Mailbag: Responding to the G4G readers

Since G4G has been exploding with reader commentary over the past few days, it is time to answer the postman’s call. Let’s call this the good, the bad and the ugly, though in no apparent order:

Responding to my story about Nick Price, Not a Fan says:

hey RT, it’s me again. Your favorite Monday morning quarterback.

Right. Favourite like a good case of jock itch…anyway, please, don’t let me interrupt:

Although I agree with everything Price says here, he’d have more credibility if he wasn’t such a self serving whiner. This is the same weenie who complained that he didn’t get voted into the World Golf Hall of Fame on the first ballot. And the only person in the golf industry that “slags” Augusta’s greens (because he’s not a good putter). Even though he had/has the course record.

Wow. Who would I believe, Nick Price, or some guy on the Internet who won’t use his real name. Next.

Oh, and Weekend Enthusiast retorts on my behalf:

Nick Price makes great points…as Jack Nicklaus has said, bring in a standard ball so we can see PGA tours play some of the classic old courses that are now too short for the 300+ yard bombers…

Match, set and point for Weekend Enthusiast.

In response to my concluding thoughts on the CanOpen, reader KH fired at the RCGA:

Does the US OPEN go to unfinished, untested courses??????

Where is the forward thinking in this organization??????……

I’m with you so far…

AND this country’s magazines, newspaper writers, broadcasters, etc. will not call the RCGA out on this……

Because they all need the RCGA politically or financially, either directly or indirectly. They may not get invited to a future RCGA dinner, perhaps or some other perk………….

Perks from the RCGA? Come on. They do feed us in the media tent. Perhaps you didn’t you read this?

KC wasn’t kind to poor Davis Love III, who didn’t decide to make the trip to Canada:

I am glad DL III did not get picked.

Too bad Villegas did not win. He could certainly widen the fan base of golf to include the Hispanic crowd and females.

Indeed:

Now on to “Angry” Alfred Tonin, who feel that the RCGA has been unfairly maligned:

I love the way the media comes up with simple solutions to issues that have anything but simple solutions. The US Open is a major. It get $30 million per year in just television rights fees from the networks. The US Open can spend as much money as is needed to fix problems (ie. witness Bethpage Black and all the money it poured into the golf course). The RCGA doesn’t live and will never live in that world.

Very true. Which is why only a handful of courses in this country can host the Open. It isn’t going to Hamilton for the next few years, so where, AA would you like to see it go? I don’t think Angus Glen will be a favourite of many players, and PGA Tour types are pretty split on Glen Abbey. So let’s hear your suggestion? But Alfred has questions as well:

Questions for you:
Given the reality that the Canadian Open will played after the British Open, how will moving the tournament three time zone further WEST help the event draw a stronger field?

I agree with you, but a lot of players mentioned Shaughnessy this week, much to my surprise. But Alfred isn’t stopping there:

Further, last time I looked St. Georges has the ability to park about 100 vehicles and is completely land locked? How do you deal with the logistical problems at this golf course? “There was a plan in place to hold 20,000 spectators you say”? I suppose the plan was so convincing that the PGA Tour decided to take a pass on the course for the President’s Cup.

Actually, I think, if you looked into it, you’d be surprised at how political a decision taking the President’s Cup to Montreal was. As for 100 cars — Alfred, my man, been to Hamilton lately? Guess what? Buses have been invented. St. George’s could hold a Canadian Open — the powers that be have investigated the possibility of holding a major event there and the Canadian Open should be it. I bet there were 20,000 people on site in 1968 when the event was there.

Sensing he has his foot on my throat, The Good Butler moves in for the kill:

So be fair here.

“An eyewitness told me”? “A noted businessman approached me”? “I’ve spoken at length with St. George’s officials”. Do these sources have names? Aren’t good journalists required to print the names of sources?

Sometimes. Sometimes not. Depends on the circumstances. But what is this? An ethics class? I skipped that the first time round to play golf….

Here’s a source for you…..go ahead and print this too:
A noted blogger told me that the Canadian Open is replacing the US Open as a major. The US Open will be dropped from the schedule.

Okay, thanks for the tip.