Looking (Mostly) Good: The Upcoming Major Venue Schedule
It's always a sad day to say goodbye to the Old Course, especially all signs point to no return until 2021. That year aligns the championship with the 150th anniverary of Willie Park Sr.'s win in the inaugural Open at Prestwick.
;)
The R&A schedule includes old favorites Royal Troon (2016) Royal Birkdale (2017) and Carnoustie (2018). There is a commitment to considering the 2019 slot for Royal Portrush, depending on what happens there with the addition of two holes and other issues. The 2020 venue is TBD, and then St. Andrews figures to be the 2021 site. A pretty stout lineup with Turnberry looming for a return and Muirfield hopefully joining the conversation again soon thereafter.
As I noted in Golf World, the USGA will solidify it's schedule going forward this week by confirming the already reported news in local papers around Boston, Los Angeles and Pinehurst: the U.S. Open is going to some dynamite places over the next decade. They will take The Open to The Country Club in 2022, Los Angeles Country Club in 2023 and Pinehurst No. 2 in 2024. Thats on top of five-start venues in Oakmont (2016), Shinnecock Hills (2018), Pebble Beach (2019) and a revitalized Winged Foot (2020). We'll just have to grin and bear Erin Hills in 2017 and soak up the San Diego vibes in 2021 when Torrey Pines hosts.
The PGA of America venue roster inspires less after Whistling Straits this year and Baltusrol next year. Quail Hollow (2017) and Bellerive (2018) at least loom as nice opportunities to sweat. Bethpage in 2019 should be fun if the greens survive, while 2020 at Harding Park looms as a second tier course chosen in part for date flexibility in an Olympic year, while Kiawah isn't getting many juices flowing after the last go-round (2021). And 2022 at Trump Bedminster is, well, causing headaches.
To view it another way, look at the upcoming years. Needless to say next year is pretty stout as is 2019:
2016 - Oakmont-Troon-Baltusrol
2017 - Erin Hills-Birkdale-Quail Hollow
2018 - Shinnecock-Carnoustie-Bellerive
2019 - Pebble Beach-Portrush(?)-Bethpage
2020 - Winged Foot-(?)-Harding Park
2021 - Torrey Pines-St. Andrews-Kiawah
2022 - The Country Club-(?)-Trump Bedminster
Tuesday, July 21, 2015 at 09:47 AM
Reader Comments (35)
As far as the U.S. Open goes, I would think it needs to come back to one of the Chicago courses at some point.
2016's rota is simply stellar.
The PGA remains on a lower tier than the other majors because of times lack of interesting venues. There's never anything they go to that makes you particularly excited. Bethpage and Baltusrol are the only venues better than, Torrey Pines, even, and then not by all that much.
I do think the PGA should go out side of the US on Olympic years
It may be boring, but you can always count on it being a very firm test. If the rough is long, man is it tough. So yes, perhaps boring, but still overwhelmingly deserving to be in the rotation, especially with what it produced in its last go round.
They want to be referred to as "the Open Championship" and also govern the game in most of the world, so one would think it would be quite open minded and noble of them to take the tournament to other parts of the globe.
LOL
GW, wholeheartedly agree with "should", have serious doubts about "will"...
...problem is the leadership of PGA of America, Office of the Chairman if you will, just do not get it, dumb for that matter. In fact, given the way they've handled certain things in the last couple years I'd be fine with them picking up the entirety of the corporate offices, and the tournament itself, and moving them to Australia on a permanent basis. Hit the road jack, elevate The Players to take their spot.
"Why doesn't the R&A move the British Open to other parts of the world every 5-6 years?"
Strewth, there are THREE majors in the USA. Move one of them to "other parts of the globe"!
That would be interesting. I'm not sure they would get more than a couple hundred spectators considering the heat. Plenty of parking and open land though, but hunting rifles willl be mandatory to fight off the bears and other wildlife living on the grounds.
The one thing you can't predict is how a course might get dolled up for a major. Valhalla, for instance, looked wretched on TV back in '96, but during last year's championship looked absolutely captivating. Maybe it was just photographed better? Baltusrol and Bellerive may end up looking swell.