By Tony Jimenez
LONDON (Reuters) - Tony Jacklin, a twice major winner and four-time European Ryder Cup captain, believes golf has become too predictable and the excellence of world number one Tiger Woods disguises the problems with the game.
"The ball is predictable, the equipment is predictable, the greens are better and so more predictable," Jacklin said in an interview with Golf World magazine.
"The game has lost the unpredictability it had say 40 years ago. Galleries and people are pummelled with advertising these days so they get used to stuff and it seems easy to convince them everything is all right."
Jacklin, who won the 1969 British Open and 1970 U.S. Open, drew a parallel between golf and the global economic downturn.
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"Maybe it will be different when something has to be done but by then it may be too late," said the 65-year-old Briton who now lives in the United States.
"It is a bit like the financial mess the world is in. For too long no one wanted to address the underlying problems in the world economy then all of a sudden it was too late.
"No one wants to believe the game today is not as good as it was. Tiger disguises a lot of the problems.
STRONG LEADERSHIP
"It will take strong leadership but men like that are few and far between. Those in control at the moment can't seem to get anything done," he added.
Jacklin, who led Europe to two Ryder Cup victories and a tie in four spells as skipper between 1983-89, was particularly critical of the United States Golf Association and the R&A, which governs golf in all countries except the U.S. and Mexico.
"I'm not sure the R&A and the USGA are properly shouldering the responsibility they have," said the Englishman. "They seem happy to let things go the way they are going and the manufacturers have a responsibility too.
"I don't accept that nothing can be done about the ball and how far it goes. The tours could make a decision on what players can use and do it that way."
Jacklin was also scathing about the increasing length of modern layouts.
"They (officials) seem happy to keep on playing 7,600-yard courses that cost more to maintain and take forever to play," he said. "The length of time it takes to play now is the biggest problem.
"Who the hell wants to take five hours plus to play 18 holes? Not me."
(Editing by Ken Ferris)
