Winged Foot's Rejection Indicates Open Hosting Less Desirable

Winged Foot Members Vote Not To Enter Running To Host 2015 U.S. Open

There are an increasing number of "reasons for a club not to want to host a U.S. Open," according to Geoff Russell of Golf World, who cites last month's vote by Winged Foot Golf Club's membership to withdraw from consideration for the 2015 U.S. Open as proof that "the experience [of hosting the event] isn't the windfall it once was." While clubs "used to make a lot of money on the event," the USGA now "wants to keep most of the proceeds for itself." Russell cites a colleague of his saying "member fatigue" is the top reason clubs do not want to host the Open, as the event becomes an "inconvenience ... on the facility and its membership." While this opens opportunities for more facilities to host the Open, "most won't be private clubs. They will be true public facilities such as Bethpage and Torrey Pines, which don't have dues-paying membership. ... They will be resorts such as Pebble Beach and Pinehurst, which have the best opportunity to reap long-term financial gain from hosting an Open. ... And they will be facilities built and controlled by single entities." Donald Trump, who "would like to host a U.S. Open someday at one of his courses, ... would spare no expense, nor turn down any USGA request to make a U.S. Open played at his course the best championship ever" (Golf World, 1/11 issue).

DOPING: The World Golf Foundation will set up an anti-doping office to "serve as a clearinghouse for information about golf's substance abuse program." The facility will be located at the World Golf Village in St. Augustine, Florida, and will "provide communication between tours and between players and tours on therapeutic use exemptions and testing techniques" (USA TODAY, 1/10).