So Nikey
Which great golf courses bid for the PGA ? Or where shall it be held in your opnion ?

ellimb

For a start as I’ve mentioned before on some other previous topics re The PGA, I really don’t understand why there is this unwritten rule about Melbourne having The Masters, Sydney having The Open and Qld having the PGA. I’ve always maintained that all three deserve to be played across the country on our finest courses. And if that means that the 3 courses are in timbucktoo and all want to committ to staging the events in the same year then great. But to be potentially holding it back based on state boundaries is dumb.

I’ve also noted before that for the good of the long term viability of the tourney and for the opportunity for The PGA to actually make a quid out of the event, they should sell the rights to manage the tourney to the likes of say IMG, SEL or similar.

That way they can actually get something back by way of a management fee, as well as any profit share plus they get the kudos for hosting what potentially could be a strong event commanding worldwide interest, a strong field, world ranking points etc etc.

Nikey

You are dreaming of days long past.

IMG staged the Masters, there was one man and a dog there and almost no world class players.

There is little chance that turned a profit.

The recent Victorian PGA was more successful.

The Australian Open survives purely on the back of amateur affiliation fees.

Play it as it lies, get on with it, its not life or death, its just a game!

Maybe I’m dreaming of the future…...maybe it could be back to the future…..outsourcing is the way forward my friend.

I’m all for having a crack, being different, don’t go with the norm which is obviously failing.

We have reached the fork in the road…..do we want serious tournaments in this country or not?

If the answer is yes, let’s get help from people who have done it before and can make it a success. Otherwise we’re going to die a slow and painful death, telling tales of the “good old days” and wondering why they’re not returning.

We do have great tournaments in this country just the rest of the world may not think so?

We do have great tournaments in this country just the rest of the world may not think so?

Resident forum moderator
Any issues contact content @ iseekgolf.com

We actually need the people that govern the game here to be spruiking it overseas.

No one will look in our relatively small backyard without being told there’s a reason too.

We have some of the best courses in the world, great climate etc. lets get lobbying overseas. Lets get a WGC event back here. We had one. How much time if any do Golf Oz allocate to pushing what we have to offer each year?

Nikey

Love your optimism, yes good courses, great weather but it does not matter a squat while we are virtually going alone, Oneasia was a small step but a lot more needs to be done.

Golf Australia should stick to amateur golf, the PGA are the ones that need to get the tours to join or if not co-sanctioning with Europe probably. eg the Perth International is bigger than the “big 3”

So true. We’re invisible to most of the world…

A few points that may be relevant.

The players who matter to fans decide on where they play based on one thing only – the appearance money cheque. It’s not the course or the prize money or the weather or that it’s in Australia. They all say they love the sandbelt – but don’t expect them to come especially to play it.

The major sponsors of golf tournaments in Australia are the state governments.

All the Royal Pines talk has been around the perception the course is ‘too easy’ . That is not the reason it isn’t in the top 100 in Australia.
They certainly don’t need to spend any money to drive up the winning score and defeat the perception it is too easy. Just grow the rough and make the fairways 25 yards wide.

Nikey

Love your optimism, yes good courses, great weather but it does not matter a squat while we are virtually going alone, Oneasia was a small step but a lot more needs to be done.

Golf Australia should stick to amateur golf, the PGA are the ones that need to get the tours to join or if not co-sanctioning with Europe probably. eg the Perth International is bigger than the “big 3”

Play it as it lies, get on with it, its not life or death, its just a game!

I live in Sydney….can I re-tract the great weather comment. Looks like no golf this weekend!

Mac, what do you think of the concept of backing off the appearance money and putting that money into prize money instead?
At the same time placing some sort of importance on the OOM title, such as entry into the Masters (US) or WGC’S etc?

I am not Mac and your suggestion already happens.

The OOM winner gets into a WGC event and the Dunhill Links Championship.

Appearance money is guaranteed, prize money is not so that won’t make any difference for the very top players fueling their jets.

Increased ranking points is the only thing the middle range players are chasing so they can get in the Top 50 world rankings and then pick and choose events and eventually demand appearance money to fuel their jet.

Theguru

They players galleries want play for $6 million a week in America. We could pay zero appearance money and maybe get to $3m prizemoney – from 1.5m. Or in Tiger’s case from 1,5 to 4.5 assuming a 3 million fee.

$3m isn’t enticing anyone. The only chance is a state government commits to something huge. We could dump the Grand Prix and for what we pay Bernie run the biggest event in the world.

All the Royal Pines talk has been around the perception the course is ‘too easy’ . That is not the reason it isn’t in the top 100 in Australia.
They certainly don’t need to spend any money to drive up the winning score and defeat the perception it is too easy. Just grow the rough and make the fairways 25 yards wide.

Royal Pines success over the years is due to the fact that is a fairly easy course for the weekend hackers to play & score on which is reasonably rare amongst Resort courses.
Growing the rough & narrowing the fairways may well harden up the course . this is not likely to suit the people that play the course for the rest of the year & put money into the coffers.
I have not played the nine holes over the other side so could not comment on them.
But for the main 18 holes.( the ones the ladies play ) lengthening is one possible option although I am not sure that there is much room available to do that

Or rebuilding it – possible for the proposed $5 million – and making it a course that enhances to the quality and reputation of the PGA.

Of course simple length and grown rough is not the answer.

read the newspapers people, multiple groups have their hats in the ring already for the redesign, especially wayne grady who was the royal pines travelling pro for some 10 or 12 years

he’s talking a lot about moving the tee boxes positions more so than lengthening, effectively changing a lot of angles of the course to bring more water into play and modifying the green complexes etc

some of the soft par 5’s would obviously be 4’s for the men also

living here on the coast and having played the course tons of times i’m excited for the coming years, and keen to play the course in it’s new guise as well

at least they have 3 nines at the course so the renovations can happen whenever they want without affecting play, always being able to have 18 open in either of the configurations

Wayne Grady does not have a great resume in regard to golf course design.

Couldn’t agree more Shanks. Ipswich is not a good advert on your CV. I hope he doesn’t do a similar job on RP.

Couldn’t agree more Shanks. Ipswich is not a good advert on your CV. I hope he doesn’t do a similar job on RP.

Started 2012 on unofficial 17, achieved 12 – 2013 target single figures
Inaugural Official Handicapper and Treasurer of the SEQ Golf Guys

Simpler still, appoint a better architect.

That’s what I meant!

ross watson would be a nice option, i like what he did with sanctuary cove