Former Bermuda Golf Association president Bob Legere has dismissed the PGA Grand Slam as nothing more than an expensive television commercial which has failed to boost tourism to the Island.

After four years, millions of dollars, and few big name stars, Legere believes the time has come to cut the tournament loose and plough some money back into a local golf scene he thinks would give greater bang for the buck.

The former BGA boss said that for a third of the money that was spent on the event, the Department of Tourism could bring the Bermuda Open back to its former glories, produce a commercial for the Golf Channel, or bid for an LPGA event, all of which he said would be of greater benefit to Bermuda.

"My point is that the millions of dollars that are spent on the Grand Slam, while it does create a good television commerical about Bermuda, as a product to attract tourism to Bermuda, I think it's failed," said Legere.

"I don't think it actually attracts tourism, I don't think value for money is there, and I don't think we can expect value for money going forward. I think the product is far too expensive for the results it's providing us with, and I see other vehicles in golf that could be expanded upon for far less money, and get much better results."

The Department of Tourism, who are in the middle of re-negotiating a deal with the PGA to bring the tournament back to the Island, did not wish to respond to Legere's comments.

Legere believes Tourism should focus their energies on several long-standing tournaments that have attracted golfers to the Island for the past 50 years.

"In just a couple of years time we will be celebrating the 60 anniversary of the Goodwill Tournament," he said, "and the Goodwill is an incredible event which requires very little funding from Government, and attracts a multitude of different players to the Island to play golf, which is what a tourism product is designed to do.

"I think the Bermuda Open is an event that has tremendous potential, I'm a firm believer of this. I personally have lobbied Government for better support over the years, and I really think this event could be a huge event for Bermuda, even bigger than the Grand Slam.

"I think it has the capability of attracting hundreds of players, not a few. I think it has the capability, in its own right, of attracting a title sponsor. But I also think it's going to require Government's full involvement in a financial way in order to get a kick-start."

Not that Legere believes that looking inward is the only answer, he thinks that attracting an LPGA Tour event or a Champions Tour event would be just as beneficial, as would putting money into an out-and-out television advert.

"The Island already has a wonderful structure to host events, but I really think this (the Grand Slam) is the wrong event," he said. "For far less money you can attract an LPGA event, you can attract a seniors event, and we already have an event, the Bermuda Open, that is already structured to provide a quality, international golf event.

"That would attract far more people, far more hotel rooms would be used, far more restaurants would be used, than a handful of professionals showing up with a lot of media teams in support, creating a commercial.

"If you look at it from a commercial stand-point, you can even go further as to the amount of money spent on the Grand Slam. If you were to just create an actual TV commercial about the Island's golf, take it to the Golf Channel and run it during prime time, you would achieve ten times the amount of exposure for the Island than this one-hour featured event that you see on television."

While acknowledging that the Grand Slam had played a part in boosting Bermuda's image in the first years it was held on the Island, Legere now believes that those responsible have been dazzled by celebrity, and haven't acknowledged the fact that the event has lost much of its support locally.

"It's one mass of people tracking around altogether, manouvering each other, trying to get to see one putt, one drive, or one shot," he said. "From a spectator's point of view I don't think the Grand Slam is the best thing to visit, and I think the numbers speak for themselves.

"It's lost its lustre and I don't think it's one of those events that can continue to be supported strongly."