Over-clubbed

Martin Clarke, The Scotsman, 31 October 2000

Some of my best friends are golfers, they really are, but there’s something deeply spooky about them. Not content with spending their days whacking a wee white ball around the countryside with big sticks, they want everyone else to do it too.

They’re a bit like the Borg in Star Trek who rampage round the Galaxy assimilating everyone in their path into more mindless zombies for their totalitarian collective. And resistance, it would appear, is indeed futile. Their latest coup in the ongoing battle to turn the country into one big golf course is to persuade the government to spend £29 million on teaching every kid in Scotland to play the game - whether they want to or not. I’m a bit unclear on the economic benefits of this state-sponsored campaign of mass indoctrination, except to the owners of golf courses. I also suspect the police round my way might be rather wary of arming the local youth with nine irons.

But it’s apparently all part of a government masterplan to land the Ryder Cup for Scotland in 2009. The sport’s leaders are dismayed and embarrassed that only 12 per cent of Scots play golf in the country that invented it. Really? In that case I wish somebody would introduce me to some of the other 88 per cent.

Vision!

R J Ritchie, Letter to Editor, The Scotsman, 31 October 2000

At last! After a hesitant and stumbling beginning, we now have a vision for Scotland commensurate with the hopes and expectations invested in our parliament. The Scottish Executive has announced (your report, 27 October) that every child under nine in our brave, new devolved nation will have the opportunity to play a round of golf!

English bid unveils Blair as premier attraction

Mike Aitken, The Scotsman, 31 October 2000

The Scots already knew they had a fight on their hands to secure the 2009 Ryder Cup. Just how much of a battle became plain yesterday when the north-east of England officially threw its hat into the ring with a bid backed by Tony Blair, the Prime Minister, and £40 million in funding.

Promising £10 million more for the development of the game than Scotland was able to come up with last week, the English challenge is driven by a partnership of One NorthEast, the region’s development agency, Nova International, which organises the Great North Run, the Northumbria Tourist Board and De Vere Hotels, Slaley Hall’s owners.

In common with the efforts of the Scottish Executive, One NorthEast have pledged to underwrite the English bid with £24 million of public money. According to the organisers, another £16 million will be found from a mixture of both the public and private sectors.

One of the key elements of the English bid is a commitment to creating a centre of excellence to be known as the North East Golfing Academy. The facility will provide top- class coaching for golfers of all abilities. People with disabilities will also be catered for there.

The English bid is confident of generating £140 million in new revenue for the region. At the launch in London, Dr John Bridge, the chairman of One NorthEast, said: "The economic benefits [of the Ryder Cup] speak for themselves. It will attract millions of pounds to the north-east and create new businesses and jobs. The effects of a successful bid would be seen in the region for decades to come."

The Prime Minister is the most high-profile backer of the bid. In a letter of support for Slaley Hall, he wrote: "The suitability of the course is beyond question as there have been a number of high-ranking British and European competitions played there, and there are ample hotels, guest houses and inns in the vicinity to accommodate the visitors."

Former England and West Ham footballer Trevor Brooking also attended the launch to throw his weight behind the English bid, in his role as chairman of the government-backed organisation Sport England.

One of the factors strongly in favour of the north-east is the involvement of De Vere Hotels. The company is an old friend of the PGA, and as the owner of the Belfry, will stage its fourth Ryder Cup match next September.

Brendan Foster, the managing director of Nova, organisers of the Compaq European Grand Prix for the past four years, is aware of the importance of that link. "The De Vere group have successfully delivered three Ryder Cups and their skill and professionalism will add a fourth in 2001," he said.

"The facilities at Slaley Hall are first class and the group has a history of working closely with the Ryder Cup committee to host the competition. It’s a tried and tested formula that delivers a successful outcome."

Details of the Welsh bid, which aims to take the match to Celtic Manor, will be announced today in Cardiff. The other contender is Sweden. All four bid documents must be lodged today with the Ryder Cup committee.

A decision on which country will play hosts in 2009 is expected to be made by the end of January, while the successful course will be revealed during the 2001 match at the Belfry.

We're teed off, Tony

Flak for PM over Ryder Cup backing

The Daily Record, 31 October 2000

Tony Blair sparked outrage last night by backing England's bid to steal the 2009 Ryder Cup from favourites Scotland. The bid is a direct challenge to Scotland's bold pounds 30 million bid to bring the Cup to the home of golf. Politicians last night attacked the PM for throwing his weight behind the efforts to stage the match between Europe and America's top golfers at Slaley Hall in Northumberland.

In a letter promoting the bid, Blair wrote: "The suitability of the course is beyond question as there have been a number of high-ranking British and European competitions played there.

"As a local North-East MP, I'm well aware of the importance of sport to the people of the area.

"Thousands participate in a wide variety of sports on a regular basis, and the organisation committee can be assured of tremendous local support should the competition come to the region.

"I eagerly look forward to joining the people at this great sporting occasion."

But SNP sports spokeswoman Irene McGugan described his actions as "outrageous".

She said: "When Scotland is making a bid for the Ryder Cup, and Wales is making a bid, it is quite wrong for the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom to back another bid from just one part of one country.

"It calls into question what the Prime Minister thinks his role is with regard to the rest of the UK, and who he thinks he represents.

"If Henry McLeish has any backbone, he should stand up to the PM and get him to withdraw his backing for Slaley Hall and stay out of the Ryder Cup."

Tory sports spokesman Brian Montieth said: "It is for a UK Prime Minister to back a UK bid for events but take a step backwards when the home nations are competing against each other."

Shadow defence spokesman Colin Campbell accused the Prime Minister of turning his back on his Scots roots. He said: "Tony Blair should stay above any sort of bidding for the competition."

Hamish Grey, secretary of the Scottish Golf Union, also said Blair should keep his nose out.

But 1999 Open Champion Paul Lawrie was confident Blair's intervention would not affect the outcome.

He said: "I am sure the the bid prepared by the Scottish Executive will compare favourably with any."

A Downing Street spokesman said: "If the Prime Minister wrote this letter he did so in his capacity as constituency MP. He is not backing any bid as the Prime Minister."

Blair's arrival in the bidding process is a huge embarrassment for First Minister Henry McLeish, who said last week he would lead Scotland's pitch for the Ryder Cup.

It emerged last night that McLeish is sending new junior Sports Minister Allan Wilson to a meeting to discuss the Cup, while Welsh Assembly leader Rhodri Morgan will represent Wales in person.

Former rugby captain Gavin Hastings will join Wilson and deputy Tourism Minister Alasdair Morrison in delivering Scotland's bid to the Ryder Cup Committee at The Belfry today.