.

The merchandise tent, however, was a disappointment. The selection was limited to hats, t-shirts, polo shirts, and a few hoodies. Even if you found something you liked, the prices were steep: £32 for a hat, £50 for a t-shirt, and £80 for a hoodie!

I’m a bit of a collector when it comes to ball markers at golf events and courses. This time, it cost me £20 for a simple marker. I’m hoping it’s an investment and that it might be worth more someday.

I thought the entry price of £38 for the event was quite reasonable, but the prices in the merchandise tent certainly did nothing to maintain that perception.

Music

The music is a sensitive subject—it’s very much a matter of personal taste; you either love it or hate it. Personally, I’d appreciate it more if they played better selections. It also seems rather redundant to have volunteers telling you to “ssh” or “zip it” your conversations that are within touching distance of a music-playing speaker.

It does add a unique atmosphere to golf, but for me, the most significant noise in golf is the silence before a tee shot or a nervy putt. When watching the best players in the world, I don’t think anyone feels that these moments need a backdrop of house music.

The Golf

You can’t argue that LIV has some of the current best players in the world, legends of the game and future stars in the making. That combination is always going to lead to a high standard golf event.

Jon Rahm finished the first round on top at eight-under-par. A faultless 64 sees him take a two-shot lead over Andy Ogletree and Abraham Ancer back on six-under-par.

In the team standings, Legion XIII lead the way on 12-under-par, with Fireballs, Smash and HyFlyers back one at 11-under-par. For me, the team element still leaves a lot to be desired. I don’t feel any particular affection for any of them to really support and route for.

I do feel I would have taken more of the golf in if I hadn’t been so delayed due to traffic or had the opportunity to attend the rest of the weekend. Watching the pros so close up is certainly a different spectacle than on TV. The distances they can generate, the ball control and consistency is to be admired.

I would happily go back to a LIV event, and I enjoyed the day I had but if it is to be at JCB again in the future, they need to consider some alternative arrangements for spectators getting too and from the course.

LIV Golf seems to be here to stay, regardless of whether people like it or not. In that sense, it deserves respect for being entertaining, just as all sports should be.

Let’s hope the divide it has caused in the broader golf world can be resolved, and that a solution is found that benefits the game as a whole.