Is the PGA Tour at a loss or at a crossroad?

[jdl]

10 minutes ago, Pnwpingi210 said:

My take on this is we were spoiled with players that went on dominating stretches the through the past 40 years.  We aren’t likely to see that anymore, even if LIV resolves and the talent on that tour comes back to rhe pga or Dp

 

Prize money in golf is now lucrative enough to have more elite athletes learn the game and stick with it from an early age.  Equipment has become very accommodating to almost every swing path, tempo, speed, etc.  This brings parity.

 

Seems like there is a tight leaderboard every Sunday, usually with some drama to decide the winner.  To me, that’s fun and exciting golf.  

 

Agreed, plus with the money so lucrative it would take a very, very special individual to be driven enough to be "great" when "very good" is going to mean pretty much the same huge $$$.

[hunterdog]

On 2/24/2024 at 12:08 AM, notsohard said:

The PGAT is begging and praying for the next Tiger.

What tour isn’t?

[hunterdog]

It must be me, even if the players that left for LIV came back to the PGAT I’m unsure that I would watch anymore golf coverage. If they came back would I watch more of the Mexico Open? Unlikely. If they don’t come back am I am going to watch Bay Hill, The Players, etc? Yes. To me it’s like saying I’m not going to watch the NFL because a handful of players are injured, retired, or holding out - I’m likely to watch as much football as before.

 

Once winter breaks here in Central NY, I’ll watch a few minutes of golf while I’m having drink after my round - except for majors when I’ll watch more but no different for me than before LIV.

[Dan33185]

23 hours ago, ronsc1985 said:

The current PGA tournament in Mexico is a joke.  I can't tell much difference from the Corn Ferry events.since the names are for the most part unrecognizable.  Why would any sponsor want to participate in this fiasco?  

You weren't kidding. Out of this list, I recognize C.T. Pan, Erik Van Rooyen and Doug Ghim (and that's strictly because of his amateur career)

Edited February 25 by Dan33185

[naval2006]

48 minutes ago, Dan33185 said:

You weren't kidding. Out of this list, I recognize C.T. Pan, Erik Van Rooyen and Doug Ghim (and that's strictly because of his amateur career)

Quite a feat by the commissioner: such a thriving business for such a boring show today. 

[ahenderX]

16 minutes ago, naval2006 said:

Quite a feat by the commissioner: such a thriving business for such a boring show today. 

Absolutely nothing boring about today’s Tour golf.

[NormanFan]

2 hours ago, CCTxGolf said:

Based on todays leaderboard and the next few tournaments I would say a loss. There is a serious lack of characters today and have been for Most of the 2024 tournaments so far.

 

Seems that golf as a whole is on its way to becoming must see TV for only 4 weeks of The year. Sort of like tennis.

 

They need to get the players back together if they want anybody to watch a regular golf tournament.

 

Professional sports in general lacks "characters" because if anyone steps out of the box or says anything remotely controversial they are dragged through the media, social media folks demand they be cancelled, and sponsors react to the mob.  So everyone gives canned, generic answers in interviews and keeps their mouths shut, which largely makes for a boring product to market.

 

I just miss the way the TOUR used to be.  No signature events, a few WGCs, no playoffs, and you just had a year-round calendar to get to the TOUR Championship in November for the top 30 on the money list.  The PGA, like NASCAR, decided to sacrifice their calendar for manufactured playoff drama and it has not delivered in terms of ratings or fan support.

[GrandStranded]

1 hour ago, ahenderX said:

Absolutely nothing boring about today’s Tour golf.

Exactly.

It’s interesting watching guys high on the leaderboard spray the ball all over the place on a Sunday.

[BlackDiamondPar5]

1 hour ago, GrandStranded said:

Exactly.

It’s interesting watching guys high on the leaderboard spray the ball all over the place on a Sunday.

At least they're playing for something. 

[bekgolf]

On 2/23/2024 at 7:28 AM, SurfDuffer said:

I turn on a PGA event and the names I want to see aren't there.  They are on that other tour.  The PGA Tour shot itself in the foot.

 

I turn on PGA golf to see great competition and it never disappoints.  The players make their own destiny depending on how they play.  Some of them make their names household words, at least for a few weeks.

 

You are usually going to be disappointed if you are tuning in to see a particular name do well.  Even the best are going to lose more times than they win. If you are tuning in just to see a name playing you should follow that name because the PGA Tour is about competition between the best golfers in the world.  It's exciting!

 

 

[GrandStranded]

28 minutes ago, BlackDiamondPar5 said:

At least they're playing for something. 

These guys have never had it so good. They’re playing a Korn Ferry event with a PGAT purse and benefits.

They should be very grateful to Greg and Phil for making this possible.

[StoutKing]

55 minutes ago, GrandStranded said:

These guys have never had it so good. They’re playing a Korn Ferry event with a PGAT purse and benefits.

They should be very grateful to Greg and Phil for making this possible.

Let's be honest - Greg and Phil have done nothing but burn through billions of Saudi welfare dollars.  Saudi Arabia and Yassir are the ones willing to embarrass themselves overpaying guys like Greg and Phil.  

[Pnwpingi210]

3 hours ago, GrandStranded said:

Exactly.

It’s interesting watching guys high on the leaderboard spray the ball all over the place on a Sunday.

Tiger frequently sprayed the ball off the tee, even on Sunday.    He did ok….

[Titleist99]

18 hours ago, CCTxGolf said:

Based on todays leaderboard and the next few tournaments I would say a loss. There is a serious lack of characters today and have been for Most of the 2024 tournaments so far.

 

Seems that golf as a whole is on its way to becoming must see TV for only 4 weeks of The year. Sort of like tennis.

 

They need to get the players back together if they want anybody to watch a regular golf tournament.

"They need to get the players back together if they want anybody to watch a regular golf tournament."

 

Plenty of people watch the PGAT events. Not many watch the players that left for leisure golf. Getting the malcontent players back adds almost zero to the tour's future goals.

 

Malcontent players will not expand the PGATs assets, most viewers have moved on and wish that the fans and viewers of the other tour would do the same. IMO

[RobS]

I think we have an unrealistic memory of how the Tour 'used to be' as if every week was a barn burner between the Rorys, Spieths, DJs and Koepkas.  Sure it happened at times but it certainly wasn't every Sunday.  I also don't remember there being more 'characters' 20 years ago.  If you were an avid pro golf fan 20 years ago, you probably remember the frequent complaint of 'all they show is Tiger' or 'the Tour is boring because Tiger is so dominant'.  Fans were begging for players to compete with Tiger.  Now they're begging for the next Tiger to come out and dominate.  One thing remains consistent, people will complain regardless of what happens.

[Titleist99]

2 minutes ago, RobS said:

I think we have an unrealistic memory of how the Tour 'used to be' as if every week was a barn burner between the Rorys, Spieths, DJs and Koepkas.  Sure it happened at times but it certainly wasn't every Sunday.  I also don't remember there being more 'characters' 20 years ago.  If you were an avid pro golf fan 20 years ago, you probably remember the frequent complaint of 'all they show is Tiger' or 'the Tour is boring because Tiger is so dominant'.  Fans were begging for players to compete with Tiger.  Now they're begging for the next Tiger to come out and dominate.  One thing remains consistent, people will complain regardless of what happens.

Totally correct.  Rest assured that most of the complaining is an effort to encourage PGAT viewers to watch the other failed league.

 

I challenge all the detractors of the PGAT to name me a mainstream sport in which the best players compete all the time.. Most sports usually have the best players during a playoff or elimination process..

[Pastit]

I’m sorry to say that I feel the PGA Tour, and the DPWT, are busted flushes in my opinion.  
 

Too much cash splashing about has ruined many other sports too, rallying, Olympics, F1 and so on. 

[jdl]

23 minutes ago, RobS said:

I think we have an unrealistic memory of how the Tour 'used to be' as if every week was a barn burner between the Rorys, Spieths, DJs and Koepkas.  Sure it happened at times but it certainly wasn't every Sunday.  I also don't remember there being more 'characters' 20 years ago.  If you were an avid pro golf fan 20 years ago, you probably remember the frequent complaint of 'all they show is Tiger' or 'the Tour is boring because Tiger is so dominant'.  Fans were begging for players to compete with Tiger.  Now they're begging for the next Tiger to come out and dominate.  One thing remains consistent, people will complain regardless of what happens.

 

Yup, NFL doesn't have Chiefs/Ravens every game, sometimes they show Carolina/Arizona. 🤣

[geauxt]

On 2/23/2024 at 9:28 AM, SurfDuffer said:

I turn on a PGA event and the names I want to see aren't there.  They are on that other tour.  The PGA Tour shot itself in the foot.

To each, their own but it’s weird to me that people only want to watch certain names rather than tune in for good golf. 

[Potatohead]

18 hours ago, Dan33185 said:

You weren't kidding. Out of this list, I recognize C.T. Pan, Erik Van Rooyen and Doug Ghim (and that's strictly because of his amateur career)

 

 

Patrick Rodgers has had a disappointing pro career, I think. He keeps his card each year but he broke a lot of Tiger's records at Stanford and should probably have a better pro record. 

Edited February 26 by Potatohead

[Titleist99]

42 minutes ago, jdl said:

 

Yup, NFL doesn't have Chiefs/Ravens every game, sometimes they show Carolina/Arizona. 🤣

100%. The best NBA teams play each other only a few times a year. The best players playing in a regular tournament should be a treat, not a weekly occurrence. IMO

 

Golf has it right.......Majors, Players, Memorial, Arnies, Tigers, WM, regular events, etc....

[GrandStranded]

12 hours ago, Pnwpingi210 said:

Tiger frequently sprayed the ball off the tee, even on Sunday.    He did ok….

What you saw yesterday reminded you of watching Tiger Woods in his prime?

[tacklingdummy]

I like watching PGA tournaments, but they have too many commercials. Also,  now coverage is so fractured on so many different networks it is difficult to watch all the tournaments you want to without having to sign up with a few different subscriptions. That is why I like watching LIV tournaments, no commercials. 😀

[Stevens24]

Like it or not you have 30-35 players that would be on the tour on LIV which opens those spots to players who are really Korn Ferry level. Imagine if both sport say baseball fielded 6 teams of triple A players. Not very captivating. 
 

And no one watches when Carolina plays Arizona either

[GrandStranded]

Me yesterday… oh well football season is over. I’m not going to watch hoops, and the Rangers aren’t on. I’ll watch golf!

It was interesting, and I watched the entire thing.
Was it Korn Ferry level golf? Yes, but I still watched.

[RSLP]

7 minutes ago, tacklingdummy said:

That is why I like watching LIV tournaments, no commercials. 😀

Or is it exclusively for PIF , so kinda like one big commercial?

[King_Slender]

1 hour ago, Titleist99 said:

 

 

I challenge all the detractors of the PGAT to name me a mainstream sport in which the best players compete all the time.. Most sports usually have the best players during a playoff or elimination process..

 

Hockey, Tennis

[GrandStranded]

6 minutes ago, RSLP said:

Or is it exclusively for PIF , so kinda like one big commercial?

When I think of golf with commercials, I think of the PGAT. (Lots and lots of commercials, with some golf sprinkled in.)

Edited February 26 by GrandStranded

[Titleist99]

19 hours ago, hunterdog said:

It must be me, even if the players that left for LIV came back to the PGAT I’m unsure that I would watch anymore golf coverage. If they came back would I watch more of the Mexico Open? Unlikely. If they don’t come back am I am going to watch Bay Hill, The Players, etc? Yes. To me it’s like saying I’m not going to watch the NFL because a handful of players are injured, retired, or holding out - I’m likely to watch as much football as before.

 

Once winter breaks here in Central NY, I’ll watch a few minutes of golf while I’m having drink after my round - except for majors when I’ll watch more but no different for me than before LIV.

The missing of a few players is a false narrative. Perpetrated by factions out there with a hidden agenda. 

[King_Slender]

Here's the thing - outside the majors, PGA Tour viewership has always been driven by the top players being in competition or not.  People like to see a final round matchup with Rory and Koepka or DJ and Spieth fighting to win and they will tune in.

 

When a bunch of the top guys have left for LIV, the possibility of that happening is lower.  Rory or Scheffler trying to win over Chris Kirk or Nick Dunlap just doesn't hit the same.