24 ISSUE 367 TODAYSGOLFER.CO.UK
that will all change again next year when Justin Rose takes
over the hosting of the British Masters. Walton Heath is his
preferred venue and a superb track, but it does mean that the
North East and North West of England will not stage a golf
tournament until The Open comes to Hoylake, Royal Lytham &
St Annes or Royal Birkdale.
One solution would be to change the location of the BMW PGA
every year, but I think the recent changes to the West course at
Wentworth have put an end to those discussions. I did some
filming there last month and the greens were unbelievably good- as good as anywhere I’ve played in the
country. The club has made a big investment to
replicate the original Colt design and crucially,
it’s the only place in the UK with a SubAir
system underground. That means the greens are
always impeccable and it shows. I’ve only heard
positive things from players since the changes,
and that wasn’t always the case before.
Another bright point has been the success of
GolfSixes, which remains on the calendar ahead
of the 2018 season. One man who deserves a lot
of credit is Keith Pelley. He has done a wonderful
job promoting new formats and trying to attract
a different audience. I still believe 18-hole courses and four-day
tournaments will continue to dominate the golfing landscape.
That will not change, and nor should it. But I do think we’re going
to see a lot more six-hole golf courses opening off the back of
successful events like GolfSixes.
We will always have our diehard fans who love this game and
are in for the long haul. But to grow the game, we need to offer
quicker forms of golf for time-poor people and get a club in the
hand of the younger generation. To do this, we need the help of
pros and celebrities to raise awareness. That’s why
events like the Hero Challenge and the Dunhill Links are
so important and should be
embraced. Guys like Niall Horan and
Harry Judd are sharing their stories
and promoting our game to millions
of their followers on social media.
That is the best form of marketing
and can only benefit the sport in
the long term. If it can help to
bring some new sponsors in as
well, maybe we might see some
more tournaments back on the
European Tour schedule. I think you know
which three I’ll be voting for.
‘ There will be
seven European
Tour events in the
UK and Ireland
next year, but it
still doesn’t feel
like enough’
Nick
Dougherty
First
Te eNow is the time to bring back Britain’s lost European Tour events
I
t’s amazing to think that it’s been a year since I played
my final European Tour event at the Dunhill Links
Championship. I am often asked how I have adapted to
life behind the ropes, but the truth is not much has changed. I
still find myself living the life of a Tour pro, travelling from one
country to the next and splitting my time between the range and
the course. The only difference is that I’ve now got a Sky Sports
producer in my ear, rather than my coach.
Since returning from my final trip of the year to cover the
Turkish Airlines Open for Sky, I’ve been making the most of my
‘off season’ and enjoyed plenty of time with my
family in Berkshire. It’s also given me an excuse
to get the golf clubs out and play some fantastic
courses around the Home Counties, many of
which don’t get the recognition they deserve.
When I turned pro in 2001, the UK golf scene
was thriving with the BMW PGA Championship,
British Masters, Dunhill Links Championship,
Scottish Open, Benson & Hedges International
Open, Wales Open and Johnnie Walker
Championship attracting big crowds and big-
name players. Sixteen years on and everything
has changed. The latter three tournaments have
been confined to history, while the British Masters only returned
to the Tour in 2015 after a six-year absence. The good news is
that there will be seven European Tour events in the UK and
Ireland next year, but it still doesn’t feel like enough to me. Not
having a tournament in Wales is stripping us of the opportunity
to visit some fantastic, underrated links courses. The same goes
for the North West of England. There are so many world-class
links courses dotted around the coastline, like Formby, West
Lancs, Southport & Ainsdale and Hillside, which could host a
tournament tomorrow. Instead, their members will be
playing a monthly medal when they should be
watching the world’s best tackle their
home course.
What did please me was
seeing 60,000 people attend
the British Masters at Close
House. The BMW PGA belongs to
the South of England at
Wentworth, so I’ve always thought
that it would make sense to stage a
tournament up north which is
accessible to people from
Manchester and Liverpool to
Newcastle and even Birmingham. Typically,Nick Dougherty is a three-time European Tour winner and now a presenter on Sky Sports’ golf coverage. Follow him on Twitter @NickDougherty5