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The forgotten story of … Seve, a hacker and Johnny Miller's 1976 Open

A Royal Birkdale scorcher saw a teenage Spaniard make a run for glory, a qualifier endure 121 mishaps and the stories amass on the Lancashire RivieraBritain sweltered in record temperatures during the summer of 1976. Office workers cavorted in the fountains of Trafalgar Square. Fire swept across Surrey heathland. Snow machines were deployed to spray melting Cumbrian roads. West Yorkshire police officers were ordered on health grounds not to wear ties between 6am and 10pm. The Automobile Association reported a record number of overheating engines. At the Henley Regatta, gentlemen were permitted to take off their jackets for the first time in 137 years. Even the EEC’s butter mountain began to melt. Metaphorically speaking, that is, with dairy cattle slaughtered...

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Muirfield members face their demons again: is it time to let the ladies in? | Marina Hyde

Once again the stark choice between preserving their lunching tradition and hosting the Open worth £80m to the local economy will vex the guardians of golf club privilege over whether to change their men-only membership rulesGiven it is the only notable event Muirfield Golf Club now stages, I increasingly look forward to its biannual row over whether to admit women members. Last played in May 2016, the contest returns this month and promises to put observers right inside the action of ye olden tymes as they enjoy breathtaking views uttered in front of a backdrop of breathtaking views. Think of it as a sort of Westworld for golf, shot on a cost of £80m to the local economy, which is...

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