This weekend marked the latest installment of The Heritage Golf Classic … err, sorry the Sea Pines Heritage Classic … err, Heritage Classic … err, Sea Pines Heritage … err, MCI Heritage Golf Classic … err, MCI Classic … err, WorldCom Classic … err, MCI Heritage … err, Verizon Heritage … err, The Heritage … err, the RBC Heritage presented by Boeing.
WHEW … catch all those names?
Yeah … it’s hard to keep track.
What’s not hard to track, however, is the failure of this tournament (whatever it’s called) to attract golf’s top talent year-in, year-out.
As usual Tiger Woods isn’t playing … in fact he hasn’t participated in this tournament since 1999. Who else is skipping? Rory McIlroy, Adam Scott, Justin Rose and Phil Mickelson, to name just a few. In fact seven of the world’s Top Ten players (and fifteen of its Top 25 players) are taking a pass on the Heritage – in large part due to its unfortunate placement on the PGA schedule.
Since 1983, this tournament has been held the week after The Masters – golf’s most prestigious event. As a result, most of the world’s best golfers take the week off.
Who does show up for the Heritage? South Carolina politicians, who attend the tournament en masse (usually without their spouses). In fact we’ve already received several tales of their drunkenness and debauchery … although anyone who’s followed this crowd around the S.C. State House will tell you that’s “par for the course.”
(Pardon our terrible golf pun …)
Anyway, we want the Heritage to succeed. We really do. And we applaud the work of local leaders like Steve Wilmot and Simon Fraser – who secured title sponsorship for the Heritage (thus preventing “Republicans” in the S.C. General Assembly from shelling out tax dollars to sponsor the event, which they were about to do). But until the Heritage gets a new time slot, the tournament will never lure golf’s greatest players. And until it does that, it’s going to remain a non-event for everybody but drunk Palmetto politicos.
UPDATE: Via Twitter, William Maxey makes another excellent point …
@fitsnews the layout has to do with it too, IMO. The fairways are super narrow and the greens are tiny – keeps the long hitters away
— William Maxey (@willmaxey) April 21, 2013
***
64 comments
“Heritage Still Can’t Attract Top Talent”
I guess that means Heritage and FITS NEWS have something in common…Hire some writers dude, Sanford and Mace ghosting the tortured or ill-advised policy crap, and your gossip are really playing out..
I come here because you’re the only local site and you personify what the stupid and average yuppie believes…(and you make me look smart)…
“I come here because you’re the only local site and you personify what the stupid and average yuppie believes…(and you make me look smart)…”
I laughed so hard, my balls lopped off!
T-Bone, take a break and go play in your inflatable castle……..
Yeah Big T I actually like that last line … pretty good for you.
FITS: I’d imagine half the people come here to read what I read: because they don’t see the voice I present, anywhere else…
For that: You should be thankful. And I think you are…
I’m mean w/ what I wrote (please invest in an ‘edit’ feature)…
There is an edit feature, you just have to use a Disqus account. ;)
… did you mean to post, “hear the voice I hear”
(and you make me look smart)
*speechless*
(and you make me look smart)
*speechless*
“Heritage Still Can’t Attract Top Talent”
I guess that means Heritage and FITS NEWS have something in common…Hire some writers dude, Sanford and Mace ghosting the tortured or ill-advised policy crap, and your gossip are really playing out..
I come here because you’re the only local site and you personify what the stupid and average yuppie believes…(and you make me look smart)…
“I come here because you’re the only local site and you personify what the stupid and average yuppie believes…(and you make me look smart)…”
I laughed so hard, my balls lopped off!
T-Bone, take a break and go play in your inflatable castle……..
Yeah Big T I actually like that last line … pretty good for you.
FITS: I’d imagine half the people come here to read what I read: because they don’t see the voice I present, anywhere else…
For that: You should be thankful. And I think you are…
I’m mean w/ what I wrote (please invest in an ‘edit’ feature)…
There is an edit feature, you just have to use a Disqus account. ;)
… did you mean to post, “hear the voice I hear”
(and you make me look smart)
*speechless*
News-Clue: The State newspaper is running a story on Women (Republican) Voters BAILING on Sanford…Won’t vote for him…Think he’s a dirtbag, not trustworthy…
Hope that’s TRUE…But WHY no comment from the flat-footed, punch-drunk FITS..
He’s shilling for Liberal-Tarian Nancy Mace, but not noting the most-recent development regarding Sanford..
Link: http://www.thestate.com/2013/04/21/2734677/will-women-abandon-sanford.html
Instead of giving FITS “News-Clues,” why don’t you write something about it on your blog, T? Oh, yeah, that’s right…
He’s got a blog?
News-Clue: The State newspaper is running a story on Women (Republican) Voters BAILING on Sanford…Won’t vote for him…Think he’s a dirtbag, not trustworthy…
Hope that’s TRUE…But WHY no comment from the flat-footed, punch-drunk FITS..
He’s shilling for Liberal-Tarian Nancy Mace, but not noting the most-recent development regarding Sanford..
Link: http://www.thestate.com/2013/04/21/2734677/will-women-abandon-sanford.html
Instead of giving FITS “News-Clues,” why don’t you write something about it on your blog, T? Oh, yeah, that’s right…
He’s got a blog?
Trying to bring the discussion back to the tournament, the date has little to do with no big stars playing. It has to do with the course. It simply is no longer the type course the PGA players like. They want room to work the ball and they want greens that aren’t postage stamp size. The course is a great private/public course for most golfers, but the pros want a different type.
Same course that always attracted the top names when it was played before the Masters. Timing is everything.
Trying to bring the discussion back to the tournament, the date has little to do with no big stars playing. It has to do with the course. It simply is no longer the type course the PGA players like. They want room to work the ball and they want greens that aren’t postage stamp size. The course is a great private/public course for most golfers, but the pros want a different type.
Same course that always attracted the top names when it was played before the Masters. Timing is everything.
It seems to me the pro’s do not have the ability to play with the accuracy that this course requires!
but the typical HH geriatric does?
It seems to me the pro’s do not have the ability to play with the accuracy that this course requires!
but the typical HH geriatric does?
The tournament is full of legislators, staff, and state agency staff for the entire weekend. Do they buy their own passes? If the passes are gifted do they have to report it on ethics files as gifts. The same goes for the fancy parties and VIP tents full of the political class. Why aren’t these private tent events required to be reported as gifts on ethics disclosures. Both staff and pols are required to report gifts!
The tournament is full of legislators, staff, and state agency staff for the entire weekend. Do they buy their own passes? If the passes are gifted do they have to report it on ethics files as gifts. The same goes for the fancy parties and VIP tents full of the political class. Why aren’t these private tent events required to be reported as gifts on ethics disclosures. Both staff and pols are required to report gifts!
The tournament is full of legislators, staff, and state agency staff for the entire weekend. Do they buy their own passes? If the passes are gifted do they have to report it on ethics files as gifts. The same goes for the fancy parties and VIP tents full of the political class. Why aren’t these private tent events required to be reported as gifts on ethics disclosures. Both staff and pols are required to report gifts!
eeeeeeeeeaaaaahhhh !!! the EDIT BUTTON is escaping !!!
eeeeeeeeeaaaaahhhh !!! the EDIT BUTTON is escaping !!!
Alan Wilson and crew seemed to have spent the week there, raising money, and not working.
Why do we elect AG’s that refuse to work?
Hope all of that money was accounted for, since he’s had some issues with that and all.
Alan Wilson and crew seemed to have spent the week there, raising money, and not working.
Why do we elect AG’s that refuse to work?
Hope all of that money was accounted for, since he’s had some issues with that and all.
Those damn no-see-ums (for those not from around heyah, they’re bloodsucking little gnats, described by some as “teeth with wings” that can only be slowed down by Industrial Strength DEET or copious amounts of Skin So Soft or a BAC north of .15) at Harbortowne in late April are enough to keep me away.
*scratches head just thinking about it…*
That’s our Yankee tourist control. God bless the little invisible bastards.
They don’t seem to be doing there job when it comes to Ohioans…..
Ohioans are to the Lowcountry what Puerto Ricans are to New York.
*stirs the pot*
If it got rid of Ohioans (assholes) we’d be crop-dusting entire neighborhoods in Greenville.
Those damn no-see-ums (for those not from around heyah, they’re bloodsucking little gnats, described by some as “teeth with wings” that can only be slowed down by Industrial Strength DEET or copious amounts of Skin So Soft or a BAC north of .15) at Harbortowne in late April are enough to keep me away.
*scratches head just thinking about it…*
That’s our Yankee tourist control. God bless the little invisible bastards.
They don’t seem to be doing there job when it comes to Ohioans…..
Ohioans are to the Lowcountry what Puerto Ricans are to New York.
*stirs the pot*
If it got rid of Ohioans (assholes) we’d be crop-dusting entire neighborhoods in Greenville.
I guess it takes a Myrtle Beach Sun News writer to tell you why you are completely wrong –
RBC Heritage ranks among PGA Tour’s best tournaments of 2013
The RBC Heritage at Harbour Town Golf Links in Hilton Head Island has one of the strongest fields on the PGA Tour this year.
The tournament features 14 of the top 30 players in the Official World Golf Ranking.
That is tied for the sixth most among the 18 events held this year. Excluding the Masters and the two World Golf Championships events, it drops the Heritage into a tie for third among the other 14 tournaments.
It is surpassed only by the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill with 20 of the top 30, and the Northern Trust Open at Riviera Country Club with 18 of the top 30. The Heritage is tied with the Honda Classic at PGA National for third most with the 14.
Harbour Town finished second to Augusta National Golf Club in golf course popularity on the PGA Tour in an anonymous poll of 81 PGA Tour players that was published in GolfWorld early in 2012. The golf course apparently has the weight to attract some of the world’s best players.
Read more here: http://thesunnews.typepad.com/greenreading/#storylink=promo#storylink=promo#storylink=cpy
tabloid media such as this site pays no attention to facts…they are what they are
I guess it takes a Myrtle Beach Sun News writer to tell you why you are completely wrong –
RBC Heritage ranks among PGA Tour’s best tournaments of 2013
The RBC Heritage at Harbour Town Golf Links in Hilton Head Island has one of the strongest fields on the PGA Tour this year.
The tournament features 14 of the top 30 players in the Official World Golf Ranking.
That is tied for the sixth most among the 18 events held this year. Excluding the Masters and the two World Golf Championships events, it drops the Heritage into a tie for third among the other 14 tournaments.
It is surpassed only by the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill with 20 of the top 30, and the Northern Trust Open at Riviera Country Club with 18 of the top 30. The Heritage is tied with the Honda Classic at PGA National for third most with the 14.
Harbour Town finished second to Augusta National Golf Club in golf course popularity on the PGA Tour in an anonymous poll of 81 PGA Tour players that was published in GolfWorld early in 2012. The golf course apparently has the weight to attract some of the world’s best players.
Read more here: http://thesunnews.typepad.com/greenreading/#storylink=promo#storylink=promo#storylink=cpy
tabloid media such as this site pays no attention to facts…they are what they are
you i never see Heritage tickets, USC president’s box tickets, USC football zone tickets, camden cup vip tickets, omaha Baseball tickets, bowl game tickets on ANY LEGISLATORS ETHICS DISCLOSURES…….We all know they go for free
W, when you going to do an investigation into that one?
you i never see Heritage tickets, USC president’s box tickets, USC football zone tickets, camden cup vip tickets, omaha Baseball tickets, bowl game tickets on ANY LEGISLATORS ETHICS DISCLOSURES…….We all know they go for free
W, when you going to do an investigation into that one?
as long as they’ve got drunkenness and debauchery ,who cares? golf is not a sport.
if they had to run to the next hole,carrying their gear and shit,it might qualify
the long pants and white belts should go,too
fuck that shit,and the stupid fans who follow them around like hyptonotized honky zombies
as long as they’ve got drunkenness and debauchery ,who cares? golf is not a sport.
if they had to run to the next hole,carrying their gear and shit,it might qualify
the long pants and white belts should go,too
fuck that shit,and the stupid fans who follow them around like hyptonotized honky zombies
My favorite Heritage story – the previous week at the Masters I watch and listened in horror when a fan called Greg Norman a pansy-ass biscuit eater for laying up on a par five when dualing Faldo for the lead on Sunday. Faldo went for the Eagle and ultimately won.
The following weekend, The Shark had to carry his own bag for 3 holes because he gave his caddy the green light to whip a guys ass on the fairway for a similiar insult. Shark didn’t want to get sued and the guy went to the hospital while said caddy went to jail.
The Aussie is a small guy but he will get it done. Plus, he had a boat at Ameilia Island that makes me drool to this day thinking of it. His wine sucks but I digress.
The point is, there was a day when the layout wasn’t a factor. The Champs came and got er done.
My favorite Heritage story – the previous week at the Masters I watch and listened in horror when a fan called Greg Norman a pansy-ass biscuit eater for laying up on a par five when dualing Faldo for the lead on Sunday. Faldo went for the Eagle and ultimately won.
The following weekend, The Shark had to carry his own bag for 3 holes because he gave his caddy the green light to whip a guys ass on the fairway for a similiar insult. Shark didn’t want to get sued and the guy went to the hospital while said caddy went to jail.
The Aussie is a small guy but he will get it done. Plus, he had a boat at Ameilia Island that makes me drool to this day thinking of it. His wine sucks but I digress.
The point is, there was a day when the layout wasn’t a factor. The Champs came and got er done.
The Heritage is a great event where a lot of business gets done and a lot of folks get to show their clients/customers some appreciation for past business.
This article is not your best effort.
The Heritage is a great event where a lot of business gets done and a lot of folks get to show their clients/customers some appreciation for past business.
This article is not your best effort.
The course makes shot selection very important and the tiny greens are brutal along with the wind. The grip it and rip it mentality does not apply here. It has nothing to do with sponsors etc. And having the last 2 US open Champs play and go to a playoff is pretty big time if you ask us, which you did.
The course makes shot selection very important and the tiny greens are brutal along with the wind. The grip it and rip it mentality does not apply here. It has nothing to do with sponsors etc. And having the last 2 US open Champs play and go to a playoff is pretty big time if you ask us, which you did.