Changes We Want to See in Golf

THERE isn’t going to be any professional or amateur golf for weeks, probably months. When football’s Premier League returns it looks like it may have changed forever, with fans now becoming increasingly frustrated by the huge salaries the top players earn. What changes might happen in the world of golf when we all get back to the fairways? Perhaps this might be wishful thinking, but here are a few things I hope might be a little bit different when we get back to it.

No More Moaning

We are all missing this wonderful game so when we finally do get back out there, let’s remember why we enjoy it so much. Don’t moan about the greens. Don’t complain when you finish up in a divot in the middle of the fairway or land in a footprint in a bunker., It happens to us all. Just take a deep breath, look around you and remember how you felt when you were stuck in the house.

No More Spitting

It is a disgusting habit and, for the life of me, I just cannot understand why professional golfers feel the need to do it. Interestingly, most of those who do it are Americans. Please, let’s cut it out.

Faster Play

As spectators and armchair viewers, we just hate watching five- and six-hour rounds of golf. We don’t want to see the likes of JB Holmes, Kevin Na, Bryson DeChambeau and Keegan Bradley taking forever to hit a shot. Rory McIlroy is the best player in the world - come on guys, look at the way he plays and learn from it. Walk up to the ball, know your distance from the green, pull out the club, take one practice swing and go for it. Just like that.

More Tolerance

Don’t lose your temper with slower players (hands up, I have been guilty of this). Don’t tut and sigh when you get stuck behind a couple of 28-handicappers. They are doing their best out there.

Growth in Junior Golf

Put your hands together and pray that, finally, we see more youngsters taking up the sport. We need this game to have a future.

Positives the Tour Players Bring

Let’s hope there will be more recognition of the good things that our top tour professionals do. Yes, they sometimes look like they would rather be anywhere else. Yes, they throw temper tantrums from time to time. And yes, many of them earn vast amounts of many. But let’s give thanks for all the great work they do for charities. Many have their own foundations which are set up to help good causes, and the PGA Tour raises millions of dollars every year for charities. Those charities will be feeling the pinch during the shutdown.

End That Drought Rory

It has been far too long since Rory McIlroy won the most recent of his four majors - the 2014 PGA Championship, to be precise. It’s time for majors five, six, seven...

Golf Clubs Innovate

Can we expect to see golf clubs waken up to the fact that they need to be more innovative? Many clubs will not survive this crisis. It would be great to see those that do actually coming up with some initiatives that might make the game more attractive.

Personal Hygiene

We now know the importance of personal hygiene. Let’s get rid of hand towels once and for all. We need hand sanitiser to be a permanent fixture. We need hand dryers and we need paper towels. And we also need to see hand sanitiser on the bar, not just in the changing rooms.

Do you agree with Derek? Let us know what you want to happen in golf once normality returns.

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