When you come to think of it that is the secret of most of the great holes all over the world. They all have some kind of a twist. C.B. MACDONALD
An extra-special bit of meandering lunacy from the the 45th President of the United States was issued after apparently watching The Open at Royal St George’s. Thanks to reader Chuck for sharing.
Donald Trump is definitely correct here. Turnberry will host again. Just as soon as he sells it.
From the “many-time Club Champion” who says “controversy only makes thing hotter”:
The 18th at Royal St George’s (The Open Instagram)
We learned the links is getting water to keep it, gulp, fair.
Plus, the (The) Open name debate, reads, final odds and Tweets as the 2021 championship arrives. Following yesterday’s, this Thursday edition is back to being just for the paying subscribers. But there are ways to remedy that!
5th tee view. Ebert wonders if players will try a 330-yard carry over the dunes (Geoff Shackelford)
The Open Physician for several courses including 2021 host Royal St George’s, Martin Ebert shares more about what took place since the last championship at Sandwich.
The Quad will be going behind the paywall for most of the next week so hop along for the ride if you’re looking for influencer and sponsored-content free coverage of the 149th Open!
I know many of you are clamoring to buy some NFT’s and personal-logoed items from top college golfers and Ryan Herrington reports on the USGA paving the way for players to cash in.
The unlocking of NCAA name, image and likeness started immediately for most sports, with athletic departments creating in-house teams to develop logos and brand campaigns for both current athletes and recruits. What could go wrong there?
Anyway, non-college golfers can climb aboard the gravy train while other amateurs must wait for relaxed USGA/R&A amateur status rules to take hold in January. Let the merch flow!
Do's and Don'ts in USGA memo for college golfers and non-golfers alike regarding new name/image/likeness guidelines pic.twitter.com/V4uSsm3Lha
— Ryan Herrington (@GWcampusinsider) July 6, 2021
Taking cover on The Maiden, a long time ago (A History Of Royal St George’s Golf Course)
This Quad went out to all subscribers because not much excites me more than links season kicking off, all two weeks of it on the men’s side (though we do get the Women’s Open at Carnoustie this year as a bonus). ‘
I’ll also be revisiting the course history and other topics like cross-country golf in upcoming Quadrilaterals, so make sure you sign up and join to ensure a full-Open Championship experience.
Plus a quick roundup and links to The Open Final Qualifying results.
This one’s for all but if you like what you see, signing up is free.
Here is the R&A’s produced piece on Sam Forgan, who made it through qualifying to reach Royal St George’s.
2021 was supposed to celebrate Old Tom Morris’s 200th birthday and then get followed by an Open in St Andrews. Well, it didn’t work out that way but he did turn 200 and there were some enjoyable efforts to commemorate the great man. Then he had the audacity to be born the week of the U.S. Open!
So belatedly because some of us were distracted by a major, some of the Old Tom coverage that caught my eye.
At TheOpen.com, they posted a wonderful collaboration by author Roger McStravick, the British Golf Museum’s Hannah Fleming, and with bits from The Colossus of Golf by David Malcolm and Peter E. Crabtree, TheOpen.com featured a fantastic long-but-not-excessively so read of Old Tom Morris’ life and legacy. Just a sampling from his role in The Open:
Indeed, Morris and Park helped grow The Open in stature from what was initially a slight inconvenience to some members in 1860, to already by 1867 becoming a fixture in not only the Scottish sporting calendar, but in the English calendar too, where the event was covered heavily in the gambling press.
“There were eight players in The 1st Open,” Roger McStravick said. “They were squeezed in between other members in their meeting, and they were quite annoyed about this band of rabble. These lower than low squeezing in among the gentleman golfers, it was such an inconvenience. The players didn’t take practice swings, they just got onto the first tee and got away, anybody who took a practice swing was just posing. So they just got away with a minimum of fuss.”
Prestwick unveiled a new plaque in his honor:
Lovely touch this. @PrestwickGC has celebrated the 200th anniversary of the birth of Old Tom Morris by unveiling a commemorative plaque at the spot where he struck the first shot in major golf in 1860. Class 👏🏼 pic.twitter.com/HI5UdPjz5S
— bunkered (@BunkeredOnline) June 16, 2021
I spoke to the Scottish Golf Podcast’s Ru Macdonald about the great Prestwick and it’s role in Old Tom’s life and the newfound appreciation for the links.
Join Ru with special guest golf journalist and author @GeoffShac as they discuss the impact Old Tom Morris had on Prestwick and the game as we now know it. Hit the link 👇 for some Saturday morning sounds 🎙@ScotGolfPodcast https://t.co/RNH9EAVeK3 pic.twitter.com/cZbTET927e
— Scotland, Where Golf Began (@wheregolfbegan) June 19, 2021
More Tweets and fun stuff…
An original signed photograph of Old Tom Morris is probably even rarer than hen's teeth! pic.twitter.com/muuniXfJJq
— TheGolfDivoTee™ (@TheGolfDivoTee) June 23, 2021
The Telegraph’s James Corrigan obtained player requirements for the upcoming Open Championship calling for restrictions on public dining and how many on a “team” can stay together. Most stunning: vaccination appears to mean nothing and this is all juxtaposed against the United Kingdom okaying 32,000 fans a day on site. Most of those fans will be arriving via train.
Pete Cowen, the current guru to Brooks Koepka and Rory McIlroy, spoke to Corrigan about the issues. raised.
“There are going to be 32,000 fans allowed in every day and they’re saying we can’t stay in anything other than the dedicated hotels — most of which are already sold out — because we’d be mixing with the public,” Cowen said. “And we can’t stay together, like we have on the PGA Tour for the last year. We have all been vaccinated and will have been tested before we are allowed in. This ‘bubble’ we have created between ourselves has produced no problems at all.
“It makes no sense at all when there will be 60,000 at Wembley, 140,000 at Silverstone (race track) and all those at Wimbledon on the weekend before — sitting next to each other. I suppose I should be grateful I am going at all, as initially the wording of the regs made me believe instructors would be banned.”
In a follow up report, Golfweek’s Tim Schmitt and Steve DiMeglio report that unnamed PGA Tour players have considered passing and are miffed at the rules.
“If someone on your plane tests positive on way to the British and is sitting anywhere close to you, you’re out no questions asked, no matter if you’re vaccinated. It’s aggravating that they deem the tournament safe enough for 32,000 fans a day to attend, but won’t let a player’s wife, children travel and watch the tournament, nor will they even let players visit a restaurant without threat of disqualification.”
The player “teams” can stay together in a maximum of four at a private rental. Any violation of the protocols, including a simple visit from someone not in the player’s sphere, faces “withdrawal from the championship.”
“They care more about the revenue of the fans buying beers than they do about the actual people participating in the tournament,” said the player who spoke with Golfweek. “Any fan can go to a grocery store or a restaurant and we can’t. Does that make sense? And I’m vaccinated. How does that make sense?”
For Quadrilateral subscribers, I wrote about the inconsistency of the UK’s plan and apparent blind eye turned toward the many successful championships run to date. And none of those attempted to welcome as many fans back as the UK is, with trains and a Delta variant added to the mix.
Great news for those visiting St Andrews as the renamed R&A World Golf Museum has been renovated and “re-interpreted”. It sits right across from the R&A clubhouse, so if you’re there for golf or just killing time during an Open Championship wind delay, make sure to check it out.
I thought the museum told the story of golf quite beautifully—the cafe upstairs is also handy for St Andrews golfers—but it sounds like they’ve made the place better.
For Immediate Release…
THE R&A WORLD GOLF MUSEUM OPENS FOLLOWING A COMPLETE REDEVELOPMENT
21 June 2021, St Andrews, Scotland: From today, The R&A is pleased to welcome visitors to The R&A World Golf Museum, in St Andrews, which has undergone an extensive redevelopment.
Beginning as a cabinet of curiosities in the 1800s and known as the British Golf Museum for the past 30 years, the Museum based at the home of golf enters a new era as The R&A World Golf Museum.
Closed since early 2020, the Museum galleries, have been redisplayed and re-interpreted, ready to welcome visitors to explore the rich history of golf.
Visitors will be uplifted and inspired as the past, present and future of golf is brought to life around them through immersive, eye-catching and interactive displays.
Phil Anderton, Executive Director – Chief Development Officer at The R&A commented, “Golf is synonymous with St Andrews – it was first played here in the 1500’s and The Old Course is the first 18 hole course in the world, so it is fitting that The R&A World Golf Museum resides just steps from its 1st tee.
“Golf is rich in tradition which has been built through centuries of enjoyment. It is these traditions and the evolution of the game which are explored in the galleries of The R&A World Golf Museum.
“Through the interactive galleries we hope to engage with current and new fans to deepen their knowledge and connection to golf.”
The story of golf is presented through six new thematic zones, each designed to engage and entertain through experiential and video displays.
From July 2021, The R&A World Golf Museum will also feature an exhibition celebrating the life of legendary golfer Severino Ballesteros. Seve – His Life Through the Lens - will run for 18 months, including throughout The 150th Open in St Andrews, and visitors will enjoy a unique collection dedicated to his greatest achievements in golf, including winning The Open on three occasions in 1979, 1984 and 1988.
The R&A World Golf Museum has created a five-star visitor experience that is accessible to all.
Angela Howe, Director – Museum & Heritage at The R&A said, “Our goal when developing The R&A World Golf Museum was to re-imagine the golf heritage experience; making it appealing to established golf fans whilst attracting and educating those new to the sport.
“The refurbishment of the galleries provides a modern back drop for people to learn about golf’s heritage via immersive, interactive and interesting exhibits.
“We are looking forward to opening on the 21 June and welcoming guests to enjoy all that The R&A World Golf Museum has to offer.’’
The R&A World Golf Museum is located on Bruce Embankment, St Andrews, Scotland and is open from 09:30 until 17:00 Monday – Saturday and 10:00 until 17:00 on Sunday from 21 June, 2021. The Café is open five days a week, from 09:30 until 17:00 Wednesday-Saturday and 10:00 until 17:00 Sunday.
In addition to the galleries The R&A World Golf Museum also offers a retail shop and a café which overlooks the famed West Sands Beach.
Entry into the Museum is £12 for adults, £10 for concessions, £6 for children and free for children under the age of four.
Strong stuff from Rory McIlroy at the 2021 U.S. Open. As noted in today’s Quadrilateral, these comments and the apparent bifurcation of the rules attempt by PGA Tour players will have huge ramifications if true.
Two key exchanges:
Q. When you were answering the question about the greens book, you said that you thought maybe it would be better for golf if there wasn't a greens book. I think that's pretty much what you said. Can you talk about what other things you'd like to see changed that you think would better golf that currently are being implemented in the game right now? Like if it's anchoring putting, whatever it might be.
RORY MCILROY: I thought we got rid of anchoring putting three years ago.
Q. I don't know, did we?
RORY MCILROY: No, probably not (laughter). Yeah, that is certainly something that I would like to see addressed, as well, and I think there's a common consensus with the players on that one too. Look, the game of golf is in a great place. I think we always have these conversations of what we can do to make the game better or grow the game or expand the game.I think it's in a pretty good place. Yeah, there's a couple of little things that us golf nerds want changed, whether it be green reading books or arm-lock putting or whatever it is, but from a whole and looking at the game from an entirety of it, I think it's in a really good place.
Forget Brooks-Bryson, let’s get Rory paired with an arms-locker!
But let those words sink in. The Vice Commissioner and key vote has just kick-started what should be debated about the current anchoring rules. He’s also took down green books:
Q. Can you expand on just why the green books are such an advantage?
RORY MCILROY: It's not that it's an advantage really, it's just taking away a skill that takes time and practice to be mastered. I think reading greens is a real skill that some people are better at than others, and it just nullifies that. It nullifies that advantage that people have.Yeah, honestly, I think it's made everyone lazier. People don't put in the time to prepare the way they used to, and that's why you see so many more players at Augusta, for example, take their time around the greens, hit so many more putts, it's because they have to. It's because there is no greens book at Augusta. Look, it might take practice rounds, it might make practice rounds a little longer, and you might have to do a little bit more work, but I think, once we get to the tournament rounds, it will speed up play, and I think it will help the guys who really have done their homework, it will help them stand out a little bit more.
A lot of The Quad goes back behind the paywall next week and I know you won’t want to miss my thrilling PGA missives. Info on the newsletter is here, and the subscribe button is here. A year is cheaper than a dozen “longer and straighter” golf balls.
Golfweek’s Adam Schupak offers four suggestions to make the Walker Cup even better and I wholeheartedly endorse three of them, with one addition.
I’m on the fence about Schupak’s call to move the matches permanently to early May. This works around the NCAA Championships and ensuing June and July pro debut weeks for top college golfers. I get the concept, but a lot may change with amateurism in the coming years. This also feels like a nod to the PGA Tour’s untenable wraparound schedule and the pro tournament exemption game, two things that could easily change and which are way less important to golf than the Walker Cup.
Schupak also calls for expanding the rosters to 12 as they did this year due to COVID. That move saved the matches after a severe outbreak of an unexplained virus, allowing the governing bodies to take advantage of the extra bodies on hand. That kept the matches going and entertained those of us who watched some terrific golf given the weakened state of most players, the pressure of a team event and the challenges of Seminole. Challenges being a euphemism for borderline goofy.
Anyway, the alternate spots also gave some worthy young men a special experience they would not have gotten sitting at home.
Schupak’s most sensitive suggestion revolves around Team GB&I. He’d like it to be Team Europe.
While GB&I put up a noble fight, losing 14-12, the U.S. now holds a 38-9-1 all-time record in the competition. It isn’t quite the Harlem Globetrotters dominance of the Washington Generals, but it is lopsided enough to resemble Alabama over the rest of the SEC. Four years from now when GB&I returns to the U.S. for the matches at Cypress Point, it is likely that none of the competitors will have been born since GB&I last won on U.S. soil (in 2001). We’ll never know how much of a difference Spain’s Jon Rahm and Norway’s Viktor Hovland would have made, but I’d love to find out from the next generation of continental Europe stars and put to bed the nickname of “the Walk-over Cup.”
I was pondering a post about this very topic but when the matches got close and I chickened out. Before moving on I looked up the Official World Amateur ranking to see what kind of team would have been fielded.
This year’s GB&I team by the ranking:
1 of the top 20
4 of the top 30
6 of the top 50
The one top 20 player went 0-4 so the rankings only mean so much (but that was a terrific, hard fought 0-4 if such a thing is possible).
If the team had been expanded to Europe it would have looked like this on paper:
4 of the top 20
9 of the top 20
12 of the top 50
The likely adds to the roster assuming a European team of twelve and not too much politicking:
5. Ludvig Aberg (Sweden)
13. Vincent Norman (Sweden)
18 David Puig Currius (Spain)
23 Mattias Schmid (Germany)
30 Alvaro Mueller-Baumgart Lucena (Spain)
32 Eugenio Lopez-Chacarra Coto (Spain)
36 Jose Luis Ballester Barrio (Spain)
This would mark a huge change for the R&A to grapple with. I can’t fathom the first world ramifications Martin Slumbers and friends would have to deal with given the times (Brexit). The change would also be a tough sell given how valiantly this year’s team played and how close they came to winning.
As for the one non-Schupak suggestion that’s all mine: honorary Seminole memberships for all 24 players.
Why?
Besides putting on a great show, the simple act of not spilling their guts out on the course and revealing from where the “stomach bug” originated. Given that media outlets blamed The Breakers or worse, the players were saints for not saying more.
Memberships for everyone! Oh and not to worry about Nathaniel. He’s already got one.
2021 USA Walker Cup Team (USGA)
It was a slimming week on top of a victorious one for Team USA. Both teams put on an incredible performance given the amount of time spent in uncomfortable situations fending off a mysterious “virus” that has not been explained. Mercifully, everyone was able to play and perform admirably on magnificent if overcooked Seminole.
GolfDigest.com’s Ryan Herrington summed up the moment this way:
When you look at the pictures of the celebration five or 10 years from now, you’ll have no idea from their expressions just how difficult it was for this group to take possession of the Walker Cup, what the means to this end truly involved. That, instead, will be something they can tell their friends and family over beers.
Actually, I’d save the 2021 Walker Cup stories until after dessert is consumed. Anyway…
Despite the “bug”, it was an incredibly close match not decided until the final moments. As Julie Williams notes for Golfweek, the GB&I squad pretty much blew a hole in the world amateur rankings.
Asked if talk of rankings discrepancies lit a fire under his team, GB&I captain Stuart Wilson said he was unaware of it.
“There were a lot of comments about us hanging in well and fighting really hard,” he said. “I was more of the opinion we were letting the Americans away with it. My mindset on the whole thing, the guys played well and played really well. I think on another day, the match would have been a totally different result.”
Greg Midland and Joey Geske with the USGA game story and USA Captain Nathaniel Crosby’s reaction.
The 10 afternoon singles matches would therefore decide the first Walker Cup Match played in Florida, and the final result was in doubt nearly to the end. The USA eked out a 5½-4½ advantage in those matches to retain the cup.
“It was such an evenly matched contest and our guys were really fired up,” said USA captain Nathaniel Crosby. “I've been blessed to be part of their lives here for a few years and it's been so great.”
Mike Trostel with the three big takeaways from the final day.
Chris Keane and Scott Halleran’s incredible image gallery from the day.
The Sunday results:
JUNO BEACH, Fla. – Results from Sunday’s foursomes and singles matches at the 48th Walker Cup Match at the 7,256-yard, par-72 Seminole Golf Club:
United States def. Great Britain and Ireland, 14-12
Morning Foursomes
Mark Power and John Murphy, GB&I def. Pierceson Coody and John Pak, USA, 1 up
Ricky Castillo and William Mouw, USA def. Alex Fitzpatrick and Barclay Brown, GB&I, 1 up
Angus Flanagan and Ben Schmidt, GB&I and Davis Thompson and Cole Hammer, USA, tied
Matty Lamb and Jack Dyer, GB&I def. Stewart Hagestad and Tyler Strafaci, USA, 6 and 5
Afternoon Singles
Austin Eckroat, USA def. Mark Power, GB&I, 7 and 6
Pierceson Coody, USA def. Alex Fitzpatrick, GB&I, 3 and 1
Joe Long, GB&I def. John Pak, USA, 1 up
Matty Lamb, GB&I def. Davis Thompson, USA, 2 up
Quade Cummins, USA and Barclay Brown, GB&I, tied
Angus Flanagan, GB&I def. William Mouw, USA, 1 up
Ricky Castillo, USA def. John Murphy, GB&I, 2 and 1
Jack Dyer, GB&I vs. Tyler Strafaci, USA, 1 up
Cole Hammer, USA def. Ben Schmidt, GB&I, 4 and 3
Stewart Hagestad, USA def. Ben Jones, GB&I, 4 and 2
Stewart Hagestad secured the win with this putt (though Cole Hammer secured a tie and Cup retention a bit prior):
It's Official! 🏆
— The Walker Cup (@WalkerCup) May 9, 2021
The WINNING point of the 48th #WalkerCup Match belongs to @s_hagestad and the USA 🇺🇸 Team! pic.twitter.com/P90R16FgmY
Ricky Castillo joins an elite group of 4-0 Walker Cuppers:
Good company, @RickykCastillo! pic.twitter.com/SZYKRpclbX
— The Walker Cup (@WalkerCup) May 9, 2021
To Nathaniel and his US Team, well done on your @WalkerCup victory at Seminole! Both the US and GB&I squads overcame so much, and provided terrific golf played in the right spirit. True honor to spend time today with both teams. Game is in good hands with these young men! @USGA pic.twitter.com/YNShayJJcb
— Jack Nicklaus (@jacknicklaus) May 10, 2021
It was fun to watch some of the players yesterday at the @WalkerCup it was a brave effort on foreign soil from team GB&I. Congrats to team USA on the win. Seminole looked like the perfect match play venue #Thewalkercup
— Luke Donald (@LukeDonald) May 9, 2021
The R&A celebrated the life of Seve Ballesteros on the 10th anniversary of his passing, announcing a new David Cannon book with some proceeds going to brain cancer research. The occasion also brought word of a new documentary in the works.
This unbylined story at the R&A’s site offered a nice summation of his life and chance for a new generation to see a few key moments in Seve’s career.
Bill Fields filed these memories of his and peers at his newsletter, The Albatross.
Details below:
10 YEARS ON: THE R&A CELEBRATES THE LIFE OF SEVE BALLESTEROS
5 May 2021, St Andrews, Scotland: The R&A will celebrate the life of the great Severiano Ballesteros with a trio of unique tributes to the three-time Champion Golfer on the 10-year anniversary of his passing.
Seve, one of the greatest sportsmen of his generation, passed away on 7 May 2011 aged just 54, following a battle with cancer having been diagnosed with a brain tumour two years earlier.
The tributes include the production of a feature-length documentary film, the publication of a stunning photobook by renowned sports photographer David Cannon and an 18-month exhibition at the British Golf Museum in St Andrews, the Home of Golf.
Martin Slumbers, Chief Executive of The R&A, said, “Seve always was the supreme showman and he played a huge part in deepening my love of golf. I hope that fans will truly enjoy these wonderful tributes that tell the story of this charismatic, flamboyant and inspirational golfer who is without doubt one of the greatest of all time.
“As we approach a special milestone in the history of The Open and reflect back over its many unique moments, Seve’s iconic and joyful celebration after holing the putt on the 18th green at St Andrews in 1984 is one memory that always sticks out in my mind. Sadly, he was taken from us too young and we must settle for the memories. But what glorious memories they are.”
The R&A is working with ZigZag Productions, Egoli Media and North Ridge Films to create ‘Seve’, a documentary film which will premiere in autumn of this year.
It will profile Ballesteros’ remarkable life on and off the course, from its humble beginnings in Cantabria, Spain, where, as a young boy, he learned to play golf on its beaches, through to realising his dream and become one of the most decorated and celebrated golfers in the history of the sport.
The landmark documentary will feature contributions from his family, including his children Javier, Miguel and Carmen Ballesteros, and fellow sporting heroes, including close friend José María Olazábal, Sir Nick Faldo, Gary Player and Colin Montgomerie.
Javier Ballesteros, Seve’s son, said, “My dad considered his winning moment at St Andrews the crowning achievement of a very special sporting career filled with tour wins, Major Championship victories and Ryder Cup triumphs, which makes it very fitting that we have been able to work with The R&A on these special tributes.
“For me, Miguel and Carmen, he was an even better father than he was a golfer which tells you everything about him as a man. We would like to thank our dad’s fans for all the passionate and continuous support throughout the years. It means so much to all of us that his legend lives on.”
The R&A and the European Tour have also supported the publication of a stunning new book “Seve: His Life through the Lens” which has been compiled by renowned sports photographer David Cannon of Getty Images and published by Vision Sports Publishing.
As well as photographs from Cannon’s portfolio and the archives of Getty Images, the book features many of the finest action images and portraits captured by other prominent golf photographers. The book is now available to purchase at TheOpen.com/Shop.
An exhibition celebrating the life of Seve will launch when the British Golf Museum in St Andrews is re-opened after refurbishment later this year. It will run for 18 months and visitors to the Home of Golf will enjoy a unique collection dedicated to his greatest achievements in golf, including winning The Open on three occasions in 1979, 1984 and 1988.
A series of content dedicated to celebrating his life will also be published on RandA.org and TheOpen.com and The Open’s and R&A social media channels, including Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube.
A share of the proceeds from these tributes will be donated to the Seve Ballesteros Foundation to support the important work that it does to introduce young people to golf and encouraging their development and for vital scientific research that is used for the treatment of brain cancer.
In view of the 18th hole at the Old Course, where he claimed his most iconic victory, we paid tribute to @SeveBallesteros at St Andrews West Sands. pic.twitter.com/pX1i1Fqc0G
— The Open (@TheOpen) May 7, 2021
It would be a speedy return by R&A standards, but 2019 Open Championship host Royal Portrush is in the “pole position” to stage it again in 2025, reports The Guardian’s Ewan Murray.
While insiders at the R&A and the club insist no formal agreement is yet in place for 2025, Portrush is understood to be at the front of the queue as background talks proceed positively.
This year’s Open will take place at Royal St George’s, 12 months later than originally scheduled because of the pandemic. The 150th Open is scheduled for St Andrews in 2022, with Royal Liverpool and Royal Troon to host in 2023 and 2024 respectively. The R&A could be in a position to announce the 2025 host course this summer, with current focus understandably on the landscape for Royal St George’s.
Amazing for a course that Chief Inspector Dawson said for so long just would not work!
Geoff Shackelford is a Senior Writer for Golfweek magazine, a weekly contributor to Golf Channel's Morning
Copyright © 2022, Geoff Shackelford. All rights reserved.
