9 Open prize-giving ideas

The Open is a celebration of all things golf. We think the R&A should add a few new prizes to the Open prize-giving to spice things up...

It's been a slow morning in the media centre so we decided to brainstorm a few ideas for new awards at the Open prize-giving. Here's the blueprint we plan to submit to the R&A...

1 Longest Drive

Picture the scene, the tournament has finished, Peter Dawson is standing in front of 40,000 fans and millions on the TV… “The winner of the longest drive and biggest hitter of the year is…” Magic.

2 R&A Fair Play Award

If the footballing authorities can offer a European place for fair play, so can the R&A. Call a penalty shot on yourself for a minor infraction and get presented with a glass nibbles platter.

Here are the 3 rules broken most often:

3 Mystery partner

Once play is finished, all the players names go into a hat. Peter Dawson draws them back out in two’s. The lowest combined total wins a West End dinner and theatre experience for two.

4 Nearest The Pin

No golf tournament is complete without it, including the Open. We suggest a £50 voucher to be redeemed in the pro shop would suffice.

 5 Straightest Drive

We all know players for whom the longest drive is but a distant dream. Enter the straightest drive competition. Draw a chalk line down the middle of the fairway and mark the position of the closest ball. Tiger Woods need not apply.

6 Wooden Spoon

You came last, don’t worry – you can hang around until the prize giving on Sunday and pick up the wooden spoon.

7 Lawrence of Arabia Award

With the Old Course home to some of the world’s deepest bunkers, it seems fitting to congratulate the player with the most sand shots. A bucket and spade, and maybe a Hamlet cigar, would seem appropriate.

8 Raffle

With one spot in the 2016 Open field up for grabs, all the players names are placed into a Tombola. The winners is… Terry Pilkadaris.

9 Crowd Catch

We’ve seen it at the cricket, now for the golf. If a player’s ball comes towards you, instead of ducking, go for the catch and win honorary membership of the R&A and the opportunity to draw up a new rule of golf.