Royal Porthcawl & Muirfield Top List Of R&A's '16 Amateur Venues

Another step for Wales and Royal Porthcawl in possibly hosting The Open Championship one day.

And great to see Muirfield hosting something other than The Open:

THE R&A ANNOUNCES 2016 CHAMPIONSHIP VENUES

21 October 2013, St Andrews, Scotland: The R&A has announced the venues for its amateur championships in 2016 which include some of the most prestigious courses in Great Britain and Ireland.

Royal Porthcawl in Wales will host the Amateur Championship for the seventh time and the first occasion since 2002 when Spain’s Alejandro Larrazabal triumphed over Englishman Martin Sell by one hole in the 36 hole final. The preliminary stroke play rounds will also be played at Pyle & Kenfig on the South Wales coast.

It will be the 121st staging of the Amateur Championship which features a field of 288 world-ranked amateur players with the winner earning a place in The Open Championship and the following year’s US Open. Traditionally the winner also receives an invitation to The Masters.

Former Major Champions such as Jack Nicklaus, Sir Nick Faldo, Jose Maria Olazabal, Ernie Els, Padraig Harrington, Darren Clarke and Louis Oosthuizen have all played in the Amateur Championship.

Muirfield, which hosted The Open Championship for the 16th time this year, and its neighbouring course, The Renaissance, will welcome the world’s leading boy golfers when they host the Boys Amateur Championship for the first time in 2016.

In recent years more than half of the 252-strong field has come from across Europe, America, South America, Africa and Asia and the 90th staging of the championship will attract a strong international field once again.

Some of the game’s leading players including Sandy Lyle, Jose Maria Olazabal, Sergio Garcia, Padraig Harrington, Lee Westwood, Graeme McDowell and Luke Donald have played in the Boys Amateur over the years. The 2012 champion, Matthew Fitzpatrick, went on to win the Silver Medal as the leading amateur at this year’s Open Championship and the McCormack Medal as the world’s leading male amateur player.

Peter Dawson, the Chief Executive of The R&A, said, “We are delighted to have such excellent championship venues in 2016. Royal Porthcawl and Pyle & Kenfig will be wonderful venues for the Amateur Championship and we expect the Welsh galleries will relish the opportunity to see leading amateur players in action.

“Muirfield is one of the finest links courses in the world and will provide a stern challenge for the leading boy golfers in the Boys Amateur Championship.”

Elsewhere, the St Andrews and Jacques Leglise trophy matches between Great Britain and Ireland and the Continent of Europe will be played at former Open Championship venue Prince’s in Kent for the first time.

It will also be a first visit for the Boys Home Internationals to Ireland’s most northerly golf course, Ballyliffin (Glashedy Links), which has hosted European Tour and Ladies’ European Tour events.

The Seniors Open Amateur Championship will return to Merseyside at Formby, which hosted the inaugural event in 1969.

The dates for the championships in 2016 are as follows:

The Amateur Championship at Royal Porthcawl and Pyle & Kenfig:  13 – 18 June

Boys Home Internationals, Ballyliffin (Glashedy Links):  2 – 4 August

The Seniors Open Amateur Championship, Formby :  3 – 5 August

The Boys Amateur Championship, Muirfield and The Renaissance:  9 – 14 August

St Andrews and Jacques Leglise Trophies, Prince’s:  26 & 27 August

St. Andrews Record Ad Asks Peter Dawson About Changing His Views On Altering The Old Course

Thanks to the reader who sent in this image of an ad in Thursday's St. Andrews Record calling out R&A Chief Inspector Peter Dawson for his reversal on Old Course changes.

The full text:

“Because of the history of the Old Course, moving hazards is not the option it would be at many other places. You simply can’t move a bunker here or there on the Old Course. All that leaves is to move tees. The course has proved many times that it is subtle enough to provide a strong challenge. We are not trying to change the character of the course…” 22 02 2005

Mr Dawson, why have you changed your mind?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/golf/4292635.stm

The course is currently hosting the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, with Phase 2 of the R&A mandated changes set to begin this winter. Though there have been indications that support is not unanimous for going forward with some of those changes.

PGA Tour Bifurcation Alive & Well! Oberholser Glove Edition

Tim Rosaforte's Golf World Monday column looks at Arron Oberholser playing the Web.com Tour Finals on a medical exemption after years of struggle with his left hand (four surgeries).

And as reader DTF notes, if this isn't bifurcation, what is?

It took a special glove, approved by the PGA Tour (after the USGA deemed it non-conforming), to make a comeback possible. Even with that accommodation, he was still icing down the hand and taking Advil to reduce the swelling and pain.

"The glove isn't the cure-all by any stretch of the imagination," he said. "That's why if it doesn't hold up over the next three weeks, then I'll probably see a lot more of you in the studio."

Prime Minister Cameron Believes All-Male Clubs "Look Much More To The Past Than The Future"

The Independents Andrew Grice reports that Prime Minister David Cameron has joined the anti-all-male membership debate.

Oddly, the focus continues to be on Muirfield and not on the similarly all-male and far more powerful Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews, a key distinction that seems lost.

The Culture, Media and Sport Secretary, who is also the Equalities Minister, is boycotting the Open golf championship at Muirfield in Scotland because the club refuses to admit women members. Downing Street backed her stance, saying Mr Cameron believed that all-male clubs “look much more to the past than the future.”

But to the irritation of Cameron aides, that provoked a flurry of questions about his membership of the hell-raising Bullingdon Club while he was at Oxford University, and his decision to join the exclusive all-male White’s club,  where his late father was once chairman. His official spokesman said the Prime Minister Prime Minister resigned from White’s in 2008, two and half years after becoming Tory leader.

Nick Clegg, the Deputy Prime Minister, described Muirfield’s policy as “old fashioned” and “anachronistic.” Andrew Lansley, the Tory Leader of the Commons, called it “entirely reprehensible.”

The story goes on to detail how Labour party members want legislation banning all-male clubs (but not all female clubs).

Meanwhile, Jane Bradley reports that Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond, who is sitting out his first Open in decades, clarified his stance on all-male clubs because it was realized that he is a member of an all-male club. Albeit it one with a sister club.

“[The] key point he has repeatedly made regarding the Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers at Muirfield is that it does not allow membership for women on an equal basis to that of men,” said a spokesman for the First Minister.

“If Muirfield were to establish a similar female equivalent to the Honourable Company, such as the St Rules’ and St Regulas Ladies clubs at St Andrews, this would represent a form of equality and an important step in the right direction.”

Taking The Pulse On All-Male Membership Coverage...

The reactions to the R&A press conference varied from "still the same stance" to writers seizing on Peter Dawson's suggestion that they will be taking a look at the policies of clubs. Or their own Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews (remember, a separate entity from the "R&A").

Dawson did try to open the door, but by blaming the media only ensured that the issue will not go away. So a split decision on his performance.

Moira Gordon in The Scotsman says the R&A "would consider its position on men-only golf clubs as the issue threatened to overshadow the start of the Open Championship at Muirfield."

John Huggan for GolfDigest.com:

Disappointingly but predictably, Dawson then had nothing new to offer in this ongoing debate. Resorting to the arguments he has repeatedly used since he assumed his present job in 2000, the former executive for Grove Manufacturing, a company involved in the manufacturing of hydraulic cranes trotted out the same old defense of the indefensible.

Mark Tallentire of The Guardian says Dawson "broke new ground over the vexed issue of the Open being hosted by single-gender clubs on Wednesday and suggested that the issue would be addressed after the tournament at Muirfield."

Oliver Brown and the Telegraph noted Dawson's mention of a "hard push" to change the policy on all male clubs, but also noted Dawson's irritability on one topic. Well two.

Under prolonged and uncomfortable cross-examination, Dawson was disdainful of the suggestion by one reporter that an all-male policy could be likened to an all-white one, describing it as a “ridiculous question”.

He said: “There are sectors of society that are downtrodden and treated very badly indeed, and to compare this with a men’s golf club is frankly absurd. There is no comparison whatsoever.”
He also expressed his irritation that “the media are, with boundless energy, giving out the message that such clubs should be condemned to extinction”.

Emily Dugan, The Independent's "Social Affairs" correspondent, seized on the "increasingly bizarre press conference" and reported that Dawson defended the policy.

The Herald's Hugh Macdonald went the "bowing to pressure" route, saying the R&A is "reconsidering its stance on single-sex clubs."

Jonathan McEvoy of the Daily Mail also went with a "Men-only clubs may be kicked into long grass" theme. The story also includes a photo of Lindsey Vonn Dufferning with Dufner!

Golf Channel's "Live From" delivered a refreshingly deliberate and comprehensive 9-minute package on the press conference, with surprising comments from Shona Malcomb of the Lades Golf Union as well as an interview with Alex Salmond.

Many of Dawson's remarks are shown too:

Surfaced Photo Suggests Dawson Missed Calling As Bond Villain

Or at the very least, based on this AP photo from Wednesday's R&A Press Conference at the Open Championship, a bit role in a Monty Python film.

The photo accompanies Golfweek's Alex Miceli's account of R&A Chief Inspector Executive Peter Dawson's blame-the-media press conference addressing the Muirfield and R&A membership issues.

R&A Presser Primer: "Peter Dawson would be advised to bring a tin hat"

Euan McLean, writing for the Daily Record, says "it will be a game of cat and mouse as [Peter]Dawson tries to defend the indefensible" during Wednesday's and prepares us with the stock answers Chief Inspector Executive Dawson will give to defend the R&A's stance on membership.

What's interesting in this piece--headlined in print "R&A have to lead way with a sex change"--is McLean's focus on the R&A instead of the Honorable Company of Edinburgh Golfers. And just a reminder, the R&A is a separate entity from the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews. Got that?

Ewan Murray says there is hypocrisy from all angles in the membership debate, while appearing to put down yesterday's Telegraph report that a change in club secretary will change things at Muirfield.

There is hypocrisy, too, from those in the media who dish out routine kickings to male-only clubs such as Muirfield or Troon yet appear there at the drop of a hat if a game is on offer. Peter Dawson, the chief executive of the R&A, meanwhile defends the hosting of the Open at such clubs by pointing to the legality of Muirfield's membership criteria. That is a dubious argument; something needn't be illegal to be immoral and archaic.

On another traditional R&A press conference topic, Eamon Lynch explains why a Royal Portrush-hosted Open Championship has no chance of happening in the playing lifetimes of Mssrs. McIlroy and McDowell: riot season.

Telegraph: Secretary Change, Progress Coming To Muirfield

Oliver Brown reports that longtime club secretary Alastair Brown, a defiant voice on the club's problematic stance against admitting women, will be retiring sometime after The Open.

He will be replaced by a "reformer" in Stuart McEwen.

McEwen, who more recently served as director of golf at Gleneagles, has drawn widespread praise for his innovative work at Kingsbarns on the Fife coast since its founding in 2000, adding to the sense of a possible shift in Muirfield’s controversial position towards women.

One source close to the process said: “The notion of women members is talked about openly now, rather than in whispers. It is not a case of if any longer, but when.”

It won't look good if even the Honourable Company Of Edinburgh Golfers moves into the 21st Century as the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews holds its ground!

USGA "Pleased" PGA Tour And PGA Of America Saw The Light

A statement released today after the PGA Tour and PGA of America came on board with the anchoring ban. No acknowledgement of the suggested extension for the amateur game. 

“The United States Golf Association is pleased with the decision by the PGA Tour and The PGA of America to follow Rule 14-1b, when it goes into effect in January 2016, for their respective competitions. As set forth in our report, “Explanation of Decision to Adopt Rule 14-1b,” the game benefits from having a single set of rules worldwide, applicable to all levels of play, and the acceptance of Rule 14-1b by the PGA Tour and The PGA of America supports the game in this regard.”

 Translation: as it should have been all along until you guys decided to get all independent minded...

"Gullane, North Berwick, Dunbar and Musselburgh were the settings for the kind of blazing shoot-outs that would have made the Gunfight at the OK Coral resemble a playful stooshie with water pistols."

It's hard not to get your Open juices flowing when reading about the 288 lads who made the valiant effort to qualify for the 12 Open spot up for grabs, especially when Nick Rodger is giving accounts of their efforts from Scotland's Golf Coast: North Berwick, Dunbar, Gullane and Musselburgh.

The Open can't come soon enough!

Oh and a special nod to His Montyness for a fine effort off playing in the Senior TPC Sunday and making it to East Lothian to open with a 69 only to understandably fade to a second round 76.

By the time he had completed 12 holes, the big man was five under and on a roll. His bid for one of the three Open tickets was motoring along nicely but the wheels began to shoogle with bogeys at 13, 14, 16 and 17. Despite a birdie putt of 15 feet on the 18th in a two-under 69, the face and the shoulders were beginning to crumple towards half mast and the mood would become increasingly sombre during the second round.

An average splash-out from the greenside bunker on the eighth led to him thundering the offending club back into the bag before he turned round and booted the rake into the sand pit. The silence was so tense that even that aforementioned butterfly was trying desperately to control its flatulence. In the end, a weary 76 for 145 meant he slithered down the field while the assembled scribblers steeled themselves to approach him in the same tentative way as you would edge towards a sleeping lion.

There would be no startled roar and savage bite, though. "Five-under and I threw it away; I played very badly," he groaned in a resigned, downbeat assessment before beating a glum retreat.

You can view full results from the four courses here.

Jargon-Cutting Through The PGA Tour's Anchoring Ban Support

Doug Ferguson's game story on the Monday news dump reminds us that Commissioner Tim Finchem said in February the tour was opposed to the new rule because there was no "overriding reason to go down that road."

And now we've gone down that road with his blessing! 

Though judging by the intial poll results, not many of you buy into the idea of extending the use of anchored putters for the amateur game, as the tour suggested.

Jason Sobel feels the PGA Tour's announcement pointed to political maneuvering, but what that is remains murky.

What can’t be argued is that there was indeed a political agenda at play here. Finchem is well versed in the strategies involved in such issues. He’s implemented them in the past with similar success and this matter was no different, as he planned three, four, five steps ahead at every checkpoint throughout the process.

It may not explain everything about this decision, but it does serve to explain how an organization that outwardly opposed an anchoring ban just a few months ago is voting in support of it this week.

Scott Michaux had less trouble interpreting the decision, saying "the tour couldn’t stop itself from sticking its nose in where it doesn’t belong and sounding pompous in the process."

It's a transparent attempt to strong-arm influence any future policy regarding equipment.

The tour clearly believes that the game and its millions of golfers around the world revolve around its hundreds of tour professionals.

I've pondered the press release for a few hours now and would conclude that Michaux has it right, with the caveat that there was also an element of face-saving in this awkward language that followed the policy board decision.

Finchem knew all along from the person he has on the USGA Rules committee that the proposed ban was going to happen, yet seems to behave as if he was surprised, prompting this absurd statement in the press release:

“It is not inconceivable that there may come a time in the future when the Policy Board determines that a rule adopted by the USGA, including in the area of equipment, may not be in the best interests of the PGA TOUR and that a local rule eliminating or modifying such a USGA rule may be appropriate."

Translation: we know from our representative on the ball and implement committee that you have a ball spec and overall distance standard rollback in mind and we can't make up our mind if we like that or not, so we'll mention something about the everyday game to show we care and to appease our friends at the PGA Of America who are opposed to any kind of distance regulation.

Which then makes this largely a blatant attempt to confuse those who are not aware of the amount of access the PGA Tour has to USGA/R&A deliberations...

“Having said that, we have been assured by the USGA that as we move forward we will have an open and effective communication process on a number of levels with the decision makers at the USGA,” Finchem added. “Importantly, this will include a direct communication between the Commissioner’s Office of the PGA TOUR and the USGA Executive Committee. Such a process will ensure that our position is fully and carefully considered and addressed in future rule making.”

Apparently the Commissioner's interactions with the USGA and R&A at the USGA Annual Meeting, PGA Show, Masters, International Golf Federation conference calls, World Golf Foundation/Hall of Fame/Players Championship meetings, Golf 20/20 meetings, First Tee gatherings, U.S. Open, Open Championship, PGA Championship and assorted other points during the first nine months of the year are not enough?

Good grief.

The USGA was asked for a comment on the PGA Tour press release and declined. Frankly, who can blame them?

Update on 2013-07-02 15:57 by Geoff

**Gary Van Sickle kicks off his always fun mailbag by taking issue with Tim Finchem's actions, writing that "Finchem and the Tour aren't there for the players. The players are there for Finchem and the Tour."

He played both sides of the fence. Like lawyers often do. Using words is just a game. You know, like the whole famous routine about the definition of the word, "is."

I'm not surprised. I know one thing about the PGA Tour: It talks a big game about how much it has raised for charity; its tournaments are a tremendous vehicle for community fundraising and, yes, they're working on their second billion. That is amazing. One of its old slogans was, "Anything's possible." There were dozens of feel-good commercials.

And then, when a player came along with a disability -- a withered leg, say -- and made it to the Tour, the Tour responded by trying to sue him into oblivion instead of making him the poster boy of hope and "Anything's Possible." Casey Martin needed a cart to play golf. He was a true underdog, a true feel-good story, and the courts upheld his right to use a cart in competition under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

So the PGA Tour didn't back up Martin, either. It talked the talk but didn't walk the walk. It fought him every step of the way and did everything it could to stop Martin. Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer and others who should be embarrassed filmed depositions speaking out against Martin. Finally, against the advice of the Tour's legal experts, Finchem appealed the case to the Supreme Court. The justices sided with Martin, proving the Tour's lawyers finally got something right.

Finchem and the Tour aren't there for the players. The players are there for Finchem and the Tour.

Update on 2013-07-02 15:59 by Geoff

**Mike Stachura explains why there is almost zero chance of a ban extension for amateurs.

Update on 2013-07-02 18:58 by Geoff

**Garry Smits has the Florida Times-Union take including this reminder:

With the Tour accepting the ban on anchoring, a number of its stars will have 30 months to find another method of putting. The list includes Masters champion Adam Scott, current British Open champion Ernie Els, 2012 U.S. Open champion Webb Simpson, 2011 PGA champion Keegan Bradley and 2010 Players champion Tim Clark.

Instant Poll: Should Governing Bodies Adopt PGA Tour's Advice And Extend Anchoring Ban For Amateurs To 2024?

In light of the PGA Tour's intriguing press release buried lede about taking a page from the groove rule change and adopting the anchored putting ban in 2024 for amateur play, what do you think?

Should the USGA/R&A extend the anchored putting ban to 2024 for amateur golfers?
	Yes
	No
	Unsure
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