Hosting RC no treat...

[Hankshank]

... for EU courses. At least if hosting of later tour tournaments is what is wanted.

 

This years version of French Open is the weakest in a decade.

Gleneagles has not hosted much lately

The spectacular Twenty Ten in Wales lost the Wales open.

Thats the last three.

And Belfry, K Club.

 

 

Is there some kind of business case here? Hosting RC and then become even more exclusive for an even more exclusive group of potential members?

[umassgolfer]

At least Gleneagles got the Solheim Cup?

[Hankshank]

> @umassgolfer said:

> At least Gleneagles got the Solheim Cup?

 

OK granted, but apart from that? Got a vision of all those arenas rotting after an Olympic game...

[gvogel]

> @umassgolfer said:

> At least Gleneagles got the Solheim Cup?

 

It should have been played on the Kings Course (Braid), not the Centenary Course (Nicklaus).

[golfortennis]

The question is, do they actually want to host more events? They basically buy their hosting slot. Why do you do it? For name recognition. Why do you want that? So you can charge higher fees to players. Does whatever financial benefit that comes from hosting outweigh the lost revenue that comes from closing down the course for however long?

 

I just don't think it makes business sense to hand over your course and lose out on revenue in most cases. How much does a course get from hosting a European Tour event?

[Langlands]

If you go to Gleneagles you'll find it's hardly deserted.

[VNutz]

Do they want to host more tournaments? There's something to be said for these venues NOT getting tournaments every season so as to keep them more "special" in not being played out to the public. I know things are different here in the States, but generally the RC courses will host a major several years prior to the RC as something of a warmup or test, then aren't used much for a few seasons (if not more) by the main tours, certainly not on the yearly rotation. Oakland Hills, Valhalla, Medinah, Hazeltine and next year Whistling Straights are all household names to the golf fan, but most don't see a high profile mens tournament but every 2 or 3 years. Additionally other courses that need to make a name for themselves and need the publicity more, so they get a little more desperate or willing in their offers that can make it more financially attractive than the higher profile courses that would remain full on a regular basis regardless of hosting.

[bodhi555]

It wouldn't surprise me to see the Belfry hosting another tournament soon - the Brabazon has has a lot of investment recently, and I think Matt Wallace is sponsored by them, so if he hosts the British Masters I expect it will be there. Only negative is it isn't that long these days - 6500 yards off the whites, so I suspect it would get taken apart.

 

The 2010 seem happy at the moment to just be a grand but punishing day out for amateurs to play a Ryder Cup venue these days. It will get the Welsh Open again I expect, but problem for it is there are some fantastic courses in Wales, so it's just waiting its turn.

[Langlands]

> @bodhi555 said:

> It wouldn't surprise me to see the Belfry hosting another tournament soon - the Brabazon has has a lot of investment recently, and I think Matt Wallace is sponsored by them, so if he hosts the British Masters I expect it will be there. Only negative is it isn't that long these days - 6500 yards off the whites, so I suspect it would get taken apart.

>

> The 2010 seem happy at the moment to just be a grand but punishing day out for amateurs to play a Ryder Cup venue these days. It will get the Welsh Open again I expect, but problem for it is there are some fantastic courses in Wales, so it's just waiting its turn.

 

I don't think there been a Wales Open since it was last played at The 2010 course?

[imakaveli]

It makes sense, if you want the Ryder Cup you have to organize big events till that year, then it's all over. Exactly what will happen at the Italian Open in 2023, will be back hosting Calcavecchia because if his wedding...

[OldTomMorris]

> @Hankshank said:

> ... for EU courses. At least if hosting of later tour tournaments is what is wanted.

>

> This years version of French Open is the weakest in a decade.

> Gleneagles has not hosted much lately

> The spectacular Twenty Ten in Wales lost the Wales open.

> Thats the last three.

> And Belfry, K Club.

>

>

> Is there some kind of business case here? Hosting RC and then become even more exclusive for an even more exclusive group of potential members?

 

French Open, the Chinese sponsor HNA pulled out.

Irish Open has basically moved to links only courses.

 

Its all about economics and of course when a Ryder Cup is on the horizon it makes it a little more attractive.

 

> @Langlands said:

> If you go to Gleneagles you'll find it's hardly deserted.

 

Correct, all three courses at Gleneagles always have people playing and while its not cheap its not exclusive or overly expensive, if you've got the cash anyone can play.

[bodhi555]

> @Langlands said:

> > @bodhi555 said:

> > It wouldn't surprise me to see the Belfry hosting another tournament soon - the Brabazon has has a lot of investment recently, and I think Matt Wallace is sponsored by them, so if he hosts the British Masters I expect it will be there. Only negative is it isn't that long these days - 6500 yards off the whites, so I suspect it would get taken apart.

> >

> > The 2010 seem happy at the moment to just be a grand but punishing day out for amateurs to play a Ryder Cup venue these days. It will get the Welsh Open again I expect, but problem for it is there are some fantastic courses in Wales, so it's just waiting its turn.

>

> I don't think there been a Wales Open since it was last played at The 2010 course?

 

A quick Google suggests you are correct, in fact it looks like its always been more the "Celtic Manor Open" than the Welsh.

 

Still, bit disingenuous to say the 2010 lost the Wales Open though - they just stopped running the tournament.

[MattyO1984]

It’s all about the money. Sponsors come in and they had to pump as much money as they can into events which are held there in the years prior to make sure that the Course obtains a certain prestige. Once the Cup has come and gone and the money made from it, there is nothing for the money men left to do but move onto the next one.

[Short Pete]

Don't get this Ryder Cup thing in Europe wrong: It is not about developping a course or a tournament for the time after the Ryder Cup. At the moment it is all about making as much money as possible on the way to the event and at the event itself. Italy simply got the 2022 RC because they threw the biggest chunk of dough at Mr. Pelley. They had thrown their hat in the ring with Spain, Germany and Austria. All these countries had way better concepts and venues as the Italians. One week before the end of the process the RC of Europe told all 4 contestants to open their purses, and Italy offered the most money. They have to host a Rolex event every year leading up to the RC, they have to do a complete makeover to the course they want to play on. The government gave them a guarantee to stand in for the needed 90 Million Euros if they didn't find a sponsor. And if they don't plunk down enough money after the RC has been played the Italian Open will be what it was before: An also-ran tournament on the Euro Tour with a small purse and a mediocre field.

 

In 2026 the RC shall be played on British soil, but for the 2030 European Outing it may be the same as in 2022: You pay the most, you get the Cup. If Qatar would pay enough, Mr. Pelley would hold the Ryder Cup there. He gives a rat's a** about developing a venue. He wants money, money and even more money!

[iBanesto]

Even when you exclude the Ryder Cup factor, the tournament has lost its prestige in terms of status (not being a Rolex Series event) and prize fund.

 

This year the prize fund is $1.6 million (Euro). This is the lowest French Open prize fund since 2001.

 

In 2002 (9 years before the Ryder Cup was announced to be in France), the prize fund was $2 million (Euro).