[Sean_A]

If Augusta had overcome the objections of timing and actually hosted a US Open in the mid 30s, would the Open mantra of "par golf should win" ever been developed?  Okay, the Masters didn't take long to be established as one of the biggies (maybe 20 years?) and truly worthy of its name, but was that enough time for the Open to be completely shrouded in the mantra with the ideals of toughening course for pros being centred around greens rather than sand, rough and length? 

Ciao

[Patrick_Mucci]

Sean,

I think the answer lies, not with the golf courses, but with those in charge of the two entities.

As Joe Dey stated, with regard to playing conditions, with words to the effect of: The USGA was not trying to embarrass the best players in the world, it was only tryingto identify them.

[PCCraig]

Was the US Open ever a viable option for Augusta National?

Doesn't the Masters and it's lower (-ish) scoring allow for an event where par is protected? In other words do their identities depend on each other?

[Steve Kline]

Maybe hosting a US Open would have hastened AN's move to what we have today - a more difficult course with fewer options and less width.

[JohnV]

Sean,

I think the answer lies, not with the golf courses, but with those in charge of the two entities.

As Joe Dey stated, with regard to playing conditions, with words to the effect of: The USGA was not trying to embarrass the best players in the world, it was only tryingto identify them.

It was Sandy Tatum, not Joe Dey, who said that at the 1974 US Open at Winged Foot.

[Phil McDade]

Maybe hosting a US Open would have hastened AN's move to what we have today - a more difficult course with fewer options and less width.

Steve:

For all the criticism that AN gets on this board, I am of the view that the folks running the tournament and course set-up have gotten it right, after some initial adjustment to the most-recent course changes (and a run of really tough weather that produced high scores). The winning score the past two years has been -12 and -16, and it's seen the return of the charges in the final round. AN and the Masters has always been not just about being able to mount a charge, but what (I think it was him) Shivas once described as its high beta factor -- that both a run of birdies/eagles and disaster were prevelant in equal abundance (the '86 Masters being the Rosetta Stone for this). We've certainly seen that in the last two Masters tourneys.

[Martin Del Vecchio]

Was the Open played in June during the 1930s? 

I'm not sure August would be very playable in the summer.

But on my list of things I'd like to see at Augusta National:

1) Ryder Cup
2) US Open
3) Match play
4) US Women's Open

[Bill_McBride]

Was the Open played in June during the 1930s? 

I'm not sure August would be very playable in the summer.

But on my list of things I'd like to see at Augusta National:

1) Ryder Cup
2) US Open
3) Match play  THE WALKER CUP WOULD BE GREAT***
4) US Women's Open

*** But I don't know if the club would want to host twice in a year.

[Garland Bayley]

...
3) Match play  THE WALKER CUP WOULD BE GREAT***
...
*** But I don't know if the club would want to host twice in a year.

IMO the last place the Walker Cup should go is to Augusta National. IMO the USGA has got it right by taking its Open to more public courses, and I don't see any reason why they shouldn't do the same for the Walker Cup.

Golf needs to be more open and accessible and anything the USGA can do to promote that idea is a benefit in my opinion.

[Phil McDade]

Was the Open played in June during the 1930s? 

The US Open jumped around quite a bit during the early third of a decade in the 1900s, and was played anytime from early June to even once in early August. It settled into the first or second week of June starting in 1934, with a move toward the third week in June in the 1950s. It's finished on Father's Day for quite some time now.

[Mark Chaplin]

Garland - the last 10 Walker Cup venues in the USA include Pine Valley, Cypress Point, Merion, Shinnecock Hills, Chicago Golf and The Country Club then next one is at National Golf Links so the USGA do not show any intent to make the Walker Cup move to accessible venues.

In many ways the Walker Cup allows clubs who would never usually open their doors to host a USGA event.

[Peter Pallotta]

Sean - as in most things gca, I have everything to learn and little to add.  But it seems to me that the fellow who became president of the USGA instead of CBMacdonald (was Roberston his name, in 1901 or 1902) was right from the start concerned about making sure that the American championship/open would be a true 'test' of golf.  So, to answer yoyur question - no, I don't think that Augusta as a venue would've changed the par mantra; that had been, if not officially established/verbalized, at least in the air for 3 decades before Augusta came along.

Peter
 

[Garland Bayley]

Mark,

The USGA certainly has a right to take the Walker Cup where it pleases to. However, taking to places that are open to the public is more apt to promote golf amongst the public IMO. Therefore, I would prefer they don't take it to NGLA, etc.

[JESII]

Garland,

How can you prove that public facilities hosting USGA events promotes golf?

Also, Should all 13 USGA events go to public facilities?

[Garland Bayley]

Garland,

How can you prove that public facilities hosting USGA events promotes golf?

Also, Should all 13 USGA events go to public facilities?

Sully,

How can you prove that advertising sells product?

As a contrarian, I would like to see the public links events go to the most private courses, and most of the others to the publics. However, moderation is always good, so give the exposure, but it doesn't have to be all the time.

[JESII]

I think the best golf courses will promote golf the best...that and easy access policies for spectators of these events...

[Jim Nugent]

Was the US Open ever a viable option for Augusta National?

I'm pretty sure the USGA offered the Open to ANGC, maybe even before it opened, who turned it down, so they could hold their own event.

You could easily make ANGC real resistant to par.  Turn it into a par 70.  They do that pretty often at U.S. Open courses anyway.  

[Mark Chaplin]

I guess taking events like the Walker Cup to public venues would be too expensive for the USGA. Lets face it the event will not publicise a venue as it's a too niche, so a facility would have to be paid. I would imagine the type of venues that host the Walker Cup do not charge very much at all.

Does the US Open identify the best players? Andy North, Lee Janzen & Hale Irwin spring to mind.

[JESII]

Bobby Jones won 3 or 4  - Ben Hogan won 4 or 5 - Jack Nicklaus won 4 and Tiger has won 3 I think...

[Peter Pallotta]

I think the best golf courses will promote golf the best...that and easy access policies for spectators of these events...

Maybe, Jim. But I can tell you what watching all those great championships at the great private courses did for one immigrant, working class-kid -- it suggested to him that golf was not a game for people like him.  I'm not saying that working-class kid was right to think that, just that he did think that. We can slice this topic in all sorts of ways, but Garland's point seems a good one to me, at least inuitively:  play the championships at places where the public can play and golf gets promoted amongst the public.

Peter

[Tim Martin]

Was the Open played in June during the 1930s? 

I'm not sure August would be very playable in the summer.

But on my list of things I'd like to see at Augusta National:

1) Ryder Cup
2) US Open
3) Match play
4) US Women's Open

I agree that all the above referenced competitions would be great at ANGC. You will not see any USGA events there because the green jackets will never cede control on any aspect as they have made abundantly clear already. There will be one and only one tooniment at ANGC. 

[JESII]

Peter,

Who is your favorite musician ever?

In which venue would you (or would have) dream to see him/her perform?

If I could have gotten you in for free would that have been more inspirational than seeing them at the school gymnasium during open mic night?

[Phil McDade]

Mark,

The USGA certainly has a right to take the Walker Cup where it pleases to. However, taking to places that are open to the public is more apt to promote golf amongst the public IMO. Therefore, I would prefer they don't take it to NGLA, etc.

Garland:

I think one of the really cool things the USGA has done is take several of its championships to courses like Essex, NGLA, Newport, Chicago and several others that you'd otherwise never be able to see, either as a golfer or just as a fan. Strictly from a GCA standpoint, I think it's helped expand golf fan's knowledge of interesting architecture.

[Garland Bayley]

I think the best golf courses will promote golf the best...that and easy access policies for spectators of these events...

What is your definition of "best golf courses"? World rankings? Or, how they show on TV? The USGA moved their open from the privates, because no one has access to them. Do they promote golf best by having their open at Merion, or at Chambers Bay?

For sure, Chambers Bay is going to look better on TV than Merion.

[JESII]

Peter,

That wasn't meant to be too blunt, but I think it's easy to buy into the perception that private golf courses have an adverse impact on golf participation...or that PGA Tour level golf has much if anything to do with participation. Someone posted a statisitic a few months ago about golf's "growth" during the Tiger era being flat to slightly negative.

The game needs to grow on a local level and frankly I would want to see the best in the world on the best course(s) whether they are public or private...

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