Cold wet Royal Melbourne greets Heineken Pro-Am
BY Bruce Young | Australasian PGA Tour | 2005 Heineken Classic | General | 02 Feb 2005
Even the best laid plans come unstuck and in this case the plans here for the Pro-Am day at the Heineken Classic at Royal Melbourne were amongst the best.
The course had never been better. The relatively new Suttons Mix greens, which replaced the Penncross Bent which had been introduced over a staggered period during the previous fifteen years or so, were running as pure and as fast as golf greens could get, there were some rather exciting groups of golfing stars and celebrities and things were looking just perfect for what promised to be a great start to the week of golf at the Heineken Classic.
35 degrees yesterday had those who were here early in the week pleading for a reduction in the temperature. Today their prayers were, perhaps unfortunately, answered and with interest. The overnight rain continued into the morning, the afternoon and on and on. At around 10.00am the Pro-Am was called off with Australasian PGA Tour’s Director of Golf Operations Andrew Langford Jones concerned not only with the greens but the water that had gathered on the tees. If water is gathering on the sand base of Royal Melbourne then there has been a lot of rain. Not only was it wet but it was cold. Temperatures in the mid teens provide an amazing contrast to the heat of the previous day and many were pleased at the pro-am cancellation rather than battle the elements, even if it did mean that one last look, or a first look for that matter, at the course was lost.
The rain is expected to continue on through the night, although perhaps not quite as heavy, with the current weather cell expected to move on in the early hours of Thursday morning. As to how much that will impact on the possibility of otherwise of play on day one remains to be seen but while the tournament organisers are keen to talk in a positive manner about play getting under way on time, it would appear right now as if it would need quite a turnaround to do so.
If that were to be the case it would be a big disappointment as this event is set to be a great swansong to what has been tremendous support of Australasian golf from Heineken.
The event will see Greg Norman wired for sound for the first time in an official Australasian Tour event. Norman has been wired in Skins games and the like but here Norman has told the producer for Channel Seven’s coverage of the event that he will be happy to wear the microphone and talk openly during the coverage of his play. This should well make for a refreshing insight to discussion that goes on course between not only a player and his caddy but also that between playing partners.
It is heartening to see that an attempt is being made to bring to the screen what happens on the golf course to a greater extent than previously has been the case. It has been tried on the LPGA Tour and if done correctly should prove to be a winner. More and more commentary should come from the course whether that be via the on course commentators or set ups such as is being proposed here. It gets around the sometimes second guessing from the commentary box and will go some way towards lifting the cloud of mystery that goes on behind the ropes.
This week’s event may be the last Heineken Classic, in name at least, but it may well be the trailblazer in terms of introducing an innovative new concept to men’s golf. It is after all the entertainment industry.
