So we all know by now that the NFL’s Pro Bowl has become more of a side-show than an actual competitive game.  Defenses haven’t really shown up since 1998.  Star players opt out.  Super Bowl players don’t participate.  The rules are changed to make the game “safer.”  It’s a sham really.  It’s bad football, but it’s still football nonetheless, so I usually watch.

Like any all-star game in any sport, the potential is there.  It has the chance to be such a great game!  How could a game featuring all of the league’s best players at their respective positions not be fantastic if played as hard as the game should be played?  But with the risk of injury, the changes in rules and lazy play, it becomes just the exhibition game that it actually is.  But all of the pieces are there…it’s just missing that meaningful game feel.

But this is an area where the PGA Tour has a leg up on every other major sport.  They have the ability to put together an “all-star” lineup at every tournament if they would simply shake-up their tournament schedule a bit. 

I’ve said it several times before, but the PGA Tour needs a real championship at the end of their season.  Enough of the money leader.  Enough of the ranking system that no one understands.  The players need to battle it out on the course.  And if there was a smaller, more streamlined schedule in which players were required to play in order to qualify for the championship, then every required tour stop would result in a star-studded field.  If this was the case you’d have to imagine the TV ratings would rise, as would the gate.   

But you can’t expect every player to play all of the tournaments, right?  Of course not.  Only a certain amount of the stops would be required – maybe in the 15-20 area.  The rest would be their choice to play either for a shot at the purse, the chance to make some more money or just to keep the competitive juices flowing.  But certain stops would be required to qualify.  Play all of the required stops and you play in the championship.

The point is, the PGA Tour has the ability to field an all-star game every time out.  What if every meaningful tournament featured all of the top players on the tour?  No one skipping out on tournaments because if they did, they wouldn’t qualify for the championship.  I don’t know about you, but I don’t watch golf on TV very much…but an idea like this would certainly get me more interested.

Swing ’til you’re happy!