USGA Women's Open to new venues

[Ronald Montesano]

The USGA is hosting a meeting as I type. One part of the announcement is that the USGA Women's Open will go to Interlachen, Oakland Hills, Riviera, Erin Hills, and Inverness, in the coming years. That's great news.

[David_Tepper]

Yes, these "classic" course are now much better suited to host the Women's Open than the Men's Open. When will they go to Merion?

[Tom_Doak]

Yes, these "classic" course are now much better suited to host the Women's Open than the Men's Open. When will they go to Merion?

Inverness is like 7700 yards now, and Erin Hills is over 8000.


So everyone should read this more as those clubs doing the USGA a solid favor, and hoping that they are rewarded with a men's Open somewhere down the road.  But they won't all get one.

[Ronald Montesano]

https://wp.me/p20nYT-84R

Here is the press release.

[Michael Wolf]

Yes, these "classic" course are now much better suited to host the Women's Open than the Men's Open. When will they go to Merion?

The Curtis Cup is at Merion this year.

[Ronald Montesano]

I cannot wait for the Curtis Cup.

[Mike_Trenham]

Yes, these "classic" course are now much better suited to host the Women's Open than the Men's Open. When will they go to Merion?

In August of 2021 USGA invited Merion to host Women’s US Open Championships in 2034 and 2046.

[Brent Carlson]

Great news for the women.  After holding a dearth of men's opens in the Midwest (only one since 2003) the USGA is adding many venues to the women's schedule.  I wonder which Midwestern venue gets the next men's open and when.

[MCirba]

This is great news.

I've said it before and I'll say it again.

The single largest determinant of the health of golf long term is WOMEN's participation.

[Anthony Gray]

This is great news.

I've said it before and I'll say it again.

The single largest determinant of the health of golf long term is WOMEN's participation.

 +1

[David_Tepper]

The prize money is getting a big bump up as well:

https://www.marketwatch.com/story/u-s-womens-open-purse-nearly-doubles-to-10-million-on-fabled-courses-01641583638?mod=mw_latestnews

[Tom_Doak]

The prize money is getting a big bump up as well:

https://www.marketwatch.com/story/u-s-womens-open-purse-nearly-doubles-to-10-million-on-fabled-courses-01641583638?mod=mw_latestnews

That's great to hear.  I figured if anybody could get the USGA to move on more equal pay, it would be Mike Whan.


Note:  I know that the purses are generally less for women's golf, because that's what the free market says.  But both the U.S. Open and Women's Open are run by the USGA, and the USGA's annual budget does not keep all the $$$$ that come out of the tournaments in separate buckets.  So, for them, it's more of a "pay equality" thing.


And that is exactly why the PGA TOUR does not absorb the LPGA TOUR.

[David Wuthrich]

Tom,


Great point, I had never thought about it that way, but you are right that the US Open revenue all goes it one pot and can be distributed as they see fit!

[V_Halyard]

Excellent move. Mike Whan knows the deep underlying potential of 1/2 the population. Better outreach and better marketing will deliver multiples of viewers. Ask women's soccer.  Folks that refuse to watch women's sports will never convert so this will focus on the millions of potential new viewers and followers.


You can assume that with the globally recognized venues of excellence,  Whan will dictate the delivery of improved production values.  NBC's recent hirings were a harbinger of change.

[Tom_Doak]

Tom,


Great point, I had never thought about it that way, but you are right that the US Open revenue all goes it one pot and can be distributed as they see fit!

It will be interesting to see if the AIG Women's Open [now run by the R & A] follows suit.  I'm sure it has been discussed amongst the parties prior to this announcement.

[Tim Martin]

Inverness is in line for a Men’s Open if you read the tea leaves. My guess is 2031 or 3032.

[Rory Connaughton]

Tim,


What about Oakland Hills?

[Matt MacIver]

I’ll take the other side of the venue choices and say - lame; aren’t there courses and locales as deserving as the same old rota that the men play?  If not I guess it’s a small world after all.

[Tim Martin]

Tim,


What about Oakland Hills?

Rory-I think they will get one but tough to tell the year with the women inked in for 2031 and 2042. Some time between the two as I doubt they will have to wait twenty years from now. They could take it back to the PGA.

Best of luck on the 2024 U.S. Women’s Open at Lancaster as you obviously did a terrific job in 2015. Happy New Year!!!!

[Phil Burr]

I’m in Matt MacIver’s camp as being “meh” on the women going to the same venues as the men.  Exceptions granted for PB, Oakmont & Merion, but I prefer when a course becomes identified as a USWO host.  Interlachen and Lancaster are top of mind.  Would Five Farms take another shot?  Salem?  Baltusrol Upper?  No offense to Erin Hills, which I’ve never seen, but I can’t imagine how a course that was built to challenge men at 8,000 yards can be dialed back to be a compelling test for women.  It’s tougher to think of west coast venues, but Waverley?  Eugene?  Why not Bandon as womens’ answer to Shinnecock?  Before jumping on me, I’m aware, as has been pointed out many times, that finding a host venue is dependent on membership’s OK.  I’m simply advocating for USWO to stand on its own rather than copycat the men.

[Tony Dear]

I’m in Matt MacIver’s camp as being “meh” on the women going to the same venues as the men.  Exceptions granted for PB, Oakmont & Merion, but I prefer when a course becomes identified as a USWO host.  Interlachen and Lancaster are top of mind.  Would Five Farms take another shot?  Salem?  Baltusrol Upper?  No offense to Erin Hills, which I’ve never seen, but I can’t imagine how a course that was built to challenge men at 8,000 yards can be dialed back to be a compelling test for women.  It’s tougher to think of west coast venues, but Waverley?  Eugene?  Why not Bandon as womens’ answer to Shinnecock?  Before jumping on me, I’m aware, as has been pointed out many times, that finding a host venue is dependent on membership’s OK.  I’m simply advocating for USWO to stand on its own rather than copycat the men.

Pine Needles hosts its fourth this year.

[Phil Burr]

Let me add that I agree with MCirba about the importance of growth of the game among women.  Yet when was the last time they took their Open to a muni?  Torrey, Bethpage, Memorial et. al. are celebrated for “bringing the game to the masses”.  Are women not among the masses?  They play the USEO at some limited-access resort venues, but no sleep-in-the-car-to-get-a-tee time venues.  Growth of the game among women has to start at public venues, just as it does for men.

[Tom_Doak]

 Growth of the game among women has to start at public venues, just as it does for men.

That's an interesting premise and I have never really thought about it that way, but it begs the question -- does anyone know of a public venue that does anywhere close to 50% women's play?

[Kevin_Reilly]

I attended the Open at Olympic last year.  Tickets were dirt cheap ($35 including onsite parking) and even while limited due to Covid, they were never in big demand.  As a spectator, I was pretty underwhelmed, despite enjoying the quality of play.  Pace of play was terribly slow, so when we would be at a tee waiting for groups to come through, there were gaps of ~10+ minutes at a time. 


The USGA needs to do something about pace of play, as it is the only thing that I can point to as the reason that it seemed so "boring" for fans like me who were there.  Though as a TV event, the network can go from shot to shot without any downtime...unlike those of us there in person. 


I had tickets for two days, and I didn't bother going out the second day.

[Sean_A]

The prize money is getting a big bump up as well:

https://www.marketwatch.com/story/u-s-womens-open-purse-nearly-doubles-to-10-million-on-fabled-courses-01641583638?mod=mw_latestnews

That's great to hear.  I figured if anybody could get the USGA to move on more equal pay, it would be Mike Whan.


Note:  I know that the purses are generally less for women's golf, because that's what the free market says.  But both the U.S. Open and Women's Open are run by the USGA, and the USGA's annual budget does not keep all the $$$$ that come out of the tournaments in separate buckets.  So, for them, it's more of a "pay equality" thing.


And that is exactly why the PGA TOUR does not absorb the LPGA TOUR.

Exactly. And the reason the R&A should make the prize money equal to men. Wimbledon did it a few years back.

Ciao

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