R&A Goes Global for the British Open

In a press release issued prior to The British Open, it was stated that the prize money was to be awarded in U.S. dollars.

“We are operating in an increasingly global marketplace and have made the decision to award the prize fund in US dollars in recognition of the fact that it is the most widely adopted currency for prize money in golf,” stated Martin Slumbers.

The oldest major has decided to go global and, as read in SB Nation, "the move to dollars may also be a reaction to the hit the purse took, relative to the other majors, after Brexit's impact on currency last summer."

And, what a huge purse it is! The winner will take home $1,845,000 USD with total prize-money totaling a whopping $10,250,000. Not to mention the winner of The Open also takes home the Claret Jug.

The Open prize money is still shy of the 2017 U.S. Open purse which was at $12 million with Brooks Koepka earning just under $2.2 million.

What do you think? Are purses getting out of hand?

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Does the designation of British in The Open diminish the Championship?

I don't understand what all of the hullabaloo is about regarding adding the term "British" to "The Open Championship" yet it seems to be a sticking point for some golf fans.

When I posted this question on my Golf4Beginners Twitter page, "British Open or The Open Championship?" the responses came at me fast and furious. 

There were those folks who were adamantly against adding the term "British" such as @ray_matthew, " according to the R&A it's #TheOpenChampionship end of story" and the @Mobitee golf rep who said, "The Open Championship is what's on their site so that's what it's called."

While it is true that The Open Championship has officially been in existence since 1860, people on this side of the pond add "British" simply as an identifier to assist the more casual fan and is in no way, in my opinion,  a sign of disrespect nor does it lessen the importance of the event.

 hat being said, when I questioned the group as to how Golf Channel and NBC Sports continually preface The Open Championship with "British", @Matt_Dart91 responded, "Just because they work in TV doesn't mean whatever they say is correct. It's The Open, nothing else." 

Tiger Woods and Bubba Watson are two PGA Tour golfers who use the term #BritishOpen both with hastag and conversationally:

Tiger Woods, on his official website states, “You can have so many different weather conditions. You just don’t know. That’s one of the unique things about the British Open and why it’s my favorite Major championship.”

Tweeters who agreed with Tiger and Bubba were equally as vocal on the subject:

@rdjames01 commented, "I call it the British Open because I live in the US! Drop the country when you are from there!" and @LVGolfInsider who stated, "official name for sure is The Open Championship but leaves room for confusion here in States...Name Confusion for casual fan, speaking as one who writes about the game..."

@MilesDowsett claimed, "It's obviously The Open as it was the first one and thus oldest.....case closed."

But is the case really closed? Just because Ford was the first mass produced automobile, does that make it "The Car" with all other autos having name designations?

 In my opinion, I think anything that identifies a tournament to attract the most viewers is good for the game. I guess whatever makes the fans tune in is the best name for The Open Championship. Would I officially change the name of this major tournament? No, but I personally like adding "British" to the name. When I hear the name "The Open" I often wonder which Open?

“What’s in a name?

That which we call a rose      

By any other name would smell as sweet”  …Romeo and Juliet, William Shakespeare.

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The Open Championship golf tees up potential £80 million windfall for Kent

The return of Open Championship golf to Kent this week is set to result in more than £80 million of income for the county.

And the long-term legacy of holding the prestigious event is likely to result in many millions of pounds being generated for Kent’s economy through visitors from home and abroad enjoying golf and leisure breaks in the Garden of England.

Indeed, a strategic tie-up between Visit Kent, Golfbreaks.com and Shepherd Neame (the renowned Kent-based brewer, pub and hotel operator) will serve to position the county as one of Europe’s foremost golf destinations.

The sport will also benefit following the creation of a Golf Legacy program – set up jointly by Kent Golf Partnership and Kent County Council (KCC) with funding from the R&A, organiser of the Open Championship – designed to increase participation.

More than 200,000 spectators and 2,000 media from across the world are expected to descend on Royal St George’s Golf Club, Sandwich, from July 14-17, with tens of thousands more attracted to take breaks in the Garden of England in the years after the Open.

It is anticipated that more than £80 million could be earned for the county’s economy through a mixture of direct spending and long-term destination marketing benefits.

And with more than twenty-five percent of spectators set to arrive from overseas, to complement the home-based support of the tournament, accommodation providers in East Kent are set to enjoy a significant boost.

The return of the Open Championship to Kent after an eight-year break owes much to the efforts of KCC and Dover District Council – supported in partnership by the districts of Canterbury, Thanet and Shepway – keen to secure an international sporting profile for the area and boost its economy.

Councillor Mike Hill OBE, KCC Cabinet Member for Customer & Communities, said: “The Open Championship is the largest annual single sports event in the UK with a visitor spend greater than Wimbledon and the London Marathon."

“Kent has a growing reputation for accommodating world-level sports events and the Open also gives us a huge platform to promote business opportunities in East Kent. The economic, tourism and reputational legacy from Kent accommodating the Open should therefore be very significant indeed.”

This year, with a record number of spectators expected (nearly 10% more than the 182,500 who attended in 2003), plus improved travel links from nearby London and continental Europe into Kent, the county could enjoy a record windfall from the Open. Golf courses, hotels, restaurants, travel companies and other local businesses are all set to benefit, creating more than a thousand jobs directly and indirectly.

For golfers seeking to enjoy a break, Kent offers a choice of more than one-hundred courses to play. Royal St George’s is part of Kent’s ‘Regal Golf Coast’, which includes Royal Cinque Ports (venue of The Open Championship in 1909 and 1920), Prince’s (the Open venue in 1932), Littlestone (a Final Qualifying course for this year’s Open) and North Foreland.

Complementing this quintet are London Golf Club (a European Tour Destination and home of the 2009 European Open and where work will soon start on a five-star golf and spa hotel resort) plus Chart Hills (designed by Sir Nick Faldo and ranked 82nd in Golf World Magazine’s Top 100 Courses in the UK and Ireland).

Sandra Matthews-Marsh, Chief Executive of Visit Kent, commented:  “Royal St George’s hosting the Open Championship offers Kent a significant opportunity to benefit – not just during Open week but in the months and years following the Championship, too.

“We, in tandem with our many partners, including Golfbreaks.com, Shepherd Neame and Kent County Council, are working hard to attract golfers and leisure visitors to enjoy short and long breaks in the Garden of England, and enjoy our wonderful variety of golf courses. We are sure the long-term legacy of the 2011 Open for Kent will be economic benefits running into many millions of pounds.”

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Mickelson and Woods blowing in the wind at British Open?

Will Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods take a back seat to Oosthuizen at this year's British Open?

"I need some luck," said a dejected Phil Mickelson after his second round of the British Open concluded. Disappointed that he wasn't driving the ball very well, a little bit of luck could have meant that he hoped the rest of the crowd didn't fare much better, and they didn't yesterday, with not a single player breaking par after Mickelson left the 18th green.

Tiger Woods, when asked by a journalist yesterday if he was "willing to cut out all those tantrums this week and respect the home of golf?" Tiger responded, "I'm trying to become a better player and a better person, yes."

Yes, Tiger Woods, tantrums and outbursts just won't be tolerated. A calm steely attitude could go a long way at St. Andrews, especially on moving day.

Early this morning, out of the thirty golfers completing the second round, three came out in red numbers, including amateur Jin Jeong (70), Alejandro Canizares (71) and Darren Clarke (70).

And who is this little known South African, Louis Oosthuizen (sounded like 'whisthasen' when he pronounced it), who has totally left the rest of the golfers blowing in the wind? Nicknamed Shrek (because of a headcover he used to use), his full name is Lodewicus Theodorus Oosthuizen and he won the Open de Andalucia in March. He's the 54th-ranked player in the world and is 22nd on the European Tour money list.

We have seen this scenario many times before, when relative unknowns come out of nowhere to win major tournaments, from Lucas Glover (2009 U.S. Open) to Zach Johnson (2007 Masters)...wouldn't it add an element of surprise if Tiger Woods creeped up the leaderboard and forced Oosthuizen into a playoff?

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Could Tiger Woods' win at ATT foretell problems at the British Open?

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Tiger Woods has made it a habit to win two weeks before a major tournament this season. He won Palmer's, Nicklaus' and his own event in this fashion and, because of this, fans are waiting to see if this streak will cause him to falter during the third major of the year.

Is it possible that Tiger Woods could fall prey to the "middle of the pack" at the British Open?

Prior to the 2009 Masters, Angel Cabrera's best finish this year was a tie for thirteenth at the Northern Trust Open. He was cut from the Arnold Palmer Invitational where Tiger Woods solidly annihilated the competition. Cabrera's stats are also not that impressive: he currently ranks 187th in driving accuracy and only 140th in greens-in-regulation. It is only because of his major win that Cabrera now ranks twentieth in money leaders on the PGA Tour.

Golf afficionados can now say that they have heard of Lucas Glover but, prior to a strong 2009 season and a win at the U.S. Open, Glover had only two top tens in 2008. Taking more of an interest in his game has improved his stats dramatically and only now is the name Glover synonymous with a piece of history.

Anthony Kim learned a valuable lesson as to how to challenge the Tiger at the ATT but can he employ his method at the British Open? "I learned that if you have a birdie putt, you better make it," Kim said. "Tiger obviously is a proven winner for a reason and he makes the putts when you have to do it." Shining your belt buckle in Woods' line of sight may also help, AK.

Still, this is a true "Open" in every sense of the word. "Any certified professional or amateur with a scratch handicap" can qualify for the event which means even the least obvious contestants have an opportunity to shine.

Woods is going to be difficult to beat at the British Open and has already amassed three Claret Jugs during his career. He will be hunting for both his 15th major win in Scotland as well as coming closer to matching Nicklaus' record. Although Tiger has never played Turnberry, he is practicing to have his game "dialed in", feeling confident "with my swing, short putting, everything, then start getting the feel for how to play over there."

This week on the Golf for Beginners podcast, former top LPGA golfer Annika Sorenstam provides her keys to choosing the right golf club. We also offer a few new product reviews and update you to the effectiveness of our previous tests.


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How Harrington used course management to top Norman at the British Open, Michelle Wie DQ, take the first step to winning and choosing a first driver

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Padraig Harrington came out the victor this week at the British Open, the third major winner of the year with an injury to do so, hiding under the radar of many who thought he could not win back-to-back major tournaments. Harrington concentrated his efforts on course management and the short game to overtake an unlikely favorite of the over-fifty set, namely Greg Norman, whose "foot-on-the-pedal" mentality cost him yet another win.

It's a shame, though, that in 2007, Harrington thought so little of the Claret Jug he fought so hard to win he used it instead as a fill for swill! We hope that Harrington didn't do this again this year!

This week Golf for Beginners internet broadcast discusses the mental clarity and forethought it takes to make it to the final round and persevere under treacherous conditions. Chris Wood found little pressure in his "surreal" situation and easily made his way to the 18th hole with a forward focus. Others like Phil Mickelson, always the optimist, may have stated that he hit the ball well but it was evident he was clearly disappointed as he had spent the prior week at the Scottish Open finding similar results. Perhaps the pressure of having to take Tiger Woods' place on the leaderboard made him falter?

*****

Choosing your first driver without ever having hit one can be harrowing. We tell you what to look for in a driver and how to make the process easier!

*****


I had my first competitive round with the ladies of the EWGA at Doral Arrowwood this past week and my play was far from pretty! Find out how I intend to take the three steps from playing to competing and finally to winning!

*****


Finally, how many DQ's, withdrawals and mistakes will be had before Michelle Wie reads the Rules of Golf?

Wie stepped outside of the scoring area after round two and a volunteer had to call her back into the tent for the infraction of one of the basic rules of golf...that is, she didn't sign her scorecard! Michelle knew that she forgot but felt that this was yet another time she could get off the hook with a shrug and a "sorry" claiming, "I thought it would be okay. It was an honest mistake."

Her third round, which placed her squarely in contention for a Sunday showdown did not count. Perhaps Wie should have listened to our previous podcast where we discuss some of the most basic and overlooked regulations of the sport.

Wie was disqualified. Unfortunately, it cost the LPGA a Sunday of high ratings and Michelle Wie her possible first win on the Tour.

Michelle choked back tears looking for pity and said, "I don't know what happened to me."

Should this rule have been overturned just this once for the benefit of the sport?

Of course, once one of the Rules of Golf is slackened, it is only a matter of time before others follow suit. In our opinion, the Rules should be followed to the letter until a rule is changed for everyone. It isn't the first time something like this has occured and it surely won't be the last time.

It is unfortunate incident for Wie but I'll bet she will never make this mistake again. Penalties will surely occur from a lack of concentration...


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Can Els, Mickelson ignore Tiger Woods' absence at the British Open? Are LaFresh travel packs golf friendly and an important tip about golf lessons

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There are golf fans and then there are those who come out of the woodwork just to see Tiger Woods blast the ball. These "Tiger enthusiasts" would not think of missing an event with Woods in the field but what happens now that the world's number-one player is out for the season?

In relation to the British Open, sports agent Andrew “Chubby” Chandler claims that there will be, "zero economic impact" and that "he would have been the biggest show in town, but he would not have been the only show. Besides, most of the people there watching will be rooting for a British winner."

Ernie Els, who kissed the coveted Claret Jug in 2002, believes that the Open is bigger than any one golfer, including Tiger Woods. "Although we will miss him, the game of golf is there and the Open Championship will be played whether Tiger is there or not, and I think that's what we've got to realize."

Mickelson has smartly decided to focus his efforts not on the field but on Royal Birkdale. Learning how to take spin off, hit shots lower and play better in the wind has made Phil feel as if he is a solid contender at this year's Open Championship.

And what about cocky Anthony Kim, the strutting response to the next Tiger Woods?

Kim acknowledged, "I know if I give it everything I've got, I'll have a pretty good chance to contend."

Besides discussion of our picks and pans for this year's Open Championship, Barry and I discuss LaFresh travel golf packs wondering whether all golfers will find them useful on the course.

We also talk about Barry's introduction to GolfTEC and what he learned from his experience.

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Michelle Wie plunges below top fifty(?), Tiger Woods helps Annika Sorenstam at British Open and putting tips from Leadbetter, Toski and Reinmuth

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Never trash talk against Tiger Woods! And don't ever believe that Woods forgets what he hears, as Rory Sabbatini found out the hard way during yesterday's final round at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational. As Tiger stated he "let his clubs do the talking" and easily defeated the rest of the field as Sabbatini ate his words that Woods was "as beatable as ever".

Annika Sorenstam did not let her tiger out of the tank at the Ricoh Women's British Open even with the assistance of Woods' yardage book in her back pocket. Instead, Lorena Ochoa made easy work of the rest of the ladies in the field, going wire-to-wire and proving she is the best female golfer in the world.

Michelle Wie wasn't even a consideration during the event as she missed the cut. David Leadbetter believed that it was too soon for Wie to compete and felt that she may be compensating, "pushing the envelope a bit", instead of what he considers to be a four-step plan to a full recovery. Michelle Wie optimistically spoke of her terrific driving ability, noting that her putter and approach shots were off the mark. But, as we all know, you drive for show and putt for dough.

So where does Wie stand now? Has she fallen below the top-fifty on the Rolex Rankings? And, why are bloggers everywhere still buzzing about the mystique of Michelle instead of the achievements of Lorena Ochoa?

This week, we discuss strategies for long putting as offered up by David Leadbetter. In keeping with the British Open theme, we also discuss a video golf putting tip from Dean Reinmuth viewed on WorldGolf.com Tee Vision.

Finally we look at where the swing actually begins and how to make solid contact as viewed by Bob Toski.

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Lucky charms for Padraig Harrington at British Open, find your tempo and sand trap to a tight pin

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Padraig Harrington, victor at the British Open, won the battle of the nerves yesterday against Sergio Garcia. Neither showed that they were impervious to the dreaded "choke", with Harrington losing two strokes at the final hole and Garcia missing putts on Sunday that had been easier to sink during the first three rounds of competition.

Andres Romero was most affected by the pressure and, at the seventeenth hole, threw away the lead choosing the wrong club from a difficult lie. The mental errors continued at the eighteenth with a weak chip shot to the green and Romero settled for third place.

Colin Montgomerie's wish for a European British Open winner came true, but it wasn't him! Careful what you wish for...

Even professional golfers who practice and play daily cannot seem to calm their nerves during these pressure-cooker situations and they are confident of their trajectory and ball flight! What about the average golfer who rarely gets to the range, has time only to stretch and take a few swings before teeing up? What should he/she expect?

Barry and I discuss how old habits die hard, especially when a golfer has no time to practice and said "no" to lessons from a qualified golf instructor from the time he first picked up the sticks.

We also give a great vision of tempo with the help of the 2006 PGA Teacher of the Year Bill Forrest who claims that tempo is a part of your personality so you shouldn't fight it!

Finally, we offer up a greenside bunker tip we read in Golf Magazine. How do you efficiently get out of the sand and close to the pin when the flag is tight to the bunker?


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