Dawson: Tours Need To Open The Books On Disciplinary Action

I'm sure the R&A's Peter Dawson's fellow powerbrokers at the various tours just loved the International Golf Federation head's answer to the question Tuesday about the tours opening up their books and making public disciplinary actions. Iain Carter reports.

"In terms of what Tour disciplinary policies should be and whether disciplinary action should be made public I think if you look at the wider world of sport that has become the norm.

"I think keeping it quiet, whilst there are many good reasons for doing that at tour level, is probably something that tours should look at changing because I do think that keeping these things in the public domain has a lot of benefit in keeping our standards of behaviour high," Dawson said.

This is especially true with pace of play, not that what he or anyone else thinks matters to the tours.

Meanwhile Dawson did a nice job squelching the much-talked about behind-the-scenes grumbling about the "shock exit" of R&A championship manager David Hill, reports Martin Dempster.

"David had groomed some very good people, the likes of Johnnie Cole-Hamilton, Michael Wells, Robin Bell and Rhodri Price, for example. We are confident that the knowledge David has passed on and their experience will see us through."

Jim McArthur, chairman of the R&A's championship committee, added: "After 32 years, David decided to retire and we thank him for his immense contribution, as well as wishing him well."

The members of Hill's Open team are currently reporting to Dawson, who revealed he will be waiting until the autumn, after the last of the events the R&A run is held, before looking at the options in terms of a new director of championships.