"I think you can expect to see something about this in the next three to four weeks."
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Peter Dawson did double duty Wednesday, first sitting down for a joint Olympic bid press conference followed by an R&A Open press conference that was about as tense as a post-Oscar win Q&A session.
My eyes and ears report that this question was not asked by one of the wannabe R&A members writing for the British press:
Q. Unrelated to this week, how are you guys doing on the U grooves, V grooves thing? There's a perception in the States that it's the R & A that's dragging its feet on that implementation. Fairly or not, maybe you can address that and tell us when you see that coming on-line, if at all, and what the hold-ups and hurdles might be.Well that's news, right? Until 3-4 weeks from now when we don't hear a thing.
PETER DAWSON: Well, the current status of that is that there's been some additional testing conducted just in the last few weeks in the women's game, at LPGA Tour events, and the results of that are just coming through now, which I don't think has changed anything. And I think you can expect to see something about this in the next three to four weeks.
Q. A firm date for implementation?
PETER DAWSON: No, that was an announcement in three to four weeks. I'm not going to preempt what that says.
Q. Peter, there's been one or two criticisms about the 17th green. I just wondered what your thoughts were on that.Yes, he flagged it. Of course, having helped design it that's a bit odd.
PETER DAWSON: I think I flagged up very early on this year that the 17th green might attract some comment, and it has, very eloquent comment from some, not so eloquent from others (smiling).
The green is undeniably different from many others on the golf course. I've spent with others quite a long time on it in the last couple of weeks. With the pin positions we have in mind I'm quite happy it's perfectly playable, and we know the score; I'm sure the green will be reviewed after the championship to decide what its future is. But as far as this week is concerned, it's going to be perfectly playable.
