Lack of Full European Tour Events in England

[alexgolf]

I hate the Daily Mail but i do try to read if poss the Golf column in Tuesdays edition by Derek Lawrenson.

Always some good Tit-Bits and Golf discussion.

Today he is bemoaning the lack of a full pro tour event in England, outside the PGA at Wentworth and The Open Championship at RSG. He is quoating Paul Casey in the main.

He makes a good point. I firmly believe that one of the reasons we have so many good English golfers is that Ten, Fifteen,twenty years ago we had a good handfull of pro events, most covered by the BBC and infused an interest in golf.

I look at myself from about 1985 onwards. I would not have been exposed to golf and got an interest if the coverage had not been available and i had pro events like the European Open at Walton Heath and the World Matchplay at Wentworth for me to go to.

And this is not anti SKY, far from it but there is more golf on the TV now than ever before, but only those that are interested watch.

I think we are storeing up trouble as we need golf exposed and it is not getting that.

This needs looking at....Fast. What do you all think??

 

[Imurg]

We used to have 4 or 5 each year. Now, just the 2 (sometimes just 1 if the Open is in Jockland!)

Isn't St Mellion supposed to have an even t next year? Was supposed to be this year but something went wrong.

We have enough good courses and enough players in the top flight, they ought to be able to get a couple more tournaments going.

 

[chris661]

We used to have 4 or 5 each year. Now, just the 2 (sometimes just 1 if the Open is in Jockland!)

Isn't St Mellion supposed to have an even t next year? Was supposed to be this year but something went wrong.

We have enough good courses and enough players in the top flight, they ought to be able to get a couple more tournaments going.

Sponsorship/money I would imagine is the hardest problem also as the european tour is in effect a global tour now then it is only logical that there are more events in other countries.

 

[HRC99]

You can make the same argument about the value of a tournament in any other country on the tour.

We, at least, will always have The Open on our screens every year.

 

[chrisd]

The European Open at the London Club was fantastic and with cheap/free entry the crowds were big, but it only lasted 2 years - why?




Chris

 

[HRC99]

The European Open at the London Club was fantastic and with cheap/free entry the crowds were big, but it only lasted 2 years - why?




Chris

Money.

 

[chrisd]

The European Open at the London Club was fantastic and with cheap/free entry the crowds were big, but it only lasted 2 years - why?




Chris

Money.

In what way - sponsorship, entry fees ??




Chris

 

[MashieNiblick]

I guess the European Tour is now exactly that and more events are played in other European countries including new places like the Czech Republic and Austria, which is fine, and places like South Africa and the Gulf when the weather doesn't really favour golf in mainland Europe, and South East Asia and China at the fag end of the year to get the money in. That's all fairly understandable.

That doesn't leave a lot of free weeks for more tournaments in England and as Britain has 6 (The Open, the PGA, the Welsh Open, the Scottish Open, the Johnny Walker at Gleneagles and the Dunhill Links) I suppose they think that's enough. Only 1 of those is guaranteed to be in England though.

With so many English players at the top of the World Rankings it would be nice to have an extra tournament in England, maybe revive the English Open or the British Masters - venue probaby be somewhere like the Belfry, which is nicely centrally placed and would give people who don't live in the South East or North West a chance to see some top pro golf, even if the course does have it's detractors. Looking at the schedule there are some noddy events in the early summer (the Madeira Islands Open, the Iberdrola Open) which I'm sure we wouldn't miss and could be replaced.

 

[HRC99]

The European Open at the London Club was fantastic and with cheap/free entry the crowds were big, but it only lasted 2 years - why?




Chris

Money.

In what way - sponsorship, entry fees ??




Chris

Sponsors are the main one.

Entry fees don't really add up to much in the scheme of things these days.

You need a big sponsor to cough up a lot of money as a prize fund and, if you don't, then there are other sponsors in other countries who will.

 

[Adi2Dassler]

We used to have 4 or 5 each year. Now, just the 2 (sometimes just 1 if the Open is in Jockland!)

Isn't St Mellion supposed to have an even t next year? Was supposed to be this year but something went wrong.

We have enough good courses and enough players in the top flight, they ought to be able to get a couple more tournaments going.

(sometimes just 1 if the Open is in Jockland!)

Well it is our tourney, we just allow you bottom trawlers a wee lend now and again.

It's got everything to do with the taxation of winnings, has it not?Players will take the hit to play on proper golf courses in Scotland but laugh up their sleeve when offered the same deal to play the goat tracks on the wrong side of Hadrians wall.

 

[madandra]

20 years ago the European tour didn't visit Asia so with their money behind them it has led to events being moved from the UK to accommodate these new 'opportunities' or MONEY as we know it.

 

[Imurg]

Britain has 6 (The Open, the PGA, the Welsh Open, the Scottish Open, the Johnny Walker at Gleneagles and the Dunhill Links) I suppose they think that's enough. Only 1 of those is guaranteed to be in England though.

So at least 3, maybe 4, in Scotland. 1,maybe 2, in England.

 

[thecraw]

I'll tell you why as well.


The bloody WEATHER!

Tour Pro's are pampered poochies now and they dont want to be wearing thermals, over jackets, pullovers, hats and mitts in cold conditions in May on poorer standard greens when they can be playing on manicured greens in 20+ degrees in Portugal, Spain, South Africa etc.

Its not all money, player power has a part to play.

 

[Region3]

Isn't St Mellion supposed to have an event next year?

maybe revive the English Open

That was the one I heard was being played at St. Mellion this year, didn't know anything about postponing it to next year though.

 

[chrisd]

Why not play the Scottish Open at The London Club??








Chris

 

[madandra]

I understand why England feel cheated with the allocation of events. Perhaps Donald Trump should have looked for good links land on the south coast.

 

[Swinger]

The European (soon to be Dubai) Tour.

Not sure forcing people to watch golf if the way forward.

What is wrong with the buzz we have over certain events atm?

The Ryder Cup
The Masters
The Open

The US Open

If you don't like or know nothing about golf you will more than likely know something to do with that crazy little game is on that week with regards to the game and might even tune in to see what all the fuss is about.

I don't think having 52 buzz events a year will help or 10 for that matter as they will dilute the ones we have.

More golf in this country?? Well even the Challenge tour play a lot overseas now.

Personally I can't wait to see where the South West PGA are playing some of their Pro-Ams in a decade. I can see it now 'The South West England PGA Championships - Frontera Country Club, Chile'.

 

[Happy_Gilmore]

The European Open is a prime example, it resided at the K Club for a few years cos Dr Smurfit through some money at it in the run up to the Ryder Cup there, as mentioned above, it then moved to the London Club for a few years but it's plain to see these events can't survive without decent sponsorship and the fact that Mr O'Grady sees the Tour as a world tour now rather than a European Tour does not help matters for you.

Can only be good for the game I think but I do feel for ye down below as we get spoilt for choice up here, regradless if the Open is here or not.

I'd like to add though, your all welcome up anytime!

 

[Deleted member 1147]

It's got everything to do with the taxation of winnings, has it not?Players will take the hit to play on proper golf courses in Scotland but laugh up their sleeve when offered the same deal to play the goat tracks on the wrong side of Hadrians wall.

If I heard correctly, at a recent tax conference, when an athlete competes in the UK a proportion of their years sponsorship income is taxed as UK taxable income.
It's why Usain Bolt doesn't come to England too often.

Therefore, assuming he makes the cut, Tiger would have to treat 4/365ths of his sponsorship income as taxable in the UK.

This rule has been removed for the Olympics as it was seen as a possible stumbling block.

Or, I could have dreamt that while sleeping at a tax conference

 

[Adi2Dassler]

It's got everything to do with the taxation of winnings, has it not?Players will take the hit to play on proper golf courses in Scotland but laugh up their sleeve when offered the same deal to play the goat tracks on the wrong side of Hadrians wall.

If I heard correctly, at a recent tax conference, when an athlete competes in the UK a proportion of their years sponsorship income is taxed as UK taxable income.
It's why Usain Bolt doesn't come to England too often.

Therefore, assuming he makes the cut, Tiger would have to treat 4/365ths of his sponsorship income as taxable in the UK.

This rule has been removed for the Olympics as it was seen as a possible stumbling block.

Or, I could have dreamt that while sleeping at a tax conference

I think that's correct.Much the same as HMRC agreed to waive the rule for this years champions league final at Wembley and how foreign football teams can offer better terms because their taxation of sportsmen/women is far more lenient...Jermaine Pennant in Spain for example.