Civic pride shines through as volunteers tee up for The Open

Photo caption (L-R): Carolyn Boyd, Industry Development Manager at Tourism NI, volunteer Lee Griffiths, from Belfast, and Lindsay Armstrong, Community Projects Manager at Volunteer Now.

More than 1,800 people from all walks of life have come forward to volunteer at the Championship, which gets underway at Royal Portrush Golf Club on Sunday.

The preparation to host the Championship has been a Northern Ireland-wide effort with Tourism Northern Ireland working in collaboration with organisers The R&A, partners across government, the emergency services and Causeway Coast & Glens Borough Council to ensure its smooth delivery.

According to Sheffield Hallam University, The 153^rd Open will deliver an estimated combined economic and media benefit of £213 million to Northern Ireland however the legacy of the Championship will be felt across the region for years to come through future investment and long-term community projects.

Now, with The Open just days away, those volunteering are undertaking final training as they prepare to play a role in showcasing why Northern Ireland is both a world class golf and travel destination, and a fantastic place to live, work and invest.

With more than 270,000 golf fans expected to descend on Portrush the week of the Championship, volunteers will play a key role in delivering the region’s famous giant welcome.

Some of the volunteers will fulfil roles around Portrush to meet and greet visitors, offering the region’s giant welcome while also helping with directions.

The volunteers will also share event information at transport hubs, spectator zones, Park & Ride facilities and signpost fans to a host of visitor attractions and experiences which they can enjoy on days away from the course.

Some of the volunteers will also work as marshals. Drawn from 21 golf clubs across Northern Ireland, around one third also volunteered as marshals at The 148^th Open in 2019.

It will be their role to create the best possible environment for the golfers including settling fans, indicating the direction of the ball, and getting the players from the green to the next tee.

At the grandstands, marshals will also assist in locating seats for spectators.

In addition, around 200 members of Royal Portrush Golf Club will also be undertaking volunteering roles at the event.

Eimear Hone, Major Events Manager at Tourism NI, said: “These volunteers will play an integral part in the success of The 153^rd Open at Royal Portrush.

“Northern Ireland is as famous for warm hospitality as it is for its first-class golf offering and these volunteers will be on hand to offer a true giant welcome to all visitors who will be joining us next week.

“I have no doubt they will be excellent ambassadors for both The Open and the region and will have a really enjoyable experience, all while taking in the buzz and excitement.”  

Mervyn and Sandra Best, a husband and wife from Antrim, are among those volunteering at The Open this year.

The couple have been volunteering for more than a decade.

“We first started volunteering in 2013 at the World Police and Fire Games in Belfast through Volunteer Now and we were encouraged to come back,” said Mervyn.

“We volunteered at The Open in 2019 and it was a fantastic experience. Volunteers are based at various locations around Portrush where you could be directing people, greeting people off buses and trains, directing them.

“We got to meet so many people and got to know other volunteers. We thoroughly enjoyed it.”

Bangor man Brian Templeton said he had “such a good experience” volunteering at The 148^th Open at Royal Portrush in 2019, that he wanted to do it again.

“The role has you doing anything and everything – you are on the street, meeting and greeting people, directing them to the centre of the town, train station or carparks.

“I really enjoyed it last time round and am delighted to be back again this year.”

Katie Creighton from Ballymena is volunteering for the first time.

She said: “I graduated at the end of June, so I thought this would be a good summer activity.

“Volunteering at The Open will be my first time doing anything like this, so I’m really looking forward to it.”