It seems like the general ethos around here is that it’s too hard to break into the tour now - top 125 or 150 or whatever. Aka the JJ Henry problem (until he comes on the pod anyway). I mostly agree with that.
Seems like the PGL would substantially exacerbate that problem. It would increase the difference between the haves and the have notes. And it would reduce the number of haves.
There are good arguments for that to happen - many of which have been made here. But there are real downsides as well. I suppose some of this depends on how you feel about the players who are in the 50-250 in the world range.
And why are those guys going through all of that? Because they know a couple of good breaks and they can move up and be the next millionaire. If that isn’t a possibility, they aren’t going to go through that grind. And if there isn’t a feeder tour, how do you pick the next generation? Or are we 15 years away from having an elite only tour that consists of Doc Redman, Gunn Yang, and Steven Fox?
Look at the world rankings in some of these euro tour or sunshine tour of KFC Tour events.
You know was the 1600th best basketball player does in the world? He’s an insurance wholesaler. 900th best lacrosse player? Sells weed. 1150th best football player? Paints houses.
or they just don’t have much else to do TBH. I’m not sure how lucrative being a pga tour player potentially is really effects those guys decisions. If you’re a D1 college kid who focused on golf your whole life and you haven’t develop any significant other skills you don’t have that many other options…
I’m indeterminate on the WGL. current funding sources are certainly not ideal of course.
there are tons of girls who devote their life to dance, which doesn’t exactly have great career prospects. I think people just do what they like doing.
How can the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow not influence this? Are they going to dedicate their lives and spend all of their money traveling around to Jr. tourneys to play a sport they know they will stop playing after college?
It probably affects their parents pushing them to do it of course, but there are plenty of kids grinding away at other sports and games which don’t have a lot of job prospects and just enjoy the sport or game.
Yep. But will they continue if there still isn’t a lot of scholarship money and no pro prospects? Maybe, but maybe not.
Absolutely. But I think the number of goes down if the money goes away. Just like the numbers went up when Tiger brought the big money out. Jr golf and college golf is different now than it was when I was growing up before the “Tiger money” and I think if the “Tiger money” goes away, that will change things.
Horrible argument. The entire NCAA (and Title IX) is a middle finger to this idea.
People don’t play golf because it’s a road to make millions. Sports is one of the hardest imaginable venues to make money. Go to college and go into banking or some shit, there are plenty of easier ways to make millions. Otherwise why the hell do most “serious” or “full-time” college sports exist. Lots of all-American lacrosse players work on Wall Street.
Just curious, do you actually read all of the posts or do you just skim them and then post your response without knowing if it flows with the conversation?
going to be a losing proposition value wise if you look at it purely from a money perspective or consider present value of money or when you consider how hard it is to get a significant scholarship, especially in golf.
I think a decent analog to golf’s situation is the recent past of NASCAR. TV jumped on board big-time in the late 90s for Jeff Gordon, Dale Earnhardt, and Dale Earnhardt, Jr. Numerous tracks were built, the sport was on TV all the time, ESPN was all-in. Sponsors were everywhere.
Earnhardt dies, Jimmie (sp?) “NASCAR changes the rules so I can come back from a lap down and win” Johnson starts beating Gordon on his own team (I’m not bitter), Earnhardt Jr. can’t win a non-restrictor-plate race, and NASCAR goes in the tank. Now even good teams can’t get a full-schedule sponsor, and the sport is back to its core audience.
The drivers are still awesome, but no one cares again. There is no “there”, there.
I think the PGA Tour should strike while the iron is hot here with Tiger, and do everything THEY can to protect themselves. Lock down Tiger until he’s 50, no matter what it costs. $150 million? You got it, babe. Ice your back.