Prestwick will make contribution
to 150th Open championship
programme in 2010

FROM THE SCOTSMAN WEBSITE:
THE 150th anniversary of the Open championship, due to be held over the Old Course in 2010, will be marked by some form of celebration which will likely involve an appropriate contribution from Prestwick golf club, the very first links to host golf's oldest major in 1860.
In a wide ranging conversation at his office in St Andrews, which also covered drug testing, new technology and Scotland's close links with the Open, Peter Dawson, picture right by Cal Carson Golf Agency, the chief executive of the Royal and Ancient, told The Scotsman that the anniversary of the championship would be commemorated.
He cautioned, however, there were no plans to reprise the Champions Challenge of 2000 which saw past winners of the calibre of Sam Snead, Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player, Peter Thomson, Nick Faldo, Seve Ballesteros and Tom Watson come together for four holes in aid of charity.
While Dawson reckons the Open in 3000 would be an appropriate date to re-run that remarkable event – 22 of the living past champions attended in 2000 with only five absentees – he conceded the 150th anniversary of a championship which changed the face of professional golf couldn't pass without the R&A recognising the occasion.
"The championship committee have asked a sub-committee to take a look at what we might do in 2010, but right now it's too early for me to say," said Dawson. "I know that Prestwick are interested in becoming involved in some way because 150 years ago that was where the Open started. Prestwick put on the first dozen, so they're very interested in this anniversary.
"It may be Prestwick will put something on the weekend before the 150th Open begins. All sorts of ideas are being floated about. There may be things (in St Andrews] we can also do to recognise Prestwick's involvement. We won't let the occasion pass without doing something."
With the Open worth more than £72million to the local economy each time the event is staged north of the border, the Scottish Government will be relieved to learn the R&A have no plans to alter the timetable which brings golf's oldest championship to Scotland six times in every decade.
After the tournament goes back to Turnberry in 2009 and the 150th anniversary staging takes place in St Andrews the following year, the Open won't return to Scotland until 2013 at the earliest.
For the first time since the championship began in the 19th century – it wasn't held outwith Scotland until 1894 – the Open will be staged in England over consecutive summers at Royal St George's in 2011 and Lytham in 2012.
According to Dawson, however, it was the timing of the London Olympics in 2012 and the Glasgow Commonwealth Games in 2014 which has given the R&A pause for thought in scheduling future presentations of the only major held outside America.
"We've done a number of economic surveys and the Open generates some significant sums," he added.
"As well as the economic impact, the exposure on international television is fantastic. In terms of population, Scotland is a relatively small country. To have a world class major sporting event for six years out of ten is unusual for a country of this size. Sometimes we feel as if we don't get enough credit for that.
"But there is a situation with an Olympics, a Commonwealth Games and a Ryder Cup where we've had to be careful about deciding what the best venue might be. So there could be a little blip in the normal schedule, but that's nothing to be concerned about. It will still be six out of ten."
While St Andrews retains the record attendance for an Open of 239,000 in 2000, the massive turn out of 230,000 at Hoylake two years ago fuelled speculation the championship may be seen more often at venues close to large centres of population.
Dawson, however, dismissed the notion as impractical.
"You can't go to a member's golf club more than once every nine or ten years," he said. "The upheaval is enormous. We have very close relationships with these clubs (on the rota) and if doubts ever crept in about holding an Open – none have – we'd be in early to talk to them. Luckily, we have very good and close relationships with all of them.
"While it remains to be seen if the chill of an economic downturn will have an impact on the growth of the game any time soon – Dawson detected few traces of gloom at the recent trade show in Orlando – the R&A believes golf will have to look beyond traditional markets in the USA, the UK and Australia for future expansion.
"In terms of participation, I think golf is doing better than the vast majority of other sports," he observed. "Where the game is well developed and already has a high market share, if you like, of people's leisure time, it can be very hard to maintain that.
"In Britain and America there are lots of programmes to bring people into the game. You have to run very hard here to stand still. Growth will come in other countries. As far as the R&A are concerned, we have new affiliates joining all the time with Mongolia, Jordan and Saudi Arabia among the recent additions.
"In all, we have 120 affiliates, which, I understand, is one more country than McDonald's have restaurants in."
As far as the Open is concerned, the next major deal to be negotiated by the R&A will be for American TV. The current agreement expires at Turnberry in 2009. The high value of sterling against the dollar, of course, has not been a boon for an organisation which contracts many of its international deals in dollars.
"But we're not looking at any immediate crisis. If the day ever dawned when the Open lost its popularity – something which is not even on the horizon – we could still carry on doing what we do for the game, the rules and so on.
"As things stand, the Open is more popular than ever. We'll be looking for big crowds at Birkdale and early ticket sales are strong."
Although it's not yet clear if random drug testing will be introduced at the Open for the first time this summer – any decision will be influenced by whether or not the European Tour and the PGA Tour have their programmes up and running by early July – Dawson wonders how amateurs and club pros, who don't receive the same education as Tour players, might deal with the issue.
"There may be some slippage in the schedule, but the Tours expect to start in July," he confirmed. "Whether we would want to be the second or third week in the programme, I'm not sure. But I see us as another week on Tour and we won't re-invent the wheel and have a different drug test regime at the Open.
"We're having close conversations with the European Tour and the PGA Tour about the timing of this. There are so many different aspects and details to consider. For example, what happens to the re-distribution of prize money if someone tests positive ? "
Asked about social drug use, Dawson replied: "I suppose it would be naive to think golfers are different to any other section of society in this regard. But I hope it's not naive to think golfers are different when it comes to performance enhancing drugs. I really hope that golf is clean. But you can never be sure.
"Anyone who is caught will damage the sport. Sponsor interest would reduce because golf has an image which attracts sponsors. The message to players must be clear: Don't let yourself or the game of golf down."
As far as advances in technology are concerned, Dawson expressed concerns last February about the lack of a link between driving accuracy and success in the modern game. Many long hitters concentrate on power off the tee at the expense of accuracy because the penalty for missing the fairway is often trivial.
The belief that players can generate too much spin from the rough prompted a proposal for altering the grooves on irons. After consulting with club manufacturers, it could be the R&A and the United States Golf Association will reach a revised conclusion on how to deal with the issue. "I think we've got the (equipment] problem surrounded, because hitting distances are not increasing, they're static," argued Dawson. "Nothing has come out in the last five years which hits the ball further. One or two clubs are a bit more forgiving, but that's not benefiting the pros.
"The lack of a correlation between driving accuracy and success in America was what caused us to look at grooves. We went out with a proposal and have had some comments from manufacturers which made us do more research. We are going to do something and there should be an announcement in the relatively near future. It's better to be right than quick.
"I wouldn't deny the R&A have taken some of the manufacturers' comments on board and looked at certain aspects of this (again]. That's why you have the process. There's no point having comments and then going 'phwoaa'. Something is coming. But it won't affect play at an elite level for a year or two."