It's only my opinion and carries no weight, but I will say 'Forgive them Old Tom for they know not what they do'. Certainly, Peter Dawson seems totally in charge of a sinking ship.
The R&A and Peter Dawson played with the Open last year, now they are messing about with The Old Course. I would not mind if I believed it was for the overall improvement of the course, but I am willing to bet it is all about money yet again. The R&A are good at making money but very poor when it comes to knowing what they are doing.
They bought 6 Pilmour Links, my grandmother’s home and where my father grew up, yet what have they done to it but destroy the rear and turn the house into old offices. No clear plan or imagination, in fact they were going to extend it to the back of Old Tom’s shop but the family managed to stop them. Therefore, we should not expect too much from them regards the course. It’s a question of real forward planning and understand what they are trying to achieve. My feeling is that they don’t really know themselves, they are slow they dither and should have grasped the nettle years ago – as Bill so reasonably put it ‘ Roll back the freaking ball. Please’. Alas Bill they have not woken up to that possibility yet and I swear as I have said before that some Members still believe Old Tom is still alive, One day the penny may drop and they may remember that they once were in charge of the game. Regrettable I fear their days are numbered and quite rightly so.
The answer I feel rests with the ball or as some call it ‘roll back’. The distance the ball travels will maintain the current lengths of courses rather than force clubs to keep adding yardage to their holes and the expense that places on each club. It’s an easy cop out to keep extending, no cost to the R&A but to everyone else and ultimately the poor golfer who has to foot all the bills. However very clever to place the blame on old Henry Cotton if its not liked.
Bring the game into disrepute, maybe the charge that either wakes them up or ends this nightmare. The day must be near when that charge will be placed at their door.
Actually, I do not want to say, “Forgive them Old Tom for they know not what they do”, they do know what they are doing but don’t realise the error of their ways.
Adam posted “'WE ARE THE R&A AND WE HAVE SURRENDERED OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO GOVERN THIS GAME.'” , yes I go alone with that and totally endorse it, however I would love to see them take real control and do what is required to save the game we know today as golf. The talent is there to do the job, so come on lets have a total reshuffle of the Team with people that will listen and know what is good for the game, not just the R&A.
The answer I feel rests with the ball or as some call it ‘roll back’. The distance the ball travels will maintain the current lengths of courses rather than force clubs to keep adding yardage to their holes and the expense that places on each club. It’s an easy cop out to keep extending, no cost to the R&A but to everyone else and ultimately the poor golfer who has to foot all the bills.
Melvyn