This week’s news from Martin. In the presence of his Trumpness no less.
Thought for the Day
If you’re going to have a lucky number, don’t make it 2,375 because that rarely comes up when you’re gambling
In the presence of greatness
I was summoned – it really is the only applicable word – last week, along with a bunch of other journalists, to the Menie Estate in Aberdeenshire, where we were granted the privilege of interviewing Donald J Trump, or The Trumpster as I prefer to think of him.
The event was stage managed to the nth degree, with more security on show than you would expect for a state visit from president Obama. And the news we were privileged to hear? Well, nothing actually, other than the fact that the golf course his Trumpness is building is, err, being built.
There was, however, one interesting aspect of it all, which shows perhaps why The Trumpster is extraordinarily rich and I am not. Also invited were a number of influential Scottish businessmen and women (along with the Lord Provost of Aberdeen), and when asked what he would do about the small number of people who live on the estate and are refusing all Mr Trump’s inducements to move, he said, in effect:: ‘I would hope that the businessmen here will make their feelings known to the council when the time comes.’
So build the golf course because no protestors live in the affected area, and when you want to build your hotel, on land where they do live, let the local movers and shakers lobby on your behalf for the compulsory purchase orders which will be needed to shift the stubborn blighters.
Whatever you may think of the man, it’s a smart move.
Can’t wait
Every April the R&A invites the Association of Golf Writers to that year’s Open venue, in order that we might play the course and, theoretically at least, have a clearer understanding of its challenges before writing our preview pieces. This year, of course, the world’s oldest Major is back at St Andrews and there is one change that is going to get everyone’s attention. The famous 17th – of which Ben Crenshaw once said: ‘The reason it’s one of the most difficult par fours in the world is that it’s really a par five’ – has had its tee moved back 40 yards. To my everlasting gratitude, at the time of our visit the tee was not ready for play (the R&A usually likes to put us as far back as possible in an effort, I believe, to make us suffer for any unkind things we may have written in the previous 12 months), so we could look but not touch.
For the pros, however, it’s going to restore the hole to the challenge it should be. Part of the reason for making the alteration was the sight of players like Rory McIlroy hitting a 9-iron into this venerable old lady, so that should teach the little scamp.
More money than sense
Still on the Open, news arrives of a limited edition commemorative gold putter going on sale, celebrating the 22 Open champions at the Old Course in St Andrews.
Only 25 were made and they have the names of all the Open winners at St Andrews engraved on the sole alongside the official St Andrews Links logo.
The press release omits one important fact, the price, so we looked it up and it’s a cool £1,000. However, having visited the St Andrews Link Trust website for a second time there’s no longer any mention of the putter, so presumably the Links Trust is £25,000 richer and there are 25 happy customers somewhere around the world. Any further comment would be superfluous.
Pop Quiz
Who is the number one ranked woman golfer in the world?
The answer is Jiyai Shin of Korea. Since the rankings were inaugurated over four years ago, has there ever been a world number one of whom you have never heard?
Thanks for the memories
Speaking of world rankings, Vijay Singh has slipped out of the top-50 for the first time since Harry Vardon popularised the overlapping grip – proving yet again that most great careers end with a whimper, not a bang.
Owning up
It is wrong to judge a person or organisation by whether or not they make mistakes – no-one who ever survived to adulthood has been completely error free – but it is reasonable to judge them on the way they respond once their error becomes apparent. Because of this I would like to heap praise, rather than ordure, on the head of Richard Caring, who owns Wentworth.
He called in Ernie Els to re-design the famous West Course, spending £6.5 million in the process, and wanted the par five 18th to be the crowning glory, so he over-ruled his designer but in the process created a complete rowlocks of a hole, as you probably saw on television during the BMW PGA Championship. The criticism was justified because instead of risk-and-reward excitement we got lay-up-and-pitch terminal ennui.
Mr Caring, however, did not once try and duck the barbs but instead admitted he was wrong and promised to dig up the 18th and start again – would that all leaders of corporations had the same willingness to plead mea culpa and take it on the chin.
Hostage to fortune
Mike Abbott is a teaching pro in America of whom you have probably never heard and he has either a surfeit of confidence, a big mouth or miraculous ability. Last week his name was added to the rumour list of coaches predicted to work with Tiger Woods, now that Hank Haney has bitten the dust.
Abbott said of the world number one: ‘I haven’t heard from him, I don’t think anybody has. But if he called me tomorrow he would win in two weeks. I can promise you that.’
Let us all step to one side so that we will not be hit by the thunderbolt which the golfing gods are no doubt already preparing to visit upon his head for such presumption.
Limitless choice, no decision
GoKart recently posed as its survey question: ‘Should the 14 club rule be scrapped in favour of having as many clubs as you wish to carry?’ and thankfully your reply was a resounding ‘No’.
Can you imagine how long it would take the pros – and some of your golfing mates, no doubt – to make a decision if they had 20 or more clubs from which to choose?
Quote of the week
The difference between praying in church and praying on the golf course is that on the golf course you really mean it.
Jay Haas