It's 9pm on Open Tuesday and a light breeze whispers round the sprawling canvas village in which I'm sitting at the heart of the Championship's official campsite.
Royal Liverpool's historic links lies a few hundred yards away and there's a buzz about what's in store. In many ways, this canvas conurbation, with its festival-style atmosphere, epitomises the slow revolution taking place in golf.
From popstars to reality TV personalities, golf is drawing a new crowd, inspired less by history and tradition and more by fresh air and camaraderie. Around me are the people who will bring much of the atmosphere to Hoylake over the next few days.
Since The Open campsite first appeared at Troon in 2016 it has grown dramatically, with 770 tents now taking up to 2,000 golf fans and under-25s with a valid Open ticket staying for free. The R&A and headline campsite sponsor, FootJoy, have created the infrastructure and entertainment that have now made this a go-to accommodation option.
Hoylake also marks the crescendo of FootJoy's 100-year celebrations, with guest appearances from FJ players and influencers throughout the week, plus opportunities to see the brand's latest products. By embracing the campsite and adding to its unique atmosphere, FJ is making a bold statement about its own future in the game.
Here, we tell the remarkable 100-year story of FootJoy, from its earliest golf shoe designs to today's Open campsite, with a nostalgic look back on products from the past and a look forward to what the future has in store. To do this properly, we jumped on a plane to FJ's HQ in Brockton, just outside Boston in Massachusetts...
How does it feel to be leading the FootJoy brand into the next 100 years?
Chris Lindner, president (centre in photo)
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة September 2023 من Golf Monthly.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 8500 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك ? تسجيل الدخول
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة September 2023 من Golf Monthly.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 8500 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك? تسجيل الدخول
Sublime Scheffler unbeatable at Augusta National
It’s hard to put into words how special this is. It was a long week, a grind of a week.
Skechers Go Golf Blade GF Slip-ins £160
Skechers has been busy developing some of the best technologies for out-and-out comfort in golf shoes for a number of years now.
The North
From the fine Open Championship links of the west to the grand golf hotels in the east and much more, northern England has it all
Scotland
Home to around 575 clubs, the country is packed with premium links and an inland topography of spectacular extremes
The South East
From the Garden of England in Kent down to the Isle of Wight and up through
BEST GOLF SHOES
There have never been more options when it comes to picking the right golf shoe for your game.
Nick Taylor
The drills and tips the Canadian uses to keep his game sharp could improve your consistency through the bag too
MASTER THE 50-YARD PITCH
Rethinking and simplifying your action could reap big dividends
Keswick Golf Club
Jeremy Ellwood returns to this Cumbrian course with glorious backdrops just outside the north Lakes town for the first time since its on-site accommodation opened
Are the comparisons between Scottie Scheffler and Tiger Woods justified?
With four wins and a runner-up spot in five consecutive starts plus a huge lead in the world rankings, some are starting to talk about the 2024 Masters Champion in almost the same breath as Woods