R&A Announce Plans For 2013 Open At Muirfield

Ahead of the 2013 Open Championship at Muirfeild, the R&A has unveiled its plans for the event that include LED scoreboards, increased Wi-Fi accessibility and lengthening the course.

Other changes include the clamping down on slow play and the possibility of blood testing.

One of the biggest innovations will be the drastic increase of Wi-Fi around the course. “Our championship committee is very engaged in trying to enhance the spectator experience,” said R&A chief executive Peter Dawson. “We are trying to give fans access to what’s going on all around the golf course.

“We hear many people say golf is easier to watch on television, but you don’t get the atmosphere quite as much as if you are present. When you come to the event, in general, you can only watch what is in front of you. We are trying to give fans access to what’s going on all around the golf course. If we can get to that then I think golf spectating will take a huge leap forward.”

LED scoreboards are also part of this plan, and are currently common place at the big PGA Tour events, providing scores, statistical analysis on passing groups and Dawson believes this development will ultimately allow for video footage from other parts of the course.

The new scoreboards will be used on the 7th, 13th, 16th and 17th holes, but won’t replace the traditional yellow scoreboards that overlook the closing green.

In the wake of Guan Tianlang’s one stroke penalty at The Masters, the R&A is also keen to maintain a hard line on slow paly, with Dawson wanting the encouraging playing times of Lytham last year to continue in Scotland this July.

“We are not here to penalise players, but to encourage them to play quicker. But of course the penalty is last resort,” said Dawson. “We saw a penalty imposed at The Masters and we wouldn’t hesitate to do the same if it was warranted. Muirfield is a golf course that historically has been quite good for pace of play just because of the layout and we hope to make further improvements this year.”

The course will also play 158-yards longer in 2013, compared to when Ernie Els won his maiden Open in 2002. Dawson also confirmed that discussions on implementing blood tests are on the agenda going forward.

Something that won’t be changing is the prize fund, as Dawson signalled that the R&A will not be following Wimbledon’s lead saying: “We feel our role is to ensure that the Open Championship is competitive within golf. The Masters, I see, has just been played for the same prize money as prior years so we’re not seeing huge inflation in golf and perhaps in these tough economic times that’s appropriate.”