Best Vantage Points For Royal Troon Open 2016

Tom Clarke strolled round the links on Tuesday to bring you the Best Vantage Points For Royal Troon Open 2016

Best Vantage Points For Royal Troon Open 2016
When visiting an Open Championship it is vital to have a small plan on where to watch the action.

It is the reason you are there and each course is very different, Turnberry and Royal St Georges is set out between dunes and there are loads of great vantage points to enjoy.

St Andrews Old Course is over much flatter land and it is better to sit in the grandstands and get some height from them.

Royal Troon is much like the Old Course at St Andrews in the sense it is pretty flat. Therefore I set out on the Tuesday of Open week to check out the best vieing spots around the course.

1^st Tee Grandstand

If you sit to the furthest left of the stand you can see tee shots and landing areas. Lovely views back to the town of Troon itself and if it is clear you can see Ailsa Craig in the distance . You can sneakily see the 18th green as well. Word of warning - if wind is blowing then it is going to be fresh and most players hitting irons so not much drama.

18th Grandstand

Really great spot - sit on the side with your back towards the sea - if the wind is cold then you will be sheltered get an awesome view of the 18th green. Sit near as possible to the clubhouse and you will also get a great view of the putting green. On Sunday these spots will go very quickly.

Related: Open Championship Betting Tips

17th Tee Grandstand

Classic watching spot - for those who want to see an entire hole - the par-3 17th has a stand that you can see all the drama take place but also with some other bonuses. You can see approach shots and putts on the very close 16^th, plus drives from the 18th tee and even approaches and putts on the slightly distant 2nd. Excellent spot - if again a bit chilly.

Spectator Village

Seats - food and drink - plus a massive TV with commentary - an excellent spot for a rest and relax and even a nap on the massive cushions. Also gives you a chance to catch up with what is going on the course.

8th Green Grandstand

For me this was by far the best spot and not surprising that Sky TV has a wire camera shooting up and down the hole.

You can see not only the entire 8th hole but also the entire 7th and also the entire of 9 if you are sitting at the top of the grandstand.

If you can't get near the top the being in the middle of the stand is sheltered of the wind off the water. It is just about as far away as you can get from the 18th and the comforts of the spectator village - but well worth the walk. Also a very well placed screen for leaderboard - highlights and rules quiz. There us guaranteed birdies and bogies on this hole, so you will be sure to be entertained.

Practice Ground

The driving range and putting green on the practice ground are superb areas for spectators to get up close to their heroes.

The driving range has a screen with shot tracer giving spectators superb insight into what is happening. It even shows who has hit the longest drives of the day. There are also autograph zones and areas where the spectators can get super close to their heroes. Great area for the entire family.

Handy Hint –

Take your binoculars – you will be able to get a great view of everything within sight.

Plus be aware of the rules in the grandstands.