Open talking points in this months mag

[GreiginFife]

It was a story brought up by individuals for personal gain. Regardless of right/wrong or perception/fact, the Open was used as a vehicle for an issue to be made. Same with the TdF.
Now that the events are done and dusted where is the continued furore and outrage from the press and politicians? It's all gone awkwardly quiet on their front.

GM did right by me by not getting involved in politics or point scoring on a popularity issue. The focus was lost from the golf at an event that is, well, about the golf.

 

[HawkeyeMS]

I genuinely hope they do. I would if I were them. If they had some mouthy idiot on their forum just banging on about the Daily Mail all the time and having a go at them do you think they'd then give them a free set of clubs?

Having an opinion and being a mouthy idiot aren't the same thing

 

[virtuocity]

GM did right by me by not getting involved in politics or point scoring on a popularity issue. The focus was lost from the golf at an event that is, well, about the golf.

Do you think GM should make a comment on this issue when everything quietens down? Therefore avoiding accusations of jumping on a political bandwagon?

 

[GreiginFife]

Do you think GM should make a comment on this issue when everything quietens down? Therefore avoiding accusations of jumping on a political bandwagon?

No, it's not an issue for them to get involved in IMO. It was made an issue by others outisde of golf for their own ends.

 

[FairwayDodger]

No, it's not an issue for them to get involved in IMO. It was made an issue by others outisde of golf for their own ends.

Everything that everyone does is for their own ends. Doesn't matter to me if a politician raises an issue as a means to highlight their own egalitarian credentials when it's a valid issue. I'm not a fan of politicians generally but raising issues and stimulating debate is their "job", I suppose.

Some people don't consider this to be an issue, others do. In my opinion, something can only be classed a "non-issue" if literally nobody cares. That isn't the case here no matter how badly some wish it was.

 

[bladeplayer]

Do you think GM should make a comment on this issue when everything quietens down? Therefore avoiding accusations of jumping on a political bandwagon?

Why tho ?, as you have said its being covered everywhere else , the head man at GM explained in post #2 (i think) why they chose not to comment on it & im sure that stance has not changed , so why do you want more from GM ?

Apologies but I dont seem to be understanding your need for a reply from GM .. they have taken their stance on it , explained it and stuck with it , why is that not a good enough reply ?

if you want explinations maybe email the people who roster the open rotas and ask them why ..

 

[GreiginFife]

Everything that everyone does is for their own ends. Doesn't matter to me if a politician raises an issue as a means to highlight their own egalitarian credentials when it's a valid issue. I'm not a fan of politicians generally but raising issues and stimulating debate is their "job", I suppose.

Some people don't consider this to be an issue, others do. In my opinion, something can only be classed a "non-issue" if literally nobody cares. That isn't the case here no matter how badly some wish it was.

I agree Karen, however what I take issue with is that if they felt as passionately about it as they were vociferous then why has it all gone quiet with the passing of the event. These types of issue get raised momentarily. If the people rasing it kept on it and pursued it with the passion they claim to have for it then maybe I would respect the crusade a bit more and not just one that comes up when there is a spotlight on it that can be jumped on.
An issue is still an issue regardless of how prominent it's position is, only chasing it when it's highlighted for other reasons is hollow IMO.

And in fairness, I didn't class it as a non-issue. I did class it as an issue raised by others [outside of golf].

 

[mikee247]

No, it's not an issue for them to get involved in IMO. It was made an issue by others outisde of golf for their own ends.

Actually comments and opinion were made by the Editor at Large in the mag but before the event..... Not in great detail agreed but enough to cause a conversation or two I bet. Perhaps afterwards they decided to sit on the fence, not get involved or decide it was a NON story and not worth commenting on... The trouble is it IS a story whether you agree with it or not....

 

[FairwayDodger]

I agree Karen, however what I take issue with is that if they felt as passionately about it as they were vociferous then why has it all gone quiet with the passing of the event. These types of issue get raised momentarily. If the people rasing it kept on it and pursued it with the passion they claim to have for it then maybe I would respect the crusade a bit more and not just one that comes up when there is a spotlight on it that can be jumped on.
An issue is still an issue regardless of how prominent it's position is, only chasing it when it's highlighted for other reasons is hollow IMO.

On a similar note, it annoys me how many media outlets seized on this issue to court a bit of controversy (and attract readers/viewers) who devote little or no attention to the women's game. I'm looking forward to the Solheim Cup and I'm sure the Sky coverage will be decent but it will be largely ignored by the wider media. I haven't seen the latest issue of GM.... is there a Solheim Cup preview feature? (I genuinely don't know the answer but I'm pleased to see there is one on the website at least).

 

[GreiginFife]

Actually comments and opinion were made by the Editor at Large in the mag but before the event..... Not in great detail agreed but enough to cause a conversation or two I bet. Perhaps afterwards they decided to sit on the fence, not get involved or decide it was a NON story and not worth commenting on... The trouble is it IS a story whether you agree with it or not....

Again, i didn't call it a non-story. In fact the part you quoted I say that it is an issue just not one that I think they should be involved with.
I do not think it is a non-story as, by definition of story, it happened and there was a story. I said I felt it was raised and escalated by those outside of golf.

 

[FairwayDodger]

And in fairness, I didn't class it as a non-issue. I did class it as an issue raised by others [outside of golf].

Yes, sorry Greig, that particular point was loosely aimed at other commentators; not yourself.

 

[virtuocity]

Apologies but I dont seem to be understanding your need for a reply from GM .. they have taken their stance on it , explained it and stuck with it , why is that not a good enough reply ?

Golf Monthly could be described as Britain's 'flagship', 'most popular', 'most read' or 'important' monthly publication and therefore it has a responsibility to it's readership to inspire debate, and where necessary, change in and to the game we love.

Recently, we've had discussions on anchored putters in the magazine. Constant editorial opinions about slow play and changes of rules feature in the Letters pages each week.

BUT when GM has a chance to comment on ANOTHER issue which (sorry if this offends people) DOES affect the institution (if not the game) of golf then they shy away.

So why talk about anchored putters etc and not recent Open controversies?

They state that it's been talked about too much. It detracts from talking about the wee white ball going into a wee hole 400 yards away.

In my opinion (that's not FACT, it's just my point of view- subjective and biased and not to be taken otherwise), GM have failed its readership, male and female and their inaction suggests a declaration that the subject of single-gender clubs is too banal to take up precious page space.

Ach well, at least there was enough space to report on our recent discussions about custom tee fitting*




*which was quite funny by the way!!!

 

[Allanxyz]

Actually it isn't. Agree with it or not, Muirfield are doing nothing "wrong" with their policy. The issue is whether the game's governing body was right to endorse such a policy by taking their flagship event there and whether they would be better advised to promote the game in a more positive light by visiting more inclusive venues.

This is the point for me, clubs should be able to do as they wish, however the game of golf needs to be seen as open to all, accessable to both women and men alike...it's all a marketing exercise... isn't that what the long putter ban is about...the long putter just doesn't look nice enough. Muirfiled should do what it likes, as with every other club... the R&A should just not hold its open there.

 

[GreiginFife]

I actually think the story has done more harm to the game than good. Agnostic of the rights and wrongs of the policy and people's opinions on it being right or wrong, how many people would have known about the Muirfield policy in reality? For those that didn't and wanted to take the game up, ignorance is bliss. Now it's splashed everywhere and people are suddenly talking about something they had no idea about before.
Before people jump all over this, please read above about this being agnostic of right and wrong of it.

 

[bladeplayer]

Golf Monthly could be described as Britain's 'flagship', 'most popular', 'most read' or 'important' monthly publication and therefore it has a responsibility to it's readership to inspire debate, and where necessary, change in and to the game we love.

Recently, we've had discussions on anchored putters in the magazine. Constant editorial opinions about slow play and changes of rules feature in the Letters pages each week.

BUT when GM has a chance to comment on ANOTHER issue which (sorry if this offends people) DOES affect the institution (if not the game) of golf then they shy away.

So why talk about anchored putters etc and not recent Open controversies?

They state that it's been talked about too much. It detracts from talking about the wee white ball going into a wee hole 400 yards away.

In my opinion (that's not FACT, it's just my point of view- subjective and biased and not to be taken otherwise), GM have failed its readership, male and female and their inaction suggests a declaration that the subject of single-gender clubs is too banal to take up precious page space.

Ach well, at least there was enough space to report on our recent discussions about custom tee fitting*




*which was quite funny by the way!!!

So why then is it only an issue right now tho, ? where was this hoo ha (probably a poor choice of words) when the venue was announced ?, if its important to the people who are were doing all the shouting , why wasnt there action taken at the time and on going action in the interm ?

Like yourself tho its only my opinion , but IMO GM saw this as a political point right now and was being drummed up for other intrests outside the good of golf ..

I will give ya this tho , maybe in a few months time it should be brought up within the golfing community & discussed at lenght but its going to take more than discussions on forums & magazines to change the establishment ..

Even having read your well put reply tho mate , IMO GM gave a reply and that has to be respected, and whether anyone wants more or not that is the decision , end of ..

 

[Hacker Khan]

I think we need to get rid of the idea that this was just an issue brought up by non golfing people who 'don't understand' or have an agenda. Mostly I suspect as way of trying to justify that it is not an issue from within the game.

I saw plenty of comment, posts, blogs by professional people involved in the game on the subject who thought it was wrong. Much more than I saw from people saying it was not a problem. Indeed look on the R&As own web site where Dawson is interviewed by British Golf Journalists and read the interview http://www.randa.org/en/randa/news/news/2013/april/media-round-table.aspx

As I have said before full credit to the R&A for printing this. But if you read it you will see that golf journalists from within the game and who love the game are concerned by the issue. So please can we not dismiss on the belief that it was only an issue for Harriet Harmen or Alex Salmond and anyone involved in the game thinks it's irrelevant.

 

[Allanxyz]

I actually think the story has done more harm to the game than good. Agnostic of the rights and wrongs of the policy and people's opinions on it being right or wrong, how many people would have known about the Muirfield policy in reality? For those that didn't and wanted to take the game up, ignorance is bliss. Now it's splashed everywhere and people are suddenly talking about something they had no idea about before.
Before people jump all over this, please read above about this being agnostic of right and wrong of it.

Ignorance is bliss... but in todays world single sex membership and inequality is a story...especially when, as with golf, there is already an air of stuffiness and old world... it wasn't that long that Augusta still had a ban on black membership... So maybe not many knew, but I can't blame people for pointing it out.

 

[GreiginFife]

Ignorance is bliss... but in todays world single sex membership and inequality is a story...especially when, as with golf, there is already an air of stuffiness and old world... it wasn't that long that Augusta still had a ban on black membership... So maybe not many knew but I can't blame people for pointing it out.

Absolutley, this is why I made the point of being right/wrong agnostic. Whether it was done with good intention or not it brought to prominence something harmful to the game.

 

[Hacker Khan]

I actually think the story has done more harm to the game than good. Agnostic of the rights and wrongs of the policy and people's opinions on it being right or wrong, how many people would have known about the Muirfield policy in reality? For those that didn't and wanted to take the game up, ignorance is bliss. Now it's splashed everywhere and people are suddenly talking about something they had no idea about before.
Before people jump all over this, please read above about this being agnostic of right and wrong of it.

In this age of 24 hour media coverage, the internet, twitter, facebook and social media which lets face it, are used by the vast majority of young people that the game needs to attract, do we really think people wanting to take the game up will be ignorant and will not have an opinion or perception of the game of golf before they try it out? Even before all this bruhaahaa?

But I agree that of course it has done the game no good what so ever. And that is kind of my point, it's hurting the good of the game to some extent.

 

[virtuocity]

So why then is it only an issue right now tho, ? where was this hoo ha (probably a poor choice of words) when the venue was announced ?, if its important to the people who are were doing all the shouting , why wasnt there action taken at the time and on going action in the interm ?

Totally agree. From my own point of view, I have only had a once-a-year interest in golf which generally involved going to the driving range and playing two rounds before putting the clubs away for another year. It was only last August that I took up this game seriously. It was only a the start of the year that I watched the sport on telly! I totally agree that there should have been major moves to have the decision to hold The Open at this venue reversed.

I will give ya this tho , maybe in a few months time it should be brought up within the golfing community & discussed at lenght but its going to take more than discussions on forums & magazines to change the establishment ..

Again, good points. Perhaps GM will let us know if this topic is due for discussion or even a future editorial. Also, I know this forum and GM mag is but a drop in the ocean- but this is a good, interesting and important debate. As long as everyone behaves, we can have ourselves a good old chat over the next while.