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It makes me laugh how the "Pro's" have suddenly deemed themselves agronomic experts when it comes to fine turf surfaces! I would love to ask the likes of Harrington, Garcia and Casey exactly what they object to in regards to Poa annua? Undoubtedly this 'weed' grass is a perennial problem to many of our UK and Northern European Golf Course Managers, however as Chris Kennedy and his team proved year after year it is also possible to present top-class surfaces from this grass species. I myself have in excess of 14 years experience in the management of golf courses around the World and I am currently lecturing at a UK turf college.
It is increasingly concerning how journalists and players are all jumping on the 'Bent grass' band wagon. It truly is a case of a little knowledge being a dangerous thing! 'Colonial bent' as described in this article would be an unlikely turfgrass selection for a 21st Century golf green, we are now in to an era of A's and G's (These species and associated cultivars are bred for purity and density of sward) However, most worrying is that these grasses are developed for the US and Southern Hemisphere climates and no one really knows beyond 6 years how these grass species will perform in Northern European conditions. I truly hope Wentworth comes back fighting, but I find it hard to stomach advice on what constitutes a quality sward from those without the specialist knowledge of this complex science.

we are ,in total agreement,with the comments made by Stellargreeny,who correctly alluded to the issue of climate ,vis a vis the species.having lead research into the long term effects of extremes in temperature on "new"cultivars,we cannot at this present moment in our research,say definitively,what the density will be in the short or longer term.

does everyone really think it is these couse changes and not scheduling that will bring the top players back?

A Stadium course! Yes that's just what a classic course like Wentworth should have become. Why's this all about the tour pros? What about the members, can they still have a pleasurable round?

Julian Small claims they are "creating history" but really they're destroying it. And Ernie Els constantly claiming that Harry Colt would approve of the changes as the scope of the projects have stretched and stretched has become comical.

Why didn't they use this opportunity to restore the heathland nature of the course?

Wonderful!! These changes are truly fantastic and surely now, this will give the Wentworth hierarchy reason to further increase the green fee for the West Course to over Β£300 (last I heard it was Β£280 a round) and really ensure that it's pretty much inaccessible to Joe Public unless you're rich enough to be me a member, fortunate enough to work for a company who have corporate membership there or, work in a position where your suppliers will take you there. Pretty sad really. Still, I delight in having played this course many times and never paid a penny for the privilege and am looking forward to a round next spring to see how the changes have worked....

I think people are missing the point that the problem with the greens is that they are not as smooth to put on in May because of the different types of grass that grow at different speeds at certain times of year. It is not because they like any particular type of surface or the colour. I still think that the powers that be need to look at equipment for the Pros rather than just making courses longer and more difficult. For a start no tour pro should be allowed to use a rescue club. Driver size should be limited to a maximum of what it was 10 years ago, and they should be allowed no more than 2 woods, forcing them to use 1 and 2 irons again. This is the true test of a golfer if you can hit these clubs. Also golf ball design should go back to what it was 15 years ago for tour pros. Most of these changes are then not required to the course. I think any member with any sense would play the east course or the Edinburgh course more often than the west anyway as they are fantastic courses in their own right.

still wouldn't be much change at the top,monty, guess who hits a 1 and 2 iron better than anyone else? remember bethpage black the 1st time?? the course changes may help bring a few more european tour pros, but the real problem is still the schedule and the euro tour fighting for euro players. dunno how much will change there as i've never seen a proposal that looked like it made sense for the players. show me one and i'll push it on the air...ideas anyone?

Is this Β£6m spend by the Wentworth authorities a reaction (somewhat belatedly) to the move to Dubai on the part of the PGA headquarters and the European Tour which is committed to tour results geared to The Race to Dubai?

I regret seeing this drift away from the UK and, indeed, Europe! Of course it is all to do with money. However, from what one hears, the race to develop Dubai has stalled with the world financial crisis resulting in many building projects on hold. Is there still hope for true European golf?

part of the problem is the way we view things. this goes across many parts of life and not just golf. of course golf is a global game now. and yes, it has much to do w/ money. it's not a usa thing or a european thing or an asian thing. this is sport. if you want the BEST in sport on the planet the future will be enjoyable for you. if you are only interested in YOUR home country or continent, then sport will frustrate you in the future. the players want not only to earn as much money as they can in their sporting life, but also to compete against the best there is on the planet. why do you think players are so happy winning the BIG events now? b/c they know they have won against the best there are! and when that field includes tiger, well then that makes it all the sweeter. we will continue to see a global shift across sport. american football teams playing in the nfl based in europe. a super-world league w/ the best footballing teams (soccer) wouldn't surprise me either. man u want to be the best in the world, not just the prem. same goes for barca in spain or bayern in germany. we need to stop thinking devisively. for the business side it's image and branding, but for the sportsmen- they want to know they really truly are the best in the world for their victories...

Read my comment erroneously posted to 'Matchplay format