Weathering the Storm: AIG Women’s Golf Open 2024
The 2024 AIG Women’s Open was held at the historic Old Course in St Andrews, Scotland, from August 22nd to 25th, 2024. It was the 48th Women’s British Open.
We have been proud to provide supply structural solutions for this prestigious event since 2022, adapting our offerings to meet the unique needs of each location. In 2022 we headed up to Muirfield, nr Edinburgh installing various stretch tents. The following year, we headed to Walton Heath, Surrey where we deployed a combination of stretch tents, container stretch tent and truss structures in various locations around the site.
This year we returned to Scotland, this time St Andrews where the sun shone, the wind blew, and the storms ran through.
Stretch tents have proven to be increasingly popular choices for golf tournaments, the flexibility, festival- like atmosphere and relatively straightforward installation process.
A lot of these golf events seem to have a festival village where there is catering and entertainment options for guests outside of the main golf competition. Stretch tents are ideal for creating a distinct and inviting ambiance in these areas.
On Sunday, we embarked on the journey up to Scotland, 512 miles pulling a trailer we arrived after a full day’s travel. Despite the long drive the journey however was brilliant driving through the lake District and into Scotland shared some fantastic views and made the trip enjoyable. The weather was glorious which made the journey that much easier and the views more appealing.
On Monday, however, the weather took a dramatic turn. Upon arriving at the event site and collecting our passes, we discovered the location for our first structure, a truss structure. As we began unloading our equipment, a heavy downpour started, a stark contrast to the previous day’s pleasant conditions.
We started by constructing the trussing frame, followed by laying out the ground sheet and roof. As we began attaching the roof, a storm with thunder and lightning rolled in. Working with metal structures during a storm is a safety hazard, so we sought shelter until the storm passed.
Once the storm cleared, we went back to the truss structure which was a white 4.5x15m stretch tent on a truss framework.
We were able to stake this structure to the ground which then keeps the footprint within the dimensions of the truss structure. This is a key difference between truss structures and traditional stretch tents, as you must also consider the ropes which are 2-3 m from the edge of the tent requiring additional space.
Each event site presents unique challenges when it comes to staking to the ground. Most golf sites have a green keeper who advise us on potential obstructions such as sprinkler systems. They then guide us to what we can do and if we need to move or adjust accordingly.
We do however always conduct our own inspections and scan the ground ourselves to ensure the safety of our installations. We have our own cat scanning equipment and trained to scan.
After completing the truss structure, we moved on to the first stretch tent after lunch on the other side of the festival village.
The weather had then completely changed and was clear skies, blaring sun and the sun cream even came out.
Here we installed a 10.5x15m chino stretch tent, with great weather it made it much easier to set up.
This completed day 1 and the final structure was to be installed on day 2.
Day 2 came, and the rain had set back in but not as bad as the storm the day before.
In another part of the site, we installed another 10.5 x 15m stretch tent in chino.
All these structures were to be used for covered areas for catering outlets dotted around the site.
Whilst onsite we also completed a pull test just to satisfy that the ground was suitable to stake too and could take the tent pressure. This was all suitable for what we required.
We provided on-site cover for the duration of the event, a precautionary measure due to the predicted storm Lilian to hit the UK. Fortunately, the event was not significantly impacted by strong winds, ensuring that the structures remained stable and functional.
Weather is always a big factor when outdoor events take place. We always get asked about rain and wind. Generic guidelines are given based on site locations and weather conditions there are many different factors even down to how your tent has been installed. You must always discuss with your supplier and get advice if you are not sure.
A wind management plan is essential for ensuring safety and comfort. If you have concerns, consider requesting site cover to have an expert on-hand throughout your event.
Fortunately, we didn’t encounter any wind-related issues in St. Andrews with our structures. This was a significant advantage for the event, ensuring that nothing was disrupted.
The structures will be in situ until the end of August when we can head back to Scotland to take them back down again.
