Officials say outbreak still means business as usual
By Ron Sirak
With Geoff Russell
Golf World
In addition to the massive impact foot- and-mouth disease is having on the agricultural economy of Great Britain through the slaughter of herds of livestock, there is also growing concern for the impact it could have on another crucial industry -- tourism. And a big part of tourism in Britain is fueled by golf, both as a spectator sport and as a recreational sport. The mood now remains cautiously optimistic.
"All normal preparations for all golf tournaments will continue and, hopefully, take place successfully," said Ken Schofield, executive director of the European Tour. The tour returns to Britain with the Benson and Hedges International Open at The Belfry May 10-13. The Belfry also is the site of the Ryder Cup in September. The British Open at Royal Lytham in July is near the heavily infected Lake District.
After the Benson and Hedges, the European Tour plays the Volvo PGA at Wentworth, the British Masters at Woburn and the English Open at the Forest of Arden. According to Schofield, all are in parkland areas and could be affected. The last major outbreak of foot-and-mouth in England was 1967 and took seven months to control, Schofield said.
Major tourism companies, meanwhile, reassured consumers that most courses are currently open and are pledging a variety of refund and make-good packages if there are closures or cancellations.
"There has been a tremendous amount of confusion between foot-and-mouth, which cannot be contracted by human beings, and mad cow disease," said David Brice, president of Golf International, Inc., a New York City-based golf tour operator. "But there has not been a huge overreaction. The bottom line is the courses the Americans play are all open."
Brice said closures included a few small courses along the southwest Scottish border, and three courses in Ireland popular with Americans (Lahinch and Killarney's Killen and Mahony's Point courses) that are expected to reopen soon. The courses affected are those on which livestock roam. In England, Walton Heath near London was closed and then reopened. Brice said popular courses Royal North Devon at Westward Ho! and Saunton were in a badly hit area but are not closed.
With a major rugby tournament and even the St. Patrick's Day parade in Dublin cancelled, PerryGolf, which books customized golf trips, last week guaranteed its customers a full refund or the option of alternative golf.
"Quite simply, PerryGolf is demonstrating our commitment and confidence that courses throughout the British Isles shall be open for business as usual this summer," said PerryGolf president Gordon Dalgleish. "They want to be open, and they expect to be open."
Pining away
Pebble edges Pine Valley
Death and taxes are still certainties, but no longer is Pine Valley. Pebble Beach replaces Pine Valley as the nation's No. 1 course in Golf Digest's new ranking of America's 100 Greatest Golf Courses, to be announced in its May issue. Pine Valley had always been No. 1 since the magazine first began numerically ranking courses in 1985.
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