I finally had a chance to look over the press accounts of Peter Dawson's press conferences. Dawson offered something unprecedented in the history of golf's governing bodies: outlining architectural revisions to world class courses, all ideas of the R&A.
Knowing that anything architecture and nuanced is tough for the slingers to get their arms around, I was not surprised to read that they ran with the spin that R&A was not excessively lengthening rota courses. Nor was I expecting to find serious stories questioning the absurd notion of changing golf courses just so the R&A doesn't have to regulate equipment in any meaningful way.
I was, however, shocked to read that the R&A is on a mission to speed up play!
Dawson answered a simple question about slow play and a series of follow ups, eventually revealing that the topic had been added to the docket next time golf's suits convene to assure each other that golf in the Olympics will grow the sport and to pat each other on the back for working together on drug testing (which many of them resisted).
Check out the rave reviews for the R&A apparent determination to rid the game of slow play.
James Corrigan in the Independent:
Having watched in despair - not to mention boredom - as the final two-ball took five hours, 10 minutes to complete the final round of the Masters earlier this month, the R&A realised something must be done about what Peter Dawson, their chief executive, agreed was rapidly turning into “a cancer in golf“.
Douglas Lowe in the Herald:
The R&A have now placed slow play on the agenda for the meeting of the World Golf Foundation immediately after the Players' Championship next month in Florida. The foundation, comprising key power brokers in the game, was set up 14 years ago to help growth of the game while preserving traditions.
Iain Carter writing for the BBC:
And it is clear the R&A will be following a similar path as it sets about dealing with the biggest evil in the game at the moment, slow play.
But it is clear that, like the rest of us, the St Andrews-based governing body has had enough.
Had enough? He answered a question!
Richard Williamson in the Liverpool Daily Post:
The R&A is also keen to help cut down on the problem of slow play in the sport.
Speaking at Royal Birkdale, venue for this summer's Open Championship, Dawson urged a worldwide crackdown on the snails who are making golf less attractive and driving people away from the sport.
It's touching to read these breathless accounts of a topic that only came up after tough questioning. It's also odd to find that not one of the writers considered that just possibly the R&A and USGA's lax work on equipment regulation might have led to changes in the game that force the redesign of courses, or dare I say, play to slow down because players are waiting for greens to clear.
But slow players need not worry. If the R&A is on the case, you can bet any significant proposals will be tabled for years to come.
