Recommended Reading, July 20, 2025

Robert Cox

21 Jul 2025 — 3 min read

DUBLIN, IRELAND (July 21, 2025) — I am back home after 8 days working as a member of the Practice Ground Staff at The Open at Royal Portrush Golf Club. I worked every day for 4-5 hours each afternoon. Between working, walking the course to watch the golf and a long trek to/from the Practice Grounds, Portrush bus station, a walk to/from from my stop on the Translink to/from the flat I rented for the week in Portstewart, I was totally exhausted by the time I got on the train to Belfast on Sunday before switching to another train to Dublin then a taxi home. Loli was happy to see me but Zeke was not; he briefly came out of his crate, looked me over with a sniff, turned then went back to his crate and sulked.

After I rest up I will be back at it with more on Stanley Bernstein.

As for working The Open, it was a unique experience. I worked up close with the players — all the biggest names in golf including eventual Champion Golfer Scottie Scheffler and stars like Rory McIlroy.

Here are a few tweets.

I am a Practice Grounds Assistant at The Open. After play was suspended in the evening just 2 players stayed to hit balls.

Then this very cool thing happened:https://t.co/U5GuBns2py

As the camera spins around to the crowd… there I am waiting to pick up the balls once they… pic.twitter.com/xicAajhwyH
— Robert Cox (@RobertCox) July 15, 2025

Me at the end of the clip of Justin Rose on the driving range on Tuesday 😀 pic.twitter.com/EgBFUSZ3DH
— Robert Cox (@RobertCox) July 16, 2025

I cannot take pix of players I am with on my shift at the Practice Grounds I cannot show you. I can TELL you that I have been with Rory, DJ, Scottie, Spieth, Bryson, Phil, Colin, Justin, Rahm, Shane, Tony, Darren, Bobby, Detry, Jason, Viktor, Henrik, Brooks. Golf fans will know. pic.twitter.com/Gu85smyf9S
— Talk of the Sound (@TalkoftheSound) July 17, 2025

Friday at The Open in Northern Ireland

It was freezing cold at 7 am on 1st tee but by 11 am was roasting hot 🥶🔥 pic.twitter.com/povM1dEGJd
— Talk of the Sound (@TalkoftheSound) July 18, 2025

I had an incredible, exhausting 8 days at @TheOpen working as Practice Grounds Staff at Royal Portrush GC. Exhausted. Hard work but a unique opportunity to be up close with the best golfers in the world. pic.twitter.com/Y4YYr9D9nB
— Talk of the Sound (@TalkoftheSound) July 20, 2025

I watched a bit of R4 of @TheOpen on reply this morning and was on camera walking behind @McIlroyRory as he hit balls on the driving range. pic.twitter.com/noxnQS7P3C
— Robert Cox (@RobertCox) July 21, 2025