Rahm's Ryder Cup drama is making more sense. Plus, a Masters TV increase, Kizzire's win highlights a Masters invite dilemma, Ryder Cup tickets are going to set a new record, This, That and Reads
PGA wants to grow the game and interest young kids.
What do you think a 10 year old will take away from the antics at Bethpage? Expanded vocabulary? A Breakfast of Champions? Biology 101 - "Different uses of the Cavities of the Human Body."
You may have a point I did not consider: the horrible junior policy might have been created to protect the children! That would be giving the PGA a lot of credit though.
Thanks Geoff, the tickets prices for the Ryder cup are insane. I won’t have to worry about attending. I did get to attend the Solheim cup for one day and it was very enjoyable and didn’t cost a fortune. The wait was well worth it.
The greed of golf will do them in eventually. It’s a matter of time before sponsors realize there is no ROI on a golf tournament. There are just to many tournaments now and someone said no anticipation anymore. Can’t wait to read through all the linked articles. Thanks again.
I agree. The damage is done. It will take a generation to repair. To some degree golf was due for an inevitable decline in the post-tiger era just as the tennis world was due to a decline with the big three in their latter years. But the bomb throwers at LIV made it far worse
Yes the post-Tiger years were inevitable but amazingly most of the players think they deliver Tiger-like importance and popularity to the sport. It's quite a thing to see having lived through Tigermania.
I agree that it feels like we're in a precarious place where the sponsors may no longer be able to justify what is, in many cases, a marketing play at the behest of the golf-loving CEO. There are cheaper options out there, including the LPGA or "partner" plays at majors. It is a strange mix of greed and stupidity that's gotten them here, along with the hubris that's come with the ball going too far and straight.
As the Civil War goes on and on it is folly to think that even if there is some settlement, which seems like a long shot, there hasn’t been severe structural damage to the PGAT. The NBA and the NFL have seen rating increase significantly over the last number of years but golf, which had an uptick in participation, ratings have been stagnant at best and in these “non designated “ events alarmingly bad. Then to add fuel to the fire the Ryder Cup prices are insultingly high and getting to Bethpage after parking is really difficult. Any suggestion I for a new mantra for golf as Grow the Game should change to Chase the Benjamin’s?
There is an unfortunate mix of emotions fueling the madness that's going to lead to a hard crash if they aren't careful. The sport is played by a lot of people successful in business who appear to be infusing players with a sense that they must cash in and because they hit a little ball well, are entitled to absurd payouts despite the dwindling audience sizes. Strange times.
Very worrying the current situation of a number of Scottish clubs, especially combined with the increase in fees at He Who Shall Not Be Named's Turnberry and the ongoing discussions re Carnoustie's future.
Hirsel closing was a bit of a shocker - cracking design and well kept course, with the perfect clubhouse for a post round drink looking out over 1st tee and 18th green.
It’s not in the most populous of areas, so not a lot of people will maybe have it on their list of courses to play as part of a trip, but seemed busy enough the couple of times that I had played there
Just sent in to participate in the Ryder Cup selection process. I wasn't aware of the outrageous pricing. Thx for posting. Welcome to NY. Whistling Straits was very reasonably priced. Practice Round was close to normal major pricing or slightly higher. The President Cup doesn't have the cache of the Ryder of course..but practice round tix are $63 Cdn for general admission in Montral.
Yes that's a more reasonable price and I see other days have availability. All of the pro Cup events are generally better on TV except perhaps Sunday when there are 12 matches and crowds spread out better.
I wonder whether the principal problem is that golf NEVER goes away. That was, effectively, how the PGA Tour dealt with the NFL back in the day. Tour Championship was later and then.......it stopped. Apart from a few silly season events there was nothing until Tournament of Champions. Two months of freedom so when it DID come back on US screens there was some anticipation. Meanwhile such American golfers as did recognize there are other countries were to be found playing events in time zones that didn't clash with football. Over here or in Oz. I know the majority of tour pros couldn't run a bar in a brothel but surely some of the clever people understand how things work?
Completely agree that years of oversaturation have really caught up. Perhaps the problem will correct itself if a few events die and Golf Channel's irrelevance/loss of homes reached means people see golf tournaments as much. But that's not an ideal way to create demand!
I did attempt to communicate with you on the expert coverage of The Irish Open. I t was so special to me having played there in late June with miserable conditions, much better for the Pros. The course was the star and winner and everyone seemed to know it, hallowed ground!
Here's what people need to realize about golf: It's not really a sport for fans, but a vehicle for corporate hospitality and sales. Listen to this No Laying Up podcast about it: https://pca.st/f5010k4i
Look. Corporate big shots love playing golf. The dudes choosing what software to run HR departments, who delivers their data, who ships their packages, who manages their million$ of investments LOVE golf. They control billions in spending and the sport is geared wholly to them.
Buying sponsorship and and TV ads on golf is just to reach these few million dudes. To host them at tournaments. To host them at pro-ams. And companies will pay huge money to participate. And why the Ryder Cup can charge what it charges because its not for you and be but some CFOs.
In the NLU podcast, they recount when someone enabled a CEO they were having trouble connecting with to play in a pro-am with his favorite player, it ended up with like a billion$ sale. That makes $10 million in ads no one cares about during the Arnold Palmer worth every penny.
The crowds at touraments are just atmoshere, just like painted azaleas at Augusta or piped in bird calls on the PGA Championship broadcast.
That's why the popes at Ponte Vedra don't understand the game, don't care about entertainent value, don't care about match play or personable players. They don't have to make the product appeal to the masses, just the few million barons.
This is why LIV exists, too — so the Saudis can do golf hospitality and rub elbows with Western kings of business to make them seem first world and hopefully create post-petroleum relationships, not so they can own a golf league.
That's why comparing ratings or success to the NBA or NFL is folly. It's a totally different business model! Yes, there were big increases in golf interest during the Tiger years — but c'mon, that was a young, athletic multi-racial dude just dominating a sea of copier-salesman-looking-dudes with a dusting of Nike magic. It will never be replicated.
Once you view the sport and its shennanigans through the corporate baron lens, it all makes much much more sense.
LIV has not gained traction. It will never be a going business concern. The PGA Tour does not need any of the players besides Bryson, Brooks, Rahm and Cam Smith. With ratings so low, why would a Tour player want to go to LIV and play in front of nobody? Big $$$? Since LIV has no traction, why would they continue to offer big money?
Why shouldn't the Tour just walk away from any agreement with LIV/PIF?
How does Volunteers of America afford that many commercials on NBC? Not even Genesis replays their ad that many times ... Thank God. Makes you want to buy a Yugo.
PGA wants to grow the game and interest young kids.
What do you think a 10 year old will take away from the antics at Bethpage? Expanded vocabulary? A Breakfast of Champions? Biology 101 - "Different uses of the Cavities of the Human Body."
You may have a point I did not consider: the horrible junior policy might have been created to protect the children! That would be giving the PGA a lot of credit though.
Thanks Geoff, the tickets prices for the Ryder cup are insane. I won’t have to worry about attending. I did get to attend the Solheim cup for one day and it was very enjoyable and didn’t cost a fortune. The wait was well worth it.
The greed of golf will do them in eventually. It’s a matter of time before sponsors realize there is no ROI on a golf tournament. There are just to many tournaments now and someone said no anticipation anymore. Can’t wait to read through all the linked articles. Thanks again.
I agree. The damage is done. It will take a generation to repair. To some degree golf was due for an inevitable decline in the post-tiger era just as the tennis world was due to a decline with the big three in their latter years. But the bomb throwers at LIV made it far worse
Yes the post-Tiger years were inevitable but amazingly most of the players think they deliver Tiger-like importance and popularity to the sport. It's quite a thing to see having lived through Tigermania.
I agree that it feels like we're in a precarious place where the sponsors may no longer be able to justify what is, in many cases, a marketing play at the behest of the golf-loving CEO. There are cheaper options out there, including the LPGA or "partner" plays at majors. It is a strange mix of greed and stupidity that's gotten them here, along with the hubris that's come with the ball going too far and straight.
As the Civil War goes on and on it is folly to think that even if there is some settlement, which seems like a long shot, there hasn’t been severe structural damage to the PGAT. The NBA and the NFL have seen rating increase significantly over the last number of years but golf, which had an uptick in participation, ratings have been stagnant at best and in these “non designated “ events alarmingly bad. Then to add fuel to the fire the Ryder Cup prices are insultingly high and getting to Bethpage after parking is really difficult. Any suggestion I for a new mantra for golf as Grow the Game should change to Chase the Benjamin’s?
There is an unfortunate mix of emotions fueling the madness that's going to lead to a hard crash if they aren't careful. The sport is played by a lot of people successful in business who appear to be infusing players with a sense that they must cash in and because they hit a little ball well, are entitled to absurd payouts despite the dwindling audience sizes. Strange times.
Maybe PIF does a divide and conquer. Make a deal with DP Tour better than DP has with PGAT and fund the price to break the PGA-DP deal.
“rocket surgery”. My go-to line. Perfect.
Very worrying the current situation of a number of Scottish clubs, especially combined with the increase in fees at He Who Shall Not Be Named's Turnberry and the ongoing discussions re Carnoustie's future.
Hirsel closing was a bit of a shocker - cracking design and well kept course, with the perfect clubhouse for a post round drink looking out over 1st tee and 18th green.
What ultimately did it in? Mismanagement or it just wasn't famous enough to get the guest fee revenue?
It’s not in the most populous of areas, so not a lot of people will maybe have it on their list of courses to play as part of a trip, but seemed busy enough the couple of times that I had played there
Just sent in to participate in the Ryder Cup selection process. I wasn't aware of the outrageous pricing. Thx for posting. Welcome to NY. Whistling Straits was very reasonably priced. Practice Round was close to normal major pricing or slightly higher. The President Cup doesn't have the cache of the Ryder of course..but practice round tix are $63 Cdn for general admission in Montral.
Yes that's a more reasonable price and I see other days have availability. All of the pro Cup events are generally better on TV except perhaps Sunday when there are 12 matches and crowds spread out better.
I wonder whether the principal problem is that golf NEVER goes away. That was, effectively, how the PGA Tour dealt with the NFL back in the day. Tour Championship was later and then.......it stopped. Apart from a few silly season events there was nothing until Tournament of Champions. Two months of freedom so when it DID come back on US screens there was some anticipation. Meanwhile such American golfers as did recognize there are other countries were to be found playing events in time zones that didn't clash with football. Over here or in Oz. I know the majority of tour pros couldn't run a bar in a brothel but surely some of the clever people understand how things work?
Completely agree that years of oversaturation have really caught up. Perhaps the problem will correct itself if a few events die and Golf Channel's irrelevance/loss of homes reached means people see golf tournaments as much. But that's not an ideal way to create demand!
I did attempt to communicate with you on the expert coverage of The Irish Open. I t was so special to me having played there in late June with miserable conditions, much better for the Pros. The course was the star and winner and everyone seemed to know it, hallowed ground!
Here's what people need to realize about golf: It's not really a sport for fans, but a vehicle for corporate hospitality and sales. Listen to this No Laying Up podcast about it: https://pca.st/f5010k4i
Look. Corporate big shots love playing golf. The dudes choosing what software to run HR departments, who delivers their data, who ships their packages, who manages their million$ of investments LOVE golf. They control billions in spending and the sport is geared wholly to them.
Buying sponsorship and and TV ads on golf is just to reach these few million dudes. To host them at tournaments. To host them at pro-ams. And companies will pay huge money to participate. And why the Ryder Cup can charge what it charges because its not for you and be but some CFOs.
In the NLU podcast, they recount when someone enabled a CEO they were having trouble connecting with to play in a pro-am with his favorite player, it ended up with like a billion$ sale. That makes $10 million in ads no one cares about during the Arnold Palmer worth every penny.
The crowds at touraments are just atmoshere, just like painted azaleas at Augusta or piped in bird calls on the PGA Championship broadcast.
That's why the popes at Ponte Vedra don't understand the game, don't care about entertainent value, don't care about match play or personable players. They don't have to make the product appeal to the masses, just the few million barons.
This is why LIV exists, too — so the Saudis can do golf hospitality and rub elbows with Western kings of business to make them seem first world and hopefully create post-petroleum relationships, not so they can own a golf league.
That's why comparing ratings or success to the NBA or NFL is folly. It's a totally different business model! Yes, there were big increases in golf interest during the Tiger years — but c'mon, that was a young, athletic multi-racial dude just dominating a sea of copier-salesman-looking-dudes with a dusting of Nike magic. It will never be replicated.
Once you view the sport and its shennanigans through the corporate baron lens, it all makes much much more sense.
LIV has not gained traction. It will never be a going business concern. The PGA Tour does not need any of the players besides Bryson, Brooks, Rahm and Cam Smith. With ratings so low, why would a Tour player want to go to LIV and play in front of nobody? Big $$$? Since LIV has no traction, why would they continue to offer big money?
Why shouldn't the Tour just walk away from any agreement with LIV/PIF?
How does Volunteers of America afford that many commercials on NBC? Not even Genesis replays their ad that many times ... Thank God. Makes you want to buy a Yugo.