Dreaming of a golf version of the FA Cup

Like many football fans, particularly those of my generation and older, I love the FA Cup. I’m not really sure why – in the quarter of a century I’ve been supporting Torquay United, I think we’ve made it past the 2nd round on three occasions.

But it is the most beautiful competition in any sport, where Davids regularly tackle Goliaths, lifelong dreams become reality, and other such cliches.

But what’s this got to do with golf? Alright, calm down, I’m getting there.

I was sitting back on a lazy Sunday a couple of weeks ago watching League 2 Newport edge Premier League Leicester City out of the tournament and I began inexplicably daydreaming about a golf version of the FA Cup.

Hear me out.

There would be a series of qualifiers for players with registered handicaps of between, say, 18 and 24.

Then players with handicaps between 12 and 17 would enter the fray, before players between 6 and 11 come in, then players from scratch to 5, then pros.

Once they were whittled down to the final 64, the tournament proper can begin with 64 European Tour professionals joining the mix.

From there, there would be seven rounds of matches, each one-on-one over 18 holes of matchplay, culminating in a final at Wembley – or a nice golf course, as that would make much more sense.

I haven’t gone into any finer details than that because frankly that would be a waste of everyone’s time – my brilliant ideas are often ignored by the governing bodies – but just imagine being a 20-handicapper at a nine-hole municipal in Kent and you’re in the draw with some of the country’s very best.

Our new hero draws Eddie Pepperell in the last 16 and somehow manages to edge him out over 18 – maybe Pepp hadn’t had a glass of red the night before – and lands a spot in the quarter-finals alongside the likes of Lee Westwood, Andy Sullivan and Tyrrell Hatton.

Tell me you wouldn’t watch that. Let’s face it, if the Trilby Tour can get on TV, anything can.

Make it happen, R&A.

#TheContentCommittee

The European Tour’s social media team are at it again, and it’s their best yet. It’s hard to pinpoint the funniest moment. I’m going to go with Pepperell’s reaction to the Ryder Cup chat.

Enjoy.

New Year. New ideas. ?

Introducing #TheContentCommittee pic.twitter.com/BVJZ0E9nd4

— The European Tour (@EuropeanTour) January 18, 2019

Positive Mental Attitude

I love this photo shared on Twitter by a friend of mine, Matt Millard, over the weekend.

The sign, from Tokatee Golf Club, which Google tells me is in Oregon, lays out five course rules:

Come relaxed, leave happy
You’ll remember your friends more than your scores
Play often, laugh more
Play the tees that make you the happiest
It’s more fun when you’re not the only one having it

Rather than big displays telling you what you can't do, perhaps these are the only rules that should be heavily displayed around golf clubs, might then encourage more people to play #JustSaying pic.twitter.com/dO0RboSL4w

— Matt Millard (@TGI_MattMillard) January 17, 2019

What a lovely positive way of looking at things in a sport where there is so much negativity. I’ll even forgive Matt’s use of #JustSaying.

How’s your luck?

This is possibly the wildest eagle you’ll ever see from Jer… Oh, they’ve already written that.

Are you kidding me?!

Possibly the wildest eagle you'll ever see from @JerryKelly13PGA @MEC_golf. ?? pic.twitter.com/XFwpXQ48xi

— PGA TOUR Champions (@ChampionsTour) January 20, 2019

I once pulled an approach that hit a rock and ended up in gimme range. That was nice.

Ever got this lucky? Or maybe you like my golf FA Cup idea? Come and tell me.