[Matthew Mollica]

Although it is undeniable that greater forays to foreign lands and wonderful courses would be a great thing for golf fans around the world, and the US PGA Tour, I would not like it. Not in my country anyway. I don't want professional golfers and the monkeys that govern their tours coming here and playing big time international events on our courses, stuffing them up. They can keep doing that at home.

Gerry - You need to look at Kingston Heath again. For architecture on a small, flat block, that's as good as it gets. If you like the course (I'm not talking about exclusivity, serenity, and environment) at Capital, more than Kingston Heath, I worry for your santiy.

I do agree with you that National (Old) is a wonderful experience. It's my home club. I love the place, but the Heath is streets ahead of the National in design terms.

NSW is a similar distance behind RM too.

MM

[RJ_Daley]

I don't know if this was stated earlier in the tread as I have blossed most of it over...

But, how does a major become a major?  Isn't it by tradition of the event, the prestige the event generates from the quality of the competition over a period of time.  Obviously the "Open" is they first and primary major, followed by the U.S. Open.  The PGA and Masters sort of carved out a place for themselves following the traditional playing of the first two.  Then there was talk of making the Players Championship at SAwgrass a fifth major.  INteresting that it seems predicated on a specific course like the Masters.

Then we can go back to the "Western Open" and how that was sort of considered a major, but fell by the wayside yielding to the PGA and Masters.  

There is certainly enough time in the year for another major.  There is certainly a northern hemisphere off season that could yield to a southern hemisphere primier event in Australia of South Africa.  Sun City put up the big bucks but didn't achieve the tradition yet to be considered, nor does it have the quality of golf course to challenge.  I think if they put up enough money, had a rota of the best courses, one of the southern hemisphere countries and their national golf association could make a bid to hold a major if they had a serious mindset to promote it.  

But, I'm with Mathew Mollica in wondering why the heck would an Australian or South AFrican association really want to bring all that B.S. in to begin with?

[Mike_Clayton]

Sean

I'm glad someone is listening to the show - Mark does a good job.

Barnbougle is fantastic - and by a long way the best course since Royal Melbourne (which I said about the Norman course at The National)
It will be an effrot to get there but I promise you it will be even better than you imagine.
We have done a little at Port Fairy - which is a wonderful course to play, especially for $300 a year.
We took out the trees right of the tee shot at #1 and redid the bunkers.
Same thing at 7, new green at 8 , trees out and bunkers at 9,all the trees out down the right of 14 to open up that unbelievable view and we moved the 16th tee right and put some bunkers in down the left.

We all should organize a trip down there sometime - probably after Barnbougle which is opening in about 6 weeks.

[Gerry B]

Matthew:

I agree KH is better than Capital -i was just making the point that I did not think it was worth its world ranking -IMHO.

I love National Old -my home course has reciprocal there and had a great time there last fall.

Still sticking to my position of NSW over RM - evryone has an opinion

 

[Matthew Mollica]

Fair enough Gerry.

Glad you loved Nash Old.
It is a special place.

The Ocean Course has had a large facelift recently.
Hopefully you'll find it better when you're next down.

Let me know when you are down here next. Maybe squeeze Barnbougle Dunes and St. Andrews Beach in there too?

Matthew

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