The golf writers have always been a fairly chivalrous bunch so it’s perhaps no surprise that the annual blether with the heid honchos at the Royal & Ancient is commonly known as ‘The Round Table’. Of course, this knight-like, Arthurian elegance tends to fly out the window when the complimentary finger buffet arrives and the various trays are frantically ravaged with all the ferocity of a shoal of Piranha fish stripping a stricken ox down to its bare bones. The feeding frenzy of said Piranhas is marginally more civilised, however.

Amid all this chomping, sooking and slootering, there is always plenty to discuss with Martin Slumbers, the R&A’s chief executive.

SHOULD MUIRFIELD BE WELCOMED BACK WITH OPEN ARMS?

When Muirfield failed to get the required majority on the vote for women members, the R&A removed the club from the Open rota quicker than you could mutter the word “stooshie.” The Honourable Company will have another vote next month and should it be a ‘yes’ then it appears Muirfield will be back on board as quickly as it was flung overboard. The Open returning to East Lothian in 2022 or 2023 is a distinct possibility. “We would reconsider and make an announcement very quickly,” said Slumbers. Given the wide scale reputational damage the initial Muirfield decision had on golf as a whole, an instantaneous welcoming back as if nothing had happened would almost look like the R&A were paying lip service to discriminatory policies. Slumbers remains keen to promote his own, all-embracing vision for golf. “It's always important to look forward,” he said. “The more the game is open, the more the game is looking at families, the more the game is looking at encouraging younger people, the better. I'm very clear how I see golf, not just at the top end of the Open Championship, but right through. I think our merger with the Ladies Golf Union was something that I pushed very, very hard. You're going to get that same consistent view from me as long as I'm sitting in this chair.”

We await the Muirfield result.

TRUMP IS MAKING TURNBERRY GREAT AGAIN BUT AT WHAT PRICE?

They say that you should never mix sport and politics but it’s pretty hard when the owner of one of the courses on the Open rota is the President of the USA. Pictures circulated yesterday of Rory McIlroy playing golf with Trump which, in the eyes of many, is akin to playing in Satan’s own Texas Scramble. Turnberry remains on the Open rota but the R&A have always stated that they have no plans to return there just yet. The earliest it could head back to the Ayrshire resort would be 2022 and goodness knows where Trump, or indeed the world, will be then. “We are clearly now in uncharted territory with the President’s family owning golf courses” said Slumbers. “We've never had this in our game. We're all learning as we go through this.”

It’s a tricky one for Slumbers. Given Trump’s rampant divisiveness, the R&A could have assumed the moral high ground, stated that Turnberry wouldn’t be getting another Open while he was involved there and promoted golf’s sense of inclusiveness. The flip side is that Turnberry remains a storied and much cherished venue. Oh, and Trump now just happens to be the most powerful man on the planet. “Turnberry remains absolutely as one of our nine golf courses,” added Slumbers. “There’s nothing that has happened in the last year to change that. I think that golf has been a success of his ownership. Look at some of the courses that he owns and the money that he's invested into those courses and the quality of courses?”

So, Mr Slumbers, would you have a round of golf with the 45th President in the current climate? “With all senior people in the world, I think it's polite and respectful to listen to them and work with them,” he said. “It's very important that we work with the President if Turnberry did come back on. That would just be foolhardy not to.”

The R&A don’t have to say anything about Turnberry and future Opens for a year or so at least. Perhaps Slumbers and co will be hoping Trump just disappears into the rough.

DON’T TAKE ALL DAY, MR DAY

There have been jokes going around that mannequins had started doing the Jason Day Challenge in statuesque tribute to the world No 2’s funereal pace of play. When the Australian stated earlier this year that he would become even more ponderous and deliberate, the sighs, groans and harrumphings were considerable. “The professionals are fantastic role models for young people,” said Slumbers. “But I would just encourage the Tour pros to realise that pace is part of that role model. It's not helpful to growing the amateur game when the youngsters are slowing down.”

In other words, get a bloomin’ shift on.