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Shaun Herbert
HOUSE MANAGER
When did it hit home that The Open was coming back here?
The first time I drove out of the clubhouse and saw the yellow AA road signs back in February, after which the grandstands started going up. ‘Right, it’s here,’ I thought.
What are your memories from the 2014 Open?
I remember talking to a lady throughout the week who, unbeknown to me at the time, was Rory McIlroy’s mum. When the Champion, as is tradition, came upstairs, he popped over and shook my hand and said, “Thanks for looking after mum.” My mum has a wonderful picture on the mantelpiece of me and Rory with the Claret Jug.
What’s your specific role during the week?
We’ll be looking after our members and their guests, and we’ll be hosting lunches for the captain and his guests in the library every day, where we’ll also have local dignitaries.
Space must be at a premium?
Last time we had The Open, we actually used our wonderful snooker room for people to have a drink before or after lunch. This year, we’re going to be turning it into another dining room.
What’s the plan for the week?
It’s breakfasts from 7.30am with two sittings, and then two sittings for lunch. We’ll also be organising a grab and go, so bacon butties and a cup of coffee down in the entrance hallway.
What will be the most popular pint in the clubhouse?
Denne historien er fra Open Issue 2023-utgaven av Golf Monthly.
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Denne historien er fra Open Issue 2023-utgaven av Golf Monthly.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
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Shropshire
Jeremy Ellwood returns to one of England's least populated counties to stay and play at The Astbury and tick a couple more courses off his list
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Alison Root
Alison Root is Golf Monthly's women's golf editor. You can find her on Instagram @rootalison
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Pennyhill Park
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AYLA GOLF CLUB
Jordan is a beautiful and mountainous country in the Middle East, much of which is desert.
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Wayne Riley
I've enjoyed the professional events so far in 2025, but I want to take a step away from the pro game in this column. In two issues, Golf Monthly will reveal its list of the Top 100 Courses in the UK and Ireland, so here are my thoughts on some of the best golf courses on this side of the pond.
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Burnham and Berrow
Somerset doesn't boast the quantity of top-quality courses you feel it perhaps should, but its jewel in the crown, Burnham and Berrow, sits in splendid isolation some 40 minutes from Bristol.
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PING G 440 MAX DRIVER £ 529
It's been two years since the roaring success of Ping's last family of drivers.
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Undiscovered Portugal
The popular golfing country has plenty more fascinating courses to the north of its Algarve and Lisbon strongholds
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A DECADE AT THE TOP
Before stepping down as CEO of The R&A, Martin Slumbers spoke to Fergus Bisset about his time at the helm before reflecting on photos of key moments from those years...
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"WHO WANTS TO BE SECOND BEST AT ANYTHING?"
His stock may have risen significantly over the past couple of years, but Bob Macintyre tells David Facey he has his sights set firmly on the very pinnacle of the game