Tongo
Journeyman Pro
I havent checked to be fair.
Regardless of who's televising the event its another opportunity to see some decent live golf. I'm certainly mulling over paying a visit to Woburn.
I havent checked to be fair.
Regardless of who's televising the event its another opportunity to see some decent live golf. I'm certainly mulling over paying a visit to Woburn.
mhwgc
Assistant Pro
If we lost the Welsh Open then I think we're + 1 with the BM as Paul Lawrie is hosting a matchplay event as well.
mhwgc
Assistant Pro
Absolutely we can hardly complain about the lack of events and then not support them, I'm going for sure.
D
Deleted member 15344
Guest
Johnnie Walker has gone and not sure about the World matchplay
MendieGK
Tour Winner
But if that event attracts a better field than those of the Johnny Walker and Welsh open than i would think that would be a good thing.
English golfers are doing very well at the moment so it makes sense to me - few people watched the welsh open because the field was fairly poor (borderline Challenge Tour/European tour co sanctioned) and the course is distinctly average.
The fact Rose, Poulter, Westwood and Donald are playing is likely to attract further players from the European Ryder cup team - especially given that its the same week as the presidents cup.
Foxholer
Blackballed
Poulters statement in the ET blurb sums it up for me...
Poulter said: “It is fantastic news that the British Masters is back on The European Tour schedule and I am proud and delighted to be bringing the tournament to Woburn Golf Club, which is obviously a place that means a great deal to me.
“British golf has been in a good place for a number of years now with the success we have had internationally, and as players we have all been keen to get more tournaments on British soil, and in England in particular, so we are grateful to Sky Sports and The European Tour for helping to make this happen.
Hopefully there has been an agreement with HMRC about tax on sponsorship. That put many overseas (US particularly) off as HMRC previously wanted a week's worth of tax on that money, as well as on Prize money!
And yes, the confirmation (first word in the OP!) is News. It was only a proposal before this morning's announcement!
Poulter said: “It is fantastic news that the British Masters is back on The European Tour schedule and I am proud and delighted to be bringing the tournament to Woburn Golf Club, which is obviously a place that means a great deal to me.
“British golf has been in a good place for a number of years now with the success we have had internationally, and as players we have all been keen to get more tournaments on British soil, and in England in particular, so we are grateful to Sky Sports and The European Tour for helping to make this happen.
Hopefully there has been an agreement with HMRC about tax on sponsorship. That put many overseas (US particularly) off as HMRC previously wanted a week's worth of tax on that money, as well as on Prize money!
And yes, the confirmation (first word in the OP!) is News. It was only a proposal before this morning's announcement!
mhwgc
Assistant Pro
Good point, forgot about the matchplay
Foxholer
Blackballed
Matchplay is at The London Club (Kent) in Mid October
D
Deleted member 15344
Guest
Surely a better thing is having multiple events across the country to give everyone a chance to watch live golf
Rooter
Money List Winner
So will the be the week before/after? could be great news for fielding a strong line up!
Tongo
Journeyman Pro
Is it? Not seen anything in the press about an event this year. Not since Volvo pulled out.
D
Deleted member 15344
Guest
Foxholer
Blackballed
Doh! Looks like it's not - as the dates on the link I saw (http://eventmasters.co.uk/volvo-world-match-play-championship.html) are the Portugal Masters!
Rooter
Money List Winner
OK, so at least most players will be in Europe! Should get a decent turn out!
D
Deleted member 15344
Guest
Think you will get the same sort of field as PGA bar the ET members playing in Presidents
MendieGK
Tour Winner
IMHO i disagree. How many people go and watch the challenge tour events @ Stoke By Nayland? the standard at the welsh open isn't much better.
People will travel to watch the best of the game, i live 45mins from Celtic Manor but never went to watch, i live an hour from wentworth but i go for at least one day every year
D
Deleted member 15344
Guest
Which is great for people within an hour - my dad for example went to the Welsh Open every year from Bristol - he won't travel 3 hours to woburn or Wentworth - what about people in the south west , north east and East of Country , Wales.
There is already one big event near London - the PGA - we need to have events spread over the country instead of exclusive ones near London - it's just narrowing down the catchment area. Supposed to grabbing a wider audience for golf yet every desicion so far seems to be doing the opposite
MendieGK
Tour Winner
Without getting picky, Woburn & Wentworth are nowhere near 3hrs from Bristol.
If people want to watch top golf they are willing to travel, look at the Open each year.
I have little interest seeing Bradley Dredge (for example) playing golf, I want to see the best in the world.
Another key part here is the infrastructure of these golf courses, Saunton should hold the open in my view but they could never run the event there.
Bristol to Woburn is only 112 miles and 2hrs tops, Bristol to Wentworth couldn't be easier at 97 miles and much less than 2hrs, probably 90 minutes at worse.
Just saying
D
Deleted member 15344
Guest
It's great you have little interest seeing players like Dredge and only want to see the best - those are the sort of players that keep the ET going by turning up week in week out and events like the Welsh Open and Johnnie Walker Classic gave a chance to those players to establish themselves -
Right now the events in the UK for us to watch live is down by 1 and the events we do have are concentrated in one area - that to me is wrong and doesn't encourage opening up golf to everyone - it's great that a couple of top players will fly in - play Woburn then fly back out again to the cash cow that is the US Pga - it doesn't help the tour though and don't expect it to help golf in this country.
I would prefer to see more events in the country and spread around to capture the widest audience possible
