YOUR VIEW
The pick of the letters and emails to hit the Golf Monthly offices this month
One-dimensional approach
Am I alone in growing tired of the way Bryson Dechambeau is playing his golf? In saying this I am not referring to Bryson the person – he always comes over as a very personable character.
However, his golf is increasingly robotic – there are only so many 350-yard bombs off the tee that one can enjoy. Apart from anything else, course hazards become obsolete and accuracy superfluous against the need for endless wedges to the green. Even then at the greens we are treated to the use of the much-vaunted greens book.
I accept we must embrace change, but how I yearn for some of the old touch players like Christy O’connor, Trevino or the wonderful Seve. Thank goodness we still have The Open on courses that test out a multitude of different shots!
Clive Kenyon, via email
A constitutional right
In reply to Julian Mcconnell’s letter in the Summer issue, I would say discourteous and ignorant are not two words I would associate with Rory Mcllroy. Conversely, linking these two words to Donald Trump seems fitting in light of his dealings with the world’s press and his handling of the coronavirus pandemic.
Being democratically elected and being a dedicated sportsperson have nothing in common, but both are entitled to their opinion. One takes years of dedication and hard work; the other relies on a popularity vote. Many, including Rory, have not forgotten their humble beginnings and in Rory’s case he gives back some of his time and money as a Unicef ambassador and supports many causes around poverty, health, human rights and so on.
Right or wrong, expressing what you think is a central pillar of democracy and freedom of speech. Intolerance leads to censorship. Allowing sports personalities and politicians to have their say reflects that true democracy.
Ken Ashberry, Cheadle
Time to act
The growing support in general, and in particular sport, for the Black Lives Matter movement cannot be ignored. This got me thinking, as a member of my local golf club for the past seven years, that there is, and has been, a complete lack of ethnic and in particular black members (I’ve probably seen three in seven years and I play twice a week).
To that end, I wonder if golf in general and in particular golf clubs could do more to attract black and ethnic members. Surely this is the perfect time to embrace BLM and offer discounts to ethnic minorities. This would be no different to preferred rates for juniors and female members and would show that golf really does care.
Martin Sleigh, Lichfield
Across
1 Good you all were seated initially at Royal Troon’s 3rd (5)
Won two Majors in 1998, aged 41 (6) Florida-born golfer who won 2010 LPGA Championship by 12 (4) Heavenly figure looks to approach Cabrera (5)
Flatten club (4)
Distance before stop at Shropshire club (4,3)
Said to study carefully winner of this year’s Mexico Championship (4) Mountains at Royal Liverpool’s 11th and Prestwick’s 17th (4)
Job to dip into Lee Westwood’s birthplace (7)
Scot who won The Open in 1985 (4) Divide tie (5)
Right of target in straight line (4) Run sly experiment for ball cover material (6)
Three Major winners from here (5) 7 8
Down
1 Vic who won USPGA in 1941 (6)
2 Punch holes in green (6)
3 Reported that NCO won 1909 US Open (7)
Prickly character at Augusta’s closing hole (5)
Majors won by Scotland’s Colin Montgomerie (6)
Cut in clubface (6) Impertinent talk at edge of cup (3) Winner of four Majors between 1994 and 2012 (3) Indiscretions at The Grove’s opening hole (7)
Design revealed through match play outing (6)
Brendan heard to rob winner of Safeway Open in 2016 and 2017 (6) USPGA Champion in 2019 and 2018 (6)
21 Danish Ryder Cup player (6)
22 Hit off the hosel (5) 6 12 14