In a new series with Golf Australia chief executive James Sutherland, our readers get clarity on golf’s most pertinent issues
It’s got to be the most-asked question in Australian golf, but what is the best time of year to hold the Australian Open, both men’s and women’s?
It’s a good question. We’ve done the analysis and the pros and cons and there’s no perfect answer. But I think on balance it is November-December for the men. And for the women, coming back into their new season at the start of the year is the best time. The women’s season goes a little bit longer than the men’s and encroaches a little bit on November options. So, that’s what we feel at the moment. But the other thing I’d say, as an additional qualification, is we’re not in control of what happens with the global calendar. And on occasions, we may need to be reactive and somewhat flexible to find that optimal landing spot. Decisions that are made elsewhere by the PGA Tour, the LPGA, the Asian Tour, the DP World Tour and LIV Golf can all impact us. They are larger-scale tours that can offer prizemoney or different schedules that impact on player availability and decision-making.
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Is the recently announced MyGolf partnership with LIV Golf’s Ripper GC the start of something bigger with the Saudi-backed league? Can this lead to more opportunities between LIV and Australian golf?
People can read as much into it as they want. The reality is that this partnership was borne out of work we did last year at the LIV Golf Adelaide event where we had MyGolf activations on course and in and around the city of Adelaide. LIV Golf is big on impact and legacy, and it was something that the South Australian Government also felt strongly about. Both the Golf SA and Golf Australia teams did a lot of work to make that a success – and the opportunity has sprung from there. With the professional administration of the Rippers team coming on board later in 2024, we lent into conversations with [general manager] Nick Adams and others on his team. Ripper GC captain Cam Smith, as we all know, has always been incredibly passionate about junior golf and encouraging kids into the game. With Cam and Nick both enthusiastic, we all came together to talk about how we could be part of something bigger – and how we might do that.
We’d been in market for a little while looking for a partner to promote MyGolf and then suddenly it all fell into place. This is an Australian team playing on the LIV Tour and it’s such a great fit. We’ve got four guys in that team that are all passionate about Australia and Australian golf. They’re all very aware of where they’ve come from as golfers. They’re very grateful for the opportunities that golf has given them in life, and none of them have lost sight of where they first started, and that joy of being a youngster learning to play the game and trying to get better at it.
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Is Cam still the most marketable commodity in Australian golf?
I think so… absolutely. I think he is highly respected as a fierce competitor and a great golfer. But his genuine love of the game at the most basic grassroots level also stands out. The enjoyment and fun he has playing the game with his mates is so relatable for junior golfers and young adults. He really appreciates the game for what it is, and he’s never lost sight of the grassroots experiences he had when starting out in the game. I think that only accentuates the point around this Ripper GC partnership being a great fit, because we’ve got relatable and authentic ambassadors like Cam Smith fronting the partnership.
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Got something you want to ask the boss of Golf Australia? E-mail your question(s) to [email protected]
Photograph: Asanka Ratnayake/getty images
