At the course: Some 40,000 spectators turned up yesterday to view the Ryder Cup teams on the first practice day of the event.
Under blue skies at the K Club in Straffan, Co Kildare, golf fans watched as the best that Europe and the US have to offer teed up, drove and putted their way around the prestigious course in preparation for the tournament proper later this week.
Spectators enjoyed the good-humoured atmosphere and colourful spectacle, coupled with a high standard of firm but friendly security.
A tented village provided food, drinks and a mountain of merchandise, including caps for €28 and golf umbrellas for €55.
The security operation at the K Club began at first light yesterday morning with a sweep of the whole area before the US team began their practice round shortly before 8am.
The Garda dog unit also took part in the security sweep, checking for suspect devices. Garda presence on the course was highly visible throughout the day, with pairs of gardaí driving around the course in golf buggies. The Garda mounted unit was also in attendance to assist in maintaining public order.
The park-and-ride facilities at Weston Airport and Palmerstown House opened at 5am and spectators began arriving at the course from around 7am. Tickets were checked at the park-and-ride facilities and at the two entrances to the course.
There were also 20 security scanners, such as those used at airports, at each of the two entry gates. Golf fans were asked to empty their pockets and mobile phones were confiscated, for collection on departure. Bags, limited in size to eight-by-eight inches, were also put through an X-ray machine.
Ryder Cup Europe LLP had said that tickets would not be transferable. However, The Irish Times spoke to some golf fans who had gained entry on other people's tickets.
Rory McKeown, from Dublin, came to the event on a ticket belonging to a family friend. When he arrived at Palmerstown House park-and-ride, he showed his ticket and was told to go to security.
"I told them my friend wasn't able to make it and the security guy signed the back of the ticket and told me to go ahead for today but not to try it again tomorrow," he said.
There were also a large number of ticket-holders who held tickets with no name on them at all. Some of these carried ticket numbers, others simply identified the tour operator through which they were booked.
Ciarán Hartigan, who travelled down from Newry with three friends, booked his tickets through Premier Golf. The tickets identified the name of the operator but did not contain Mr Hartigan's name or the names of his friends.
"When they looked at our tickets at the park and ride, they told us to go to an official and he would put security codes on them for us. They did ask to see our IDs but I don't know what use that is if our names weren't on the tickets," he said.
Some people were turned away by security, however, because they had neglected to bring ID of any sort with them.
Meanwhile, concerns were raised by some golf fans who have diabetes about food being confiscated at the entrance to the event.
Fans had reported that security staff had taken food from some spectators at the check-in area throughout the day.
Greg Allen, sports broadcaster for RTÉ, who has diabetes and is covering the event, said every diabetic had a favourite food they knew their body would react well to, and to confiscate it was wrong. A spokesman for the organisers said food had only been confiscated if it was contained in a bag that was larger than eight-by-eight inches, which was the largest-sized bag that could be brought in.
