Now I’m not just saying this because I want regular Open golf from Muirfield which is near my new home in North Berwick. OK, I am.
But I’m only a week back here and already I’ve discovered that there is a real threat to Muirfield’s regular slot on the Open rota.
My old mucker, golf scribe extraordinaire Martin Dempster, of The Scotsman https://www.scotsman.com, tells us…
That Muirfield and Carnoustie have fallen behind others in popularity with the R&A https://www.randa.org.
To the likes of Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland where last year’s Open was held and I was the guest of the Northern Ireland Tourism board… www.visitnorthernireland.com
200,000 is now the figure given as the target which courses must now which apparently stands against the two Scottish courses.
And it is Marin’s contention, and his instincts are usually bang on, that Muirfield and Carnoustie will be in a 15 to 20 year loop with Royal Lyrham & St Anne’s.
Now just on Muirfield, near Edinburgh on Scotland’s Golf Coast, didn’t do itself any favours with its policy on women’s members.
But that has changed now and other esteemed golf courses have had questionable policies too: – the WASPish Augusta anyone?
Now judging courses on their winners how about this list of winners, all of them in my lifetime: Lee Trevino, Tom Watson, Nick Faldo (twice), Ernie Els and Phil Mickelson.
While before that there was Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player, the latter who I followed around Hoylake.
Not a duffer among them.
Now you’re wanting to know how my game shapes up… well, here’s how The Boat D’Azur, Strip… the light fantastic.
And because I’ll always support Scotland www.visitscotland.com.
So here’s my pitch… protect Edinburgh’s Open, Muirfield Edinburgh – an old friend and Aberdeen’s Open, Carnoustie Aberdeen – a light in the north.
Where one of the greatest pieces of theatre played itself out… when Jean de Velde thrashed around in the burn.
And Aberdonian Paul Lawrie came from eight behind to lift the Claret Jug.
MEET YOU ON THE COURSE