Melvyn,
To answer the original thread question ; YES ! Absolutely !
But you have to remember - there are nutters in all walks of life and "we" sensible chappies must inevitably bump into a few along the way.
People are fickle - even a few golfers !
I must say, that sometimes you do come across as a little aggressive ? Brilliant ! That's your passion (IMO) and you should never lose that. The contributions you've made to this site, thus far, have been interesting and informative, and for the most part - original. I'm impressed, to say the least ! I firmly believe that.....you get it, Melvyn, unlike so many who don't !
Now. THE OPEN ? "THE" Open is still the one IMO. And for all the reasons you've previously stated. Anyone who opines otherwise is clearly living and viewing the golfing world from their own little goldfish bowl !
I wonder why it is, that thousands upon thousands of golfers (and non golfers) worldwide, possess an insatiable desire to make the pilgrimage to St Andrews and Scotland, at least once in their lifetime ?
Augusta and the US Open are fantastic too - but they diminish as time and technology rolls on. THE Open can still hold it's head above the water (and above the other Majors) , but only just ? That's just progress - so they say - and you can't turn the clock back ? So they say ?
They once said - that the world wasn't round....so they said ?
Keep on posting mate, and enjoy watching why THE Open is the greatest of them all. IMO, of course.
Alfie.