Ryder Cup Diary

If you are attending the Ryder Cup Matches at the K Club be aware that there are a number of banned items which you cannot bring into the grounds. The prohibited items list includes (Ladders!) and the following:

• Bags/Rucksacks/back-packs/carryalls greater than 8″x8″x8″
• Mobile Phones
• Personal Handheld Computers (i.e., Blackberrys)
• Cameras on Match Days (permitted on Practice Days and Opening Ceremony)
• Video Cameras on Match Days (permitted on Practice Days and Opening Ceremony)
• Ladders
• Picnic Baskets
• Boxes
• Briefcases
• Radios (excluding Ryder Cup Official Radios)
• Portable Televisions
• Push-Chairs
• Bicycles
• Lawn Chairs
• Audible Pager
• Signs
• Dogs (except Guide Dogs)
• Alcohol

In addition to this items that are prohibited there are a number of other important rules to be aware of:

• You cannot walk to the event as there is no pedestrian access permitted
• Access is via the Park and Ride facilities or the Rail Shuttle
• There are lots of road closures for the duration of the event
• You will need proof of identity that matches the names on your tickets

There has been a lot of comment on the motives for the banning of various items… Naturally we’re all aware of the fact that the Gardai will be faced with a logistical and security nightmare and I’m sure that everyone attending will be very sympathetic to the restrictions pertaining to security. There is however an increasing view that some of these requirements are simply designed to maximise profit and protect the interests of the organisers and their partners. Is there any real justification to the ban on picnic baskets, or alcohol (do they really expect us to believe that they are not simply trying to sell more to the punters once they have a captive audience) also the ban on technology smacks of protectionism for the lucrative Sky Sports deal. I don’t really have a problem with any of this per se – but lets call a spade a spade and if you can’t justify it as a profit centre for the event just don’t do it.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, September 13th, 2006 at 3:33 pm and is filed under Ryder Cup 2006, Ryder Cup News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.