The tradition continues on the Australian/New Zealand (ANZ) Tour with the 13th and final event of the season. Their year rounds off this week at Royal Canberra, Australia's answer to Augusta, according to the Tour magazine MoniTour.
The first impression to the outsider at an event over here is that of attending something big. There is a huge golf wise population which turns out en masse to see live golf. The high standard of courses is matched by their condition. The McKenzie country of the sand belt south-east of Melbourne has arguably the most concentrated supply of superb courses in a relatively small area in the world. The fields are strong with many star Australians returning home in their summer to support their Tour. There are of course some other financial carrots to attract them to their native land, which we may not discuss.
Although a statement from Arthur Sanderson, the executive director, would suggest that the ANZ Tour is providing close to Aus$1 million a week the reality is not so lucrative. The three co-sanctioned events with the European Tour provide as much prize-money as the other 10 events that make up the Tour. Averaging them out may be somewhat misleading.
Looking at the money a top 50 player is likely to accumulate at the end of a short season (not much more than Aus$30,000 or stg£12,000), it's no wonder that many of them end up in Asia trying to supplement their meagre gains from home.
With a very good rate negotiated at the Hilton hotels players can avail of comfortable and affordable accommodation each week. They also enjoy a 50 per cent reduction on domestic air fares. These are generous terms that their European counterparts do not enjoy. However, the top 50 in Europe are not trying to get by on £12,000 a year.
This is not a tour you play to make a living on. It is undoubtedly a good learning ground for young players both national and international. The problem is that the average player will go broke in the process.
If the above scenario is true for players then what about the old lug loader, the caddie. The top players use their regular professional cads with the rest using enthusiastic local amateurs and friends anxious to get on a pro bag for a week.
At best those who travel every week would get Aus$600 (Stg£240). This means most of them are travelling by car week to week (it's a big country, there are not many short trips). They stay with friends or acquaintances on arrival if not in back-packer's modest lodgings. It is traditional in Oz to show up at a friend's house with your pyjamas so to speak.
The result is that there is a decided lack of professionalism in the average caddie in Australia, despite the fact that many of them would be good players in their own right.
Some tournaments can get quite raucous. By mid-afternoon many of the onlookers are the worse for beer and sunshine.
The attitude is that you have paid your entrance fee, it's a participatory sport to a degree, so you are definitely going to hear what the punters think.
For the ANZ Tour to survive, the co-sanctioned tournaments are vital. Greg Norman bolstered his event this year with a million dollars "out of my own pocket". He talked about possibly seeing six or seven co-sanctioned events with South Africa included in future years.
If he continues to play in some events there, that alone is the most important contribution he could make to the ANZ Tour. He captivates the Australians, like Seve still does to a large degree over here. The Shark holds the key to the future of this Tour.
