10 things tour pros are talking about
We asked a group of European Tour players, from rookies to winners, what’s currently on their minds
1 THE BRYSON EFFECT
There’s plenty of negativity around Dechambeau, but, among the pros, there’s plenty of respect for how he’s raised his game in the past year.
While one admitted that there were “mixed reviews” from the players themselves, there is an overwhelming appreciation for having the courage to give it a go in such a particular manner.
“I don’t think many are taking the Bryson thing too seriously, while I actually am,” one revealed. “Wilco [Nienaber] on our tour is swinging it at 130mph comfortably. I thought 120 was a big deal five years ago; soon that number will be 130. And there’s still miles of room up to the long-drive boys who are at 150! This will get faster and faster.”
Length is crucial and always has been. One shorter hitter told us: “Certain courses suit me more than others and I need to take advantage. Other weeks if I finish top 30 then that isn’t bad at all.”
Another added: “I’d say most people like Bryson. From the people I have spoken to, 100 per cent have nothing but respect for what he has done. I suppose we realise just how hard it is to do what he has done, whereas the golf public seem to think he has somehow cheated the system. I played with him a few years ago and he was great. He has remembered me when we have met since then and is always good to chat to. My only gripe would be his pace of play, but big-name players playing slow and not getting pulled up on it isn’t unusual!”
2 APPEARANCE FEES
Ideally, certain players would play for nothing and put a bit back into the prize pot, but until the tours get a bit tougher, it will carry on. You might think that a
Rolex Series event and all its riches would put a stop to it, but it still happens.
Before the Rolex days the prize fund for Abu Dhabi was always relatively low, but the star names were being paid vast sums to turn up. Players would be being paid two to three times more than the eventual winner.
“That really used to get on players’ nerves,” one pro said. “It felt more like a glorified exhibition and the rest of us were playing for the smaller sums. If it wasn’t at the start of the year, players wouldn’t have gone.”
4 RUMOURS OF CHEATING
There are always rumours and always will be and, if asked, players would likely point to the same names. However, as one player noted: “There are more new faces on the tour now and it takes a while to become a famous cheater!“
It’s generally not out-and-out cheating, like altering scorecards, but more players who deliberately play slowly or take a dodgy drop to sneak a few yards when they’ve found water.
Or those players who are a bit casual when marking their ball. “That is unforgivable,” one pro said. “You can be a 24-handicapper and you know how to mark your ball.”
What also really grates is when a player will knowingly try it on and, reflectively, be handed a two-shot penalty. “Someone will have tried to cheat and they only really get a one-shot penalty as they’ve maybe saved themselves a shot in the process.”
5 THE SAME PLAYERS GETTING INVITES
Category 6a on the entry list is always an interesting read as this one covers Professional Tournament Invitations. Sometimes you get a collection of local players, which seems fair enough, as does a big name who is going to add a spot of stardust to the tournament.
Elsewhere, some management groups run tournaments and deals will be done whereby invites are traded for another group’s tournaments. However, this practice has become less prevalent of late with the tour taking hold of more events.
It’s never going to be perfect. Occasionally, a player will no longer be competitive while other players, who are on the up and trying to make their way, won’t be able to get past being the first reserve.