"The USGA’s slow play on both venues has prompted the PGA of America to be a bit more proactive."

Rex Hoggard as a solid wrap-up of the week's various stories--Bethpage, PGA Tour taking over the European Tour and of course, the big one, the elimination of caddie races.

I'll let you take in his analysis of the others, but there was this note on the "baffling" decision by the USGA to abandon Bethpage and Torrey Pines.

The 2008 Open at Torrey Pines may arguably be this generation’s best major, and Bethpage, although soaked for both Opens it hosted, is a perfect combination of qualify golf and prime location.

The USGA’s slow play on both venues has prompted the PGA of America to be a bit more proactive. Golfweek magazine reported this week that the PGA plans to name Bethpage the venue for the 2024 Ryder Cup and 2019 PGA Championship; and sources have told Cut Line that the association is vying to bring the year’s fourth major to Torrey Pines.

While the PGA deserves credit for outside-the-box thinking, may we suggest they hold off on any official announcement until, say ... next year’s U.S. Open. You know, for maximum coverage and all.

My sources say the USGA is interested in Torrey again and that the San Diego people have demanded a Ryder Cup with any PGA they take, something that is hard to see happening because Europeans would have to watch afternoon matches in the middle of the night.

Or maybe any move to Torrey is stalled because of the San Diego mayoral situation.

After watching the morning coverage of the Solheim Cup, I'm wondering when the PGA of America jumps on Colorado Golf Club for a PGA. Wow does it look great this time of year and the crowds seem huge.

Hey, What About Inverness?

With Merion's U.S. Open success folks have wondered about other supposedly past-their-prime venues and Dave Hackenburg makes a case for his home state's once regular member of the major championship rotation: Inverness.

The Inverness property totals about 300 acres, according to chief operating officer Eric Rhodes. That doesn't include considerable acreage owned by Health Care REIT across Dorr Street that has been made available to the club for past major championships, or some city-owned land to the west that could be used.

''We might be the only tournament club in the country that is capable of parking every car on site," Rhodes said.

Meanwhile, the golf course is about to get even better. Inverness is going to close its course for the year in August to regrass all greens and many fairways, renovate all those bunkers that were not dealt with before the 2011 Senior Open and to reconfigure the Nos. 1 and 10 tees in a manner that could lengthen and considerably toughen those holes.

Royal Cinque Ports Is Hosting The Amateur This Week...

Which is not really of interest to most except that this is one of my very favorite places in the game. And the British Amateur is a perfect excuse to show some photos of the place three years ago when things were drier in the UK and I was there to investigate Freddie Tait's cross country play a century ago.

You can follow The Amateur at the R&A site, and there was this account of the first day of matches.

I've included photos of the links and the town of Deal, which would make wonderful hosts of the Open Championship (again).

R&A Shoots Down Report Of '18 Open Going To Portrush

It was from The Sun, and not posted online, from The Irish Sun, but the denial from both the R&A and the club was pretty strong.

From a BBC report, the denial from the club.

And from Sky, the R&A's shootdown.

The R&A is expected to announce a 2018 Open Championship host soon. Their Amateur is being played at Royal Cinque Ports next week to ensure no one sees the best option for a future Open in Deal.

PGA Of America Rules Out Crooked Stick; Rota Of Muggy, Middle-American Major Venues Reduced To Four

The PGA of America says Crooked Stick doesn't have the space to host the 2019 PGA, but the PGA Tour holds options to go there with Playoff(C) events in '16 and/or '18, reports Phil Richards.

And before you flyover staters get all pithy in the comments, I have two words for you: Bellerive 2018.

No one deserves that. No one!

Southern Hills Still Hopeful For U.S. Open

Ken MacLeod reports on where 2020 U.S. Open hopeful Southern Hills goes from here now that Winged Foot landed the national championship.

"It was disappointing," said Southern Hills General Manager Nick Sidorkis. "We knew it was coming down to us and Winged Foot. "They are two great courses with great tradition. Obviously Tulsa is not the same as New York when it comes to corporate hospitality potential, but we know that we can hold a successful championship."

Sidorakis said Southern Hills remains committed to the pursuit of another U.S. Open Championship and is hopeful about 2021 or 2022. He said the club would not give up and pursue other majors or tournaments unless told by the USGA that it was not interested, which has not happened.

Crooked Stick Shooting For 2020 PGA

The Indianapolis Star's Phil Richards with the exclusive on the recent BMW Championship host site Crooked Stick, reportedly making an "a formal presentation was made to PGA of America CEO Joe Steranka and managing director of championships Kerry Haigh on Aug. 30 and the BMW Championship served as a proving grounds of sorts."

I'll say!