Italian golf can engage the turbo thanks to the Ryder Cup in Rome in 2022: in fact, the Federation aims to triple its members within six years, reaching 300 players. It seems like an unachievable goal, given that our country has never exceeded the threshold of one hundred thousand (and lately it is falling back), but when Franco Chimenti, president of the FIG, gets something into his head, you have to take it seriously. In the hands of this 76-year-old pharmaceutical chemistry teacher, mirages become reality and the impossible a fact.
Reaching 300 golfers is a credible goal, provided that all the clubs and the entire local golf world get to work. This is, in essence, the appeal that Chimenti launched on the occasion of an extraordinary meeting called "The General States of Golf", with the presidents of the clubs, the federal councilors, the representatives of the territories, the amateur and professional players, united by a collective enthusiasm for the future of this sport. “With the Ryder we have supplied you with exquisite raw material – says Chimenti – now you have to cook a great dish”. Metaphor aside: you have to get golf off the ground in our country.
The clubs will be supported financially by Credito Sportivo, which will dedicate a special section to golf, while the clubs will have to increase their followers with promotional offers and polish themselves up to apply to host one of the next editions of the Italian Open. The race will no longer be the Cinderella of Europe, but one of the richest on the circuit.
Eighty million euros are the sumptuous amount of prize money for the next Open: 3 million in 2016 and 7 million from 2017 every year, for 11 years. A mountain of cash, which was part of the deal to get Ryder. Chimenti understood that this gamble would give us an extra boost and played it all with Keith Pelley, president of the European Tour, who wants to raise the European championship to the level of the American one and who, to do so, needs of races much richer than those of today.
An Open worth 7 million euros is the biggest imaginable: "In Abu Dhabi – reports Chimenti – the best in the world, from Jordan Spieth to Rory McIlroy, spoke only of Italy". The open will become a highlight of both tours, but will also need to get a proper date in the racing calendar so it doesn't overlap with other major competitions. The major golf events are followed by the media from all over the world, consequently the area and the host club benefit from them in terms of tourism, but they must also show a face that lives up to expectations.
In short, the prerequisites for a beautiful future are there, but there are also dangers and pitfalls, and yet if Italian golf wants to become great, “this is the last resort”, warns Chimenti. Like a large company in times of crisis, FIG has chosen to invest and innovate, while the economic situation would have suggested closing shop.
Matteo Renzi and as many as eight ministers believed in this bet, while Sace offered the millionaire guarantees requested by Ryder's top management to cover the actual performance of the event and Credito Sportivo put those to cover the Italian Open. For now, it will not be the members who pay, given that the fee will remain unchanged at least this year. Seventy-five euros which, thanks to the free membership, are the entrance ticket to this world, without the need for the intermediation of a club.
Lastly, the communication chapter is important: around fifty are the pages that sports newspapers should dedicate to golf this year; 1300 hours that Sky Sport will reserve for the Regions.
