I can’t tell you how many times in the past three years I have had to ask one of my golf friends who the heck the Pro is on TV who is leading a PGA Tournament. Never heard of him until I turned on the TV.
Use to be, from 1990 to 2010, the same pro golfers were on the leaderboard each tournament. Today, you Do Not see the same players from tournament to tournament.
What Is Going On?
Not seeing the same pro golfers every week could be good. Today, there are some really, really good skillful golfers on the PGA and LPGA tours.
However, one good player will show well at one tournament and next week they can’t make the cut. What’s the deal?
Did Tiger spoil us with consistency?
From 1990 to 2015 there were the 25+ PGA professionals who would be on the PGA leaderboard for each even.
Tiger Woods probably appeared on our TV screens more than any player. But you could bet that when you turned on Golf you were going to see a dozen or so guys and gals on the leaderboard you watched the week before and the week before that.
Since 2016 we have bright stars burst onto the PGA scene, win a few tournaments, and then never heard of again.
Is Winning One PGA Event Enough?
Is the pressure to win too great? Or is the money the PGA players win good enough for them to party down for the rest of their life?
Finding out the answer to these two questions may tell us what is going on with not seeing as many of the same players.
Maybe Jack Nicklaus has a point on why the players who win today don’t show up for the next event.
“The game financially has changed dramatically. When we played, we played golf to win tournaments to make a name so we could go make a living using our name that we made on the Tour. Today, the guys can make a living on the Tour and a lot of them can make a living on the Tour, and they don’t necessarily have to win to be able to make a living, which I think is sort of a drawback a little bit.”
These Guys Are Getting REAL GOOD!
Maybe why we are not seeing the same PGA players each week has to do with there being thousands of professional golfers competing each week to play for the big money. Many of them are first-timers at the Big Show and they play well enough to make the cut and hit the leaderboard.
But, why can’t they make it to the next tour event?
I’m sure there are reasons that are far-ranging…from the next tour being an invitation-only, or sponsor exempt only. But, there are for sure a number who can’t hold up to the media pressure on finding out more about them.
There are not many journalists taking on writing about the subject of why we are seeing so many new PGA players who have no brand names.
For more than 20 years the PGA of Ameria has been wrestling the need to get the stars of the PGA to make more appearances at PGA events than just showing up for the four majors.
It makes for the smart marketing of Golf if more of the marque players were seen more on TV and at Live events.
In 1994 when I watch Fred Couples hold a clinic on the tee box of the #17 hole of the TPC Four Seasons in Las Colinas sold me on wanting to learn how to play golf. Back then everyone had their favorite PGA and LPGA player they emulated on the golf course.
You ask a golfer today who his favorite golfer is and they either do not have one or it changes each week. However, for these same golfers I talk to regularly I hear…
“Don’t really have a favorite PGA Pro since the I like this week doesn’t even make the cut next week.”
Is this good for Golf?
Should PROs Have to Play Every Event?
There has been a debate over the past ten years on if the PROs should play every week to earn the big bucks? I know from talking to the Golf Channel people off the records that they would prefer that every top PGA player have to play each week.
It would make their sponsors happier knowing that Tiger…still the most popular professional golfer on all Tours…would be playing at all events.
The businesses who pay for these huge gathers LOVE it when there are more people to see their advertisements and sample their products..and Tiger draws them in by the tens of thousands…not to mention the number who tune in on TV.
Is how the media presents Golf good for Golf?
Knowing who is playing the best golf in the world has changed.
I can’t say that not knowing who the guy is who is winning a PGA event is a really big deal.
Unfortunately, the newbies to golf, who are used to team sports, are not finding a professional golfer they can depend on seeing each week as they have in team sports.
This can’t be good for Golf.
So how does golf help viewers of golf know more about the pro golfer they do not know?
That will be the NEw challenge for the leaders of Golf to figure out if they are going to help bring more new people to the game of Golf.
Let me know how I can help.
