Par For The Course: In search of another Tiger worldwide

Mike Weir, Jim Furyk, Ben Curtis and Shaun Michael all major winners in their own right and no one can take away their place in the history books of the 2003 Majors.

But unfortunately the four names are not going to set the television rating or the world of golf alight in the traditional end of season 'Major winners' tournament in Hawaii in December.

The powers that be can certainly claim a victory this year in setting up 'tiger proof' tests in all four majors but is it really what the game needs when we see our heroes shooting over par and Tiger is not in contention on the final day come Sunday afternoon.

We all know the inspiration and appeal of Tiger. When he plays how the world's media headlines react about Tiger after each round whether good or bad or as this year how he was losing his game. Some bad season with four victories to date and four million plus in prize money!

His Major-less year was the end of the 26 year old's amazing run of recording at least one major during the last three years resulting in eight to date.

But when we look at Tiger's amazing major's statistics to date it was the great year of 2000 that probably started the call of toughening courses when he won the US Open, British Open and US PGA in succession by a 'street' and then went on to win the 2001 US Masters to record a Grand Slam.

But look what that great run of wins did for the game, tripled TV ratings, tripled gate receipts, brought thousands into the game, attracted new sponsors and the list goes on and on.
The down side to all of the above is when Tiger is not around everything goes the opposite way to a degree.

So what is the answer?

We all now know the courses are not going to get easier so it leaves it down to the countries and associations worldwide to invest more in the infrastructure to produce another 'Tiger.' The world of golf cannot survive on Tiger alone but the last six years have shown what the game was in need of for it to produce the ignition to take the game to the next level.

Enormous boom

The last time we saw the 'Tiger' influence was the Palmer/Nicklaus days when the game had an enormous boom. The next mini boom was the Ballesteros/ Faldo/ Norman era but as all of the above has said out loud nothing can compare with the Tiger era so far.

Maybe we shall never see another boom in our life time like we have all witnessed over the last six years but there is nothing stopping the young upcoming talents in reaching that level. If we look at the UAE's own golfing infrastructure there is no doubt a golfer of the future can be born and developed here.

The Junior Programmes: the best facilities in the world; extensive tournament calendar: healthy increase of nationals taking up the game. As the country continues to grow a young golfer is certainly going to come out over the next 10 years.