Will We Ever See a Public Links Event Again?

[Spitballin25]

As an avid amateur player/competitor without a private club membership, I loved the Pub Links concept. Unfortunately, my introduction into the game coincided with the sunsetting of the event. From what I remember and have read, the USGA's stance was to promote the four-ball championship. Curious if anyone ever played in it to share a story, and if anyone thinks theres a case for the event ever coming back. 

[Abh159]

I highly doubt they bring it back. It always seemed like it was sort of the ugly stepchild of the USGA's championships. Plus, if I remember correctly their "qualifying" criteria had some loopholes that people could exploit. Specifically college players who basically had 24/7 access to their own course, but could still enter the pub links because they weren't technically a "member". 

 

I was never able to play since my family had a membership at a private club. However, a really good friend of mine who I played a lot with growing up (he later made it onto the PGA Tour) was a semifinalist one year. He said it was a good event, but it didn't even hold a candle to the US Am or even US Jr Am in terms of the quality of players or prestige. 

[Spitballin25]

6 minutes ago, Abh159 said:

I highly doubt they bring it back. It always seemed like it was sort of the ugly stepchild of the USGA's championships. Plus, if I remember correctly their "qualifying" criteria had some loopholes that people could exploit. Specifically college players who basically had 24/7 access to their own course, but could still enter the pub links because they weren't technically a "member". 

 

I was never able to play since my family had a membership at a private club. However, a really good friend of mine who I played a lot with growing up (he later made it onto the PGA Tour) was a semifinalist one year. He said it was a good event, but it didn't even hold a candle to the US Am or even US Jr Am in terms of the quality of players or prestige. 

Interesting, thanks for sharing here. Especially interesting to hear how it felt to be there. Thanks!

[ChipNRun]

On 4/13/2023 at 2:11 PM, Abh159 said:

I highly doubt they bring it back. It always seemed like it was sort of the ugly stepchild of the USGA's championships. Plus, if I remember correctly their "qualifying" criteria had some loopholes that people could exploit. Specifically college players who basically had 24/7 access to their own course, but could still enter the pub links because they weren't technically a "member"

 

PubLinks might come back if USGA used it strictly as a Mid-Amateur type event: Players have to be 25 years of age or older to block out the "semi-pro" college players.

[mikekim251]

highly unlikely. then you'll just have a field with "college" mercenary players that kind of ruin the spirit of the competition and criteria. that's why the USGA ended up canning that event.

 

if the USGA was daring, they should have a "US Match Play championship" open to both amateurs and pros. with ideally a limited footprint, you might be able to convince some exclusive courses to host it that otherwise couldn't meet the criteria cut to host a US Open

[Ironman_32]

I hear a lot about these on golf podcasts. Thing is, they make a championship that has rules, but those rules usually get exploited. Take the US Amateur, use to be for amateur, now it's just for college players who are getting NIL and heading to the tour. Same with the mid-am, use to be when the US Am got overtaken by the college players, they needed something that was past that, now it's just a wash out for guys who (a) could have played on tour (b) gave it a shot playing on tour and regained amateur status. 

 

Same thing with the PGA Professional Championship and Omar Uresti. People just using loopholes. So, as said above, what use to be a championship for people without country club access had people jumping through hoops so they could win and get the honor/Masters Invite.