Cell Phones Allowed: PGA Tour Hopes To Make Fans Less Disconnected
/Golf Channel's Steve Sands is reporting a change in the PGA Tour cell phone policy for 2011. The GolfChannel.com item notes it this way:
Read MoreWhen you come to think of it that is the secret of most of the great holes all over the world. They all have some kind of a twist. C.B. MACDONALD
Who Killed Designated Tournaments?
/Not surprisingly, the reviews are in and they aren't pretty: no one can figure how a simple, common sense proposal to help struggling PGA Tour stops attract a few more top players died after no significant opposition.
Read More"The so-called sure thing was first downgraded to a long shot, then was scratched from the race entirely." **
/Steve Elling talks to several folks who are disappointed with the PGA Tour's abandonment of the designated tournament policy that had been in the works, including a tournament director who was not afraid of becoming designated.
Read MoreXM/Sirius Ending PGA Tour Radio Deal?
/Steve Elling offers up several items of note in his Up and Down column but this one is the most depressing about the solid PGA Tour Radio Network and rumor that XM/Sirius likely will not be renewing:
Read MoreWGC Match Play Final Going To 18?
/I was taken aback by the policy board appearing likely to veto the designated tournaments, as reported by Sean Martin. So I went back to read it and I still can't fathom how such an intelligent policy change designed to help struggling events was nixed.
Read More“It’s been passed, but I think we’re going to backtrack on it."
/It's not often that Tim Finchem shepards an initiative through his policy board and they reject it, but Sean Martin reports that the PGA Tour's "designated event" policy designed to help out some struggling events by mandating occasional appearances is about to die on arrival.
Read MoreViking Classic To Become Opposite Event On FedExCup Schedule
/I really don't see how it's an upgrade to go from the fall to a spot opposite the Open Championship or WGC Bridgestone. But whatever makes Viking happy and supplying ovens at cost to the PGA Tour VP army...
Read More"Damned right it's the land of opportunity."
/Steve Elling with some interesting math on the number of playing opportunities as the tour wraps up it's final official event this week in Orlando.
Read MoreSay It Ain't So: Poulter Says He May Have To Pick A Tour
/Frankly, I don't know if the PGA Tour could survive if the fashionista, Orlando resident and master Tweeter were to devote himself to Europe.
"Hopefully it won't get more difficult as I will have to make a decision myself," said Poulter ahead of his Singapore Open title defence this week.
"We are in the process of sending a note to Rory and his management."
/
Steve Elling checks with the tour about Rory McIlroy's decision to not take his membership for 2011 and finds that Rory's plan of still playing 11 or 12 events is, well, not within the rules."The PGA Tour needs the players a lot more than the players need the PGA Tour."
/Jason Sobel on the accelerated globilization of golf with this week's news:
It remains to be seen what kind of foresight and creativity can be employed to keep more top players competing in the U.S. more often. One thing is certain: This is a critical juncture for the PGA Tour and without a proper plan in place, its power could be severely weakened by those players who wish to ply their craft elsewhere around the world.
PGA Tour House Organ Fights Back At Fleeing Euros!
/You can just imagine how this one went down: PGA TOUR EVP of Spin Control sees a flurry of reports that Euros are passing up tour cards because of the FedExCup and calls over to the PGATour.com offices and demands a story putting some form of spin on the news. As if this will fool unsuspecting television network execs:
Read MoreHow Does The FedExCup Return In 2013?
/The PGA Tour's next television contract negotiation will occur in 2011 and with the recent defections of Europeans Westwood and McIlroy citing the FedExCup as the final straw in opting to remain loyal to the European Tour it would seem that the FedExCup foundations are crumbling.
Since many writers have touted the Cup as a success because it brings top players together at a time they wouldn't otherwise play, this latest episode of non-commitment to the tour from Euros would seem to deflate that argument. Throw in the absurd points system, the branding as a playoff with almost no authentic playoff characteristics, and general apathy from fans, and the tour would seem to have no choice but to be radically rethink the cup in every respect.
Thoughts?
"The problem is the US Tour is just too rigid in terms of making you play 15 but with long-term suspensions if you don't."
/
I am fascinated by agent Johan Elliott's comments in suggesting Martin Kaymer will not take on a PGA Tour membership next year.
"Martin will follow Lee Westwood and not take out US Tour membership next year," said Elliott. "He just feels that joining the US Tour would be too much work and give him no freedom in his schedule. You have to play your 15 events and with everything else that he wants to play that would mean playing 30 tournaments."
Okay, first of all, if he plays four majors and four WGC's, he's more than halfway there. But anyway...this is what got my attention.
"The problem is the US Tour is just too rigid in terms of making you play 15 but with long-term suspensions if you don't."
Long-term suspensions?
