Presenting the Claret Jug?

[Dodger]

I was reading The European Club Managers Mag today and the Editor bemoans how golf is still carrying an awful stuffy image and the fact the presentation party of The Open are all lined up with Dark Blue Blazers and Ties looking like a bunch of crusty old Etonian's isn't helping.

He goes on to suggest the Claret Jug should be presented by someone like Big Jack but interestingly, in what I thought was a poorly written article, he stops short of saying how Jack and the rest of the party of Peter Dawson etc should be dressed in an attempt to shake of this poorly perceived image.

Thoughts?

Does golf still hold this dreadful image and what would you do to try and change it?

 

[Deleted member 15344]

Aren't all the majors presented by people from the relevant governing body hosting the major wearing smart attire ?

All sports events have the trophy handed over by someone wearing smart attire - football ,tennis , rugby it's all the same

Believe the presentation has next to zero influence on people playing golf or any perceived image

Golf will always carry a bit of a stigma mainly because it's perceived as an older persons game at our level IMO

Lots of other things like - interviews, cost , requiring a jacket and tie to eat , wearing shoes no trainers , no jeans , overall dress code plus stuffy attitude from certain clubs are the reason why golf will have an image that doesn't appeal to everyone

 

[Ethan]

I don't think Jackie Charlton is the right person to present The Claret Jug. I don't think he plays much golf, for a start.

 

[Deleted member 15344]

I don't think Jackie Charlton is the right person to present The Claret Jug. I don't think he plays much golf, for a start.

:rofl:

 

[Hacker Khan]

I do seem to remember banging on the exact same point on this forum on several occasions previously. So much so in that my lawyers may be in contact with this European Club Golfers magazine . And I sent a letter saying this to GM that has not been published yet.

And to repeat my point yet again so they can steal it, yes it does the game no favours. The guy who made a speech this year was both awful at public speaking and completely unknown to 99.9999% of the watching public, never a winning combination.

Copy what Wimbledon has done with their presentation ceremony, an organisation with just as much tradition and history. They've got Sue Barker in, someone who is known to the public and someone who can introduce a smidgen of pizzaz and interview the winner and runner up. So we get to hear what the major players in the drama that has unfolded are thinking, not a 5 minute speech thanking people no one has ever head of.

Golf must have plenty of people who could do this job, instead, on the one occasion that golf is on terrestrial TV and gets a relatively big audience, we always get Peter 'Plumby' Dawson and the 7 blazered anonymous dwarves of the apocalypse making the same boring speech year after year.

It's as if someone has said 'I know, how about we make the presentation committee as near as possible to the outdated but stereotypical view most people have of what golfers look like. Boom, nailed that one.

 

[Deleted Member 1156]

Do you seriously think the presentation ceremony has an effect on the popularity of the event?

Absolutely none.......zero.......zilch.

 

[garyinderry]

The only people still watching at that point are the ones that care. I turn over quite a bit on a Sunday night once the last putt goes in. I watch the presentations and interviews when its someone worth watching.

I can't imagine there is too many semi-interested in golf folks still watching up to 20 minutes after the competition is finished.

 

[Hacker Khan]

I think the argument was more around the image of golf, and the people that play and run the game. And what image and perception of the game the wider public that may be only see a few hours of golf a year on TV are getting from the ceremony. I don't think anyone thinks that changing the presentation ceremony will have any real direct effect on how popular the event is in terms of attendances or TV audiences.

But as they say, every little helps. Or possibly as some golfers say, no point doing anything as it as on it's own it won't make much difference.

 

[Hacker Khan]

The only people still watching at that point are the ones that care. I turn over quite a bit on a Sunday night once the last putt goes in. I watch the presentations and interviews when its someone worth watching.

I can't imagine there is too many semi-interested in golf folks still watching up to 20 minutes after the competition is finished.

True in most cases, but when you have Rory winning a famous tournament on relatively prime time terrestrial TV then I imagine quite a few people would watch him get the trophy.

 

[Deleted member 15344]

True in most cases, but when you have Rory winning a famous tournament on terrestrial TV then I imagine quite a few people would watch him get the trophy.

And they would more than likely already be golf fans and play golf

I'm with drive4

Believe the presentation ceremony makes zero difference

 

[Deleted Member 1156]

I think the argument was more around the image of golf, and the people that play and run the game. And what image and perception of the game the wider public that may be only see a few hours of golf a year on TV are getting from the ceremony. I don't think anyone thinks that changing the presentation ceremony will have any real direct effect on how popular the event is in terms of attendances or TV audiences.

But as they say, every little helps. Or possibly as some golfers say, no point doing anything as it as on it's own it won't make much difference.

True but I've highlighted the important bit :thup:

 

[williamalex1]

I think the argument was more around the image of golf, and the people that play and run the game. And what image and perception of the game the wider public that may be only see a few hours of golf a year on TV are getting from the ceremony. I don't think anyone thinks that changing the presentation ceremony will have any real direct effect on how popular the event is in terms of attendances or TV audiences.

But as they say, every little helps. Or possibly as some golfers say, no point doing anything as it as on it's own it won't make much difference.

But it is all so boring listening to some committee member thanking everybody from the Lord almighty down to the President then :blah::blah::blah: his best pal who donated some thing and down to the tea lady . Yawn

 

[SocketRocket]

Maybe if they were dressed more like this it would attract people to the sport!

View attachment 12253

Or even!

View attachment 12254

 

[Foxholer]

Notwithstanding my hatred of the same speech thanking all and sundry - who do deserve to be thanked but not so tediously please! - Open Presentations are fine!

Masters one is different, equally traditional and just as good/bad imo.

At least they aren't wearing the garish blazers that some presentations show - including Jack's!

And Bobby C plays, or at least used to play, quite a lot - if not particularly well! Stepson caddied for him many years ago, when the FA 'entertained' some FA officials from 1 or 2 Asian countries!

 

[Hacker Khan]

And they would more than likely already be golf fans and play golf

I'm with drive4

Believe the presentation ceremony makes zero difference

Well we'll agree to disagree. As I think if you don't make the most of the one opportunity golf gets into a relatively large proportion of living rooms in the UK, but instead kind of give up by saying 'aah, the only people watching are those that are playing the game anyway so it doesn't matter what kind of outdated borefest we serve up', then you are missing a big trick.

 

[patricks148]

maybe they should get some numpty in a pair of jeans hanging around their arse and a baseball cap on backwards, it might attract "the kids"

 

[Deleted member 15344]

Well we'll agree to disagree. As I think if you don't make the most of the one opportunity golf gets into a relatively large proportion of living rooms in the UK, but instead kind of give up by saying 'aah, the only people watching are those that are playing the game anyway so it doesn't matter what kind of outdated borefest we serve up', then you are missing a big trick.

How people have you heard say - well I want nothing to do with golf because did you see the way that presentation party looked when they gave that young man that shiney trophy and one million pound cheque ?

Who watches the majors - golf and sports fans , people who already like watching golf surely and what exactly would you do to make all the presentations different ?

 

[HomerJSimpson]

It's the fact that the speeches are so dreary that is the biggest turn off rather than the attire. I think the R&A need to move forward but I wouldn't want it to become some all singing razzamatazz. There has to be a degree of tradition but it needs bringing into the 21st century. I don't know what the answer is though

 

[williamalex1]

maybe they should get some numpty in a pair of jeans hanging around their arse and a baseball cap on backwards, it might attract "the kids"

OK, you're nominated , 2 out of 3 is not bad, your in Patrick I just wish i still had that picture from St Andrews.:rofl:

 

[garyinderry]

I find Peter Dawson hilarious. Long may it continue!


Pete, if you are reading this, more than welcome at Lee Park for a game or will I come up to your gaff?