Should Champions Tour Start at 45?

[AEAB1105]

With the increased length of golf courses and nobody winning in 2017 on the PGA Tour that is over the age of 40, is it time the we adjust the age group for the Champions Tour? There seems to be a growing number of players that are now hovering between PGA/Web.com tour hanging on for their retirement plan AKA the Champions tour.

 

Notables 40+ without a W in 2017:

-Henrik Stenson

-Jim Furyk

-KJ Choi

-Stuart Appleby

-Angel Carbera

-Phil Mickelson

-Other Notables?

 

I know this list wide spread with talent and most of the players probably wouldn't even elect to play at 45 .However, 3 of 4 major winners this year were 27 or younger. Of all the changes PGA easily make (besides hitting a drive in the fairway divot and getting no relief) could this be a plan to keep things fresh for "The Inbetweeners".

 

Thoughts?

[gvogel]

No, 50 is a nice round number.

 

The USGA Senior Open started off with an age limit of 55.

[Vindog]

I don't actually. Most of the Champions tour "rookies" win in their first year, and often times in their Champions Tour debut. At 50 and having last competed against in the regular tour, most of these guys are head and shoulders above everyone else. Dropping the age to 45 would make the disparity even worse.

 

Besides, let them enjoy their 40's for a little while, and when they near 50, they'll be hungry to win some dough

[Edaw68]

Nah.

[dlygrisse]

Nope. I don't really ever watch for one thing, but if you are still competitive you should stick with the regular tour if you have your card. Champions Tour is really nothing more than nostalgia.

[PGArox]

With the increased length of golf courses and nobody winning in 2017 on the PGA Tour that is over the age of 40 ...

 

Check that.

[AEAB1105]

With the increased length of golf courses and nobody winning in 2017 on the PGA Tour that is over the age of 40 ...

 

Check that.

 

Who has won over the age of 40 this year?

[Vindog]

Without consulting the googles, Dufner should be about 40.

 

Edit: turned 40 in March

[PGArox]

With the increased length of golf courses and nobody winning in 2017 on the PGA Tour that is over the age of 40 ...

 

Check that.

 

Who has won over the age of 40 this year?

 

Jason Dufner, Rod Pampling and D.A. Points.

[KennyP]

50 is the right age. It works well that most guys have a couple of quiet years in their late forties, before coming back refreshed at 50.

Also, lowering it to 45 would simply displace most of those approaching 60 on the champions tour.

(I had no idea Dufner was that old BTW)

[golfer07840]

With the increased length of golf courses and nobody winning in 2017 on the PGA Tour that is over the age of 40 ...

 

Check that.

 

Who has won over the age of 40 this year?

 

Jason Dufner, Rod Pampling and D.A. Points.

 

That clicking sound you hear is the sound of this thread being locked....

[PGArox]

Oh, and btw ... no. ?

[mark m]

I might be wrong but I thought Freddie said the same when he was around 45?

[Vindog]

50 is the right age. It works well that most guys have a couple of quiet years in their late forties, before coming back refreshed at 50.

Also, lowering it to 45 would simply displace most of those approaching 60 on the champions tour.

(I had no idea Dufner was that old BTW)

 

We should be so lucky!

[KennyP]

50 is the right age. It works well that most guys have a couple of quiet years in their late forties, before coming back refreshed at 50.

Also, lowering it to 45 would simply displace most of those approaching 60 on the champions tour.

(I had no idea Dufner was that old BTW)

 

We should be so lucky!

Yeah, that's the theory anyway! I realise 53 year old DL III is only 2 off the lead at the Wyndham, as I typed it.

[AEAB1105]

With the increased length of golf courses and nobody winning in 2017 on the PGA Tour that is over the age of 40 ...

 

Check that.

 

Who has won over the age of 40 this year?

 

Jason Dufner, Rod Pampling and D.A. Points.

 

That clicking sound you hear is the sound of this thread being locked....

 

Those were in the end of the year 2016, if you notice I wrote the year 2017 not 2017 PGA Tour Season.

 

I also wrote OVER 40, Dufner is not.

[golfer07840]

 

 

That clicking sound you hear is the sound of this thread being locked....

 

Those were in the end of the year 2016, if you notice I wrote the year 2017 not 2017 PGA Tour Season.

 

I also wrote OVER 40, Dufner is not.

 

BTW your response brings up something.. am I the only one who thinks it's absolutely ridiculous that the 2017 season started in October of 2016?

[Thrillhouse]

50 is good, it means they've had a few years since they were relevant tour players and it contributes to the clubby collegial atmosphere that makes the champions tour unique and fun. My dad doesn't play golf and is retired now, but he hangs out at the Shaw Charity Classic every year (we know a lot of the people who are involved in that event) and loves chatting with the guys, who he finds are really engaging. The atmosphere they create on that tour is really great, and I don't think he'd be doing what he does at a web.com or PGA tour event.

 

I should add that I'm a big fan of the champions tour and watch it a lot. So I really enjoy it as is.

[PGArox]

Who has won over the age of 40 this year?

 

Jason Dufner, Rod Pampling and D.A. Points.

 

That clicking sound you hear is the sound of this thread being locked....

 

Those were in the end of the year 2016, if you notice I wrote the year 2017 not 2017 PGA Tour Season.

 

I also wrote OVER 40, Dufner is not.

 

The Duf was over 40 when he won the 2017 Memorial. D.A. Points was over 40 when he won the 2017 Puerto Rico Open.

[Hawkeye77]

They are multi-millionaires by the time they are 45 (if it's someone most people want to see on the Champions Tour) with incredible pensions.

 

No need to have them make it tougher for the 50+ or break down the delineation (too many guys playing both at age 45-49).

 

Plus, once over 50 it kind of opens up the door for some guys that didn't win a lot whose skills hold up a little better.

[rangersgoalie]

The amount the tour subsidizes the Champions Tour, it will likely not be around for long anyway.

[cdnglf]

The amount the tour subsidizes the Champions Tour, it will likely not be around for long anyway.

 

Interesting... can you please elaborate a bit?

[Vindog]

Those were in the end of the year 2016, if you notice I wrote the year 2017 not 2017 PGA Tour Season.

 

I also wrote OVER 40, Dufner is not.

 

You were misinformed. Now, it's not a big deal, and it happens all the time to everyone here. People will respect you more if you don't try to dodge it, though.

[Vindog]

Also it's not exactly noteworthy that Cabrera, Choi and Appleby have not won this season. Cabrera has only won in three separate years on the PGA Tour.

[RobS14526]

They are multi-millionaires by the time they are 45 (if it's someone most people want to see on the Champions Tour) with incredible pensions.

 

No need to have them make it tougher for the 50+ or break down the delineation (too many guys playing both at age 45-49).

 

Plus, once over 50 it kind of opens up the door for some guys that didn't win a lot whose skills hold up a little better.

I agree. The best part of the Champions Tour is the guys scratching it out that weren't big stars on the regular tour.

[Petunia Sprinkle]

They should change it back to the 'Senior Tour'.

[PGArox]

They should change it back to the 'Senior Tour.'

 

I like Geriatric Tour. :)

[cinnepa]

great time at the Dicks Open today in NY.....excellent field, guys still play lights out at times - amazing talent.

 

....and fwiw I like it at 50, any younger would dilute the whole point of the "senior tour".

[JDCON]

They should lower the champions tour to 45. Then, start a "We're not as good as we once were" tour for guys between 40 and 45. After that, a "we still got game, but we ain't so flashy" tour should be created for the 30-somethings. At that point, they can restrict the PGA Tour for guys in their 20s. Unless of course they want a pre-PGA Tour for the guys who are 16-21 who are too cool for the Web.com tour, but not quite ready for the PGA Tour. You know who these guys are because they are either on Golfwrx or Instagram.

[PGArox]

With the increased length of golf courses and nobody winning in 2017 on the PGA Tour that is over the age of 40 ...

 

Check that.

 

Who has won over the age of 40 this year?

 

Jason Dufner, Rod Pampling and D.A. Points.

 

How could I have forgotten Pat Perez? :)