By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Colin@scottishgolfview.com
Donald Trump's belief that his new course on the linksland at Menie Estate, 12 miles up the North-east coast from Aberdeen will sooner of later stage THE Open championship has been ridiculed in most golfing quarters on this side of the Atlantic.
First of all, the course - one of two planned on the site - has to be opened and there are murmurings that it could be three or four years before that happens.
Secondly, there are many long-established and even newly-established links courses, such as Castle Stuart, which are well ahead of Donald Trump in the queue to join the R and A's roster of nine Open venues: Carnoustie, Old Course, St Andrews; Muirfield, Royal Troon, Turnberry, Royal Liverpool, Royal Birkdale, Royal Lytham and Royal St George's.
But maybe Donald Trump is not talking through a hole in his hat. GolfWeek has this week been running a story that one of Trump's courses in the United States, the Trump National Club at Bedminster, New Jersey, is being lined up as a back-up venue for the United States Open.
The GolfWeek article reads:
"It’s no secret that Donald Trump wants his Trump National Club in Bedminster, New Jersey to hold a US Open. Now it turns out that the US Golf Association is considering looking for a back-up site for a US Open should some calamity arise that knocks it out of commission.
"According to a memo circulated through USGA Golf House in early December, the USGA is exploring whether it needs to have a contingency plan in case some unforeseen development – be it a massive storm, terrorist attack or a major agronomic problem – renders the primary host course inoperable for the week.
"With the US Open a major profit centre for the USGA as well as its most prestigious tournament, 'to not have a back-up plan is irresponsible,' ” said one official. “We owe it to the USGA and to the game.”
USGA officials are starting to explore the logistics of such a contingency plan. Though no meetings have been held yet and discussions are only preliminary, attention already is focusing on the Trump National facility, which is only six miles from USGA headquarters at Far Hills, New Jersey.
"In 2009, Trump's 36-hole facility was home simultaneously to the U.S. Junior Amateur and the U.S. Girls’ championship. The Tom Fazio-designed Old Course is ranked No. 51 on the Golfweek’s Best Modern list and has been discussed as a potential future U.S. Open venue.
"If Trump National were to be selected as the emergency site, the USGA championship team would develop a site-preparation plan and treat it as if it were a U.S. Open site. According to the USGA, Trump has responded with enthusiasm to the idea."
United States Open first ... (British) Open next?
Colin@scottishgolfview.com
Donald Trump's belief that his new course on the linksland at Menie Estate, 12 miles up the North-east coast from Aberdeen will sooner of later stage THE Open championship has been ridiculed in most golfing quarters on this side of the Atlantic.
First of all, the course - one of two planned on the site - has to be opened and there are murmurings that it could be three or four years before that happens.
Secondly, there are many long-established and even newly-established links courses, such as Castle Stuart, which are well ahead of Donald Trump in the queue to join the R and A's roster of nine Open venues: Carnoustie, Old Course, St Andrews; Muirfield, Royal Troon, Turnberry, Royal Liverpool, Royal Birkdale, Royal Lytham and Royal St George's.
But maybe Donald Trump is not talking through a hole in his hat. GolfWeek has this week been running a story that one of Trump's courses in the United States, the Trump National Club at Bedminster, New Jersey, is being lined up as a back-up venue for the United States Open.
The GolfWeek article reads:
"It’s no secret that Donald Trump wants his Trump National Club in Bedminster, New Jersey to hold a US Open. Now it turns out that the US Golf Association is considering looking for a back-up site for a US Open should some calamity arise that knocks it out of commission.
"According to a memo circulated through USGA Golf House in early December, the USGA is exploring whether it needs to have a contingency plan in case some unforeseen development – be it a massive storm, terrorist attack or a major agronomic problem – renders the primary host course inoperable for the week.
"With the US Open a major profit centre for the USGA as well as its most prestigious tournament, 'to not have a back-up plan is irresponsible,' ” said one official. “We owe it to the USGA and to the game.”
USGA officials are starting to explore the logistics of such a contingency plan. Though no meetings have been held yet and discussions are only preliminary, attention already is focusing on the Trump National facility, which is only six miles from USGA headquarters at Far Hills, New Jersey.
"In 2009, Trump's 36-hole facility was home simultaneously to the U.S. Junior Amateur and the U.S. Girls’ championship. The Tom Fazio-designed Old Course is ranked No. 51 on the Golfweek’s Best Modern list and has been discussed as a potential future U.S. Open venue.
"If Trump National were to be selected as the emergency site, the USGA championship team would develop a site-preparation plan and treat it as if it were a U.S. Open site. According to the USGA, Trump has responded with enthusiasm to the idea."
United States Open first ... (British) Open next?
Labels: Golf Development
posted by Colin |
See story on its own page | Friday, February 18, 2011
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