The Majors

Australia is just too remote from a logistical viewpoint.

My hope is that the Majors remain as they are and that the WGC events become very much the accepted second tier below them above the standard tour events.

D.[/quote]

Mizunoman- your comment about Australia being too remote to hold a Golf Major- I think we've proven with events such as the Australian Tennis Open, F1 Grand Prix, Olympic Games, Presidents Cup etc. that we can hold a successful world class event. Interest in Golf since Greg Norman gave it away has hit an all time low in Australia- if we saw more top players come out here that might change. Of course Tiger Woods gets around it by charging a massive appearance fee- it's about time places like Asia and Australia were given a chance to put on some big tournaments. And if you talk to a lot of the elite athletes who come to Australia you'll find they love it. Jack Nicklaus said Royal Melbourne Golf Course is one of his favourites in the world. Go figure.

1) I like the idea of global Majors. That said:

2) I think that the Masters and the PGA championship should be dropped as majors. I appreciate the history of the Masters, but I think all Majors should be Opens.

3) That would leave the US Open and the Open (British). I like the idea of having an Asian Open and an Aussie Open fill the remaining two spots.

4) The reason the USPGA wants to make TPC a major is so that they can have 5 straight months with Major competitions. Horseshit, I say.

I'm with you in the merry old land of Oz stevenT, my mate is over there just now and he worked at the tourney there recently and he spoke very highly of the whole setup, unfortunately its just too much travelling if theres only going to be one huge tourney there. There would really need to be a couple of big tourneys either side of it to justify the journey across for a lot of US tour pros and lets face it, if Aussie tournament commitees were having to pay Tiget, Phil, Vijay etc etc etc a big appearance fee to add to the kudos then the remainder of the Australian tour would be decimated by low spending.

With the exception of 40% of the resident flora and fauna having the potential to cause painful and permanent hanging up of the clubs, Australia is pretty good for golf.

D

__________________
Longniddry Golf Club Champ 2005.

In the Taylor Made Bag:

Callaway FT-3 Tour 9.5 Aldila NV 65S

Callaway Steelhead 3 Wood

Callaway Steelhead 5 Wood

Callaway X-16 3-PW

MacGregor Tourney 52 Degree

Cobra Phil Rodgers 59 Degree Rusty

Odyssey DFX 2-Ball

Callaway Tour iX

Aye, but if this is a major, the purse is already larger, and they'll show up for the money, sonny. The Aussie committee can save their money.

Ehhh "Get in the hole" anyone?

Indeed, Gree, typical american attitude, obviously never heard the phrase "do unto others as you would wish done to you"

More examples of the same:

Pavins ludicrous camoflagued get up at Kiawah Island, can you imagine what would have happened if Langer had turned up in a Luftwaffe cap?

'Mrs Doubtfire' (silly boy Feherty) no swearing involved but a very hurtful thing that the stewards could do nothing about, not that American stewards were ever overly concerned about Monty's feeling

The par 3 at Phoenix thats like a baseball crowd, very civilised......

I think this kind of thing is best summed up by Tom Watson's inexcusable behaviour at Oak Hill in 95 (I think) when Torrance asked him for an autograph and Watson refused. This is the same man who commented at the same comp back in the 70's that he likes to collect the menus from the players opening dinner and get each member of both sides to sign it as a memento. As usual everything in the garden is rosy when the USA are nailed on winners but as soon as it isnt a foregone conclusion, the mind games and sniffyness begins. Torrance was rightly furious.

D.

__________________
Longniddry Golf Club Champ 2005.

In the Taylor Made Bag:

Callaway FT-3 Tour 9.5 Aldila NV 65S

Callaway Steelhead 3 Wood

Callaway Steelhead 5 Wood

Callaway X-16 3-PW

MacGregor Tourney 52 Degree

Cobra Phil Rodgers 59 Degree Rusty

Odyssey DFX 2-Ball

Callaway Tour iX

I think the problem is that a lot of the crowd "just dont get it"
Thats not what golf is about.
You are there to watch, not to pump up the players.
Shouting "get in the hole" at every opportunity, especially when the ball is no where near any bloody hole, is annoying and, to be honest, kinda pathetic.

I much prefer watching European Tour golf on TV, not just because the coverage is better (hey, I like Feherty, he's Irish and a funny guy) but the crowd are able to show their appreciation for a good shot without resorting to a cock fight attitude.

The clothes I dont have a problem with, yes they are horrible and I wouldnt clean the wheels of my car with (the past american victories shirts???) but hey, if you think thats classy, wear it, it just makes us look better as we beat you

Enough trashing Americans. This is part of the problem we can't let it go and neither can the media and also the players. Golf is a game of gentleman but when you throw in the Ryder Cup the fierceness of the competition is another element. I just believe both sides want to win. Whats wrong with that? Who wouldn't want to represent their country?