Remember the old philosophical question: If a tree falls in the forest and no one is around to hear it, would it make a sound? Well ponder this: If the PGA Tour were to disappear tomorrow, would anyone really care?A couple years ago, I wrote about the economics of golf, and how the pro tours only contribute a measly 1% to golf’s total economic impact.
So from a financial standpoint, the PGA Tour could dissolve overnight without much monetary backlash to the golf industry. The golf equipment and apparel machine would still be cranking-out merchandise to supply millions of weekend hacks throughout the world.
But for how long? With the tour defunct, wouldn’t the average golfer begin to dwindle in numbers? Well, I guess that depends on how popular the tour is with the golfing masses to begin with. For example, a decade ago I would have been laughed at for even suggesting a post like this one – after all, the hero on tour was one of the most recognizable athletes in all of sports.
Ah, but today he’s barley the shell of his former self and as a result, the PGA Tour has taken one giant leap back into obscurity. Perhaps more detrimental is that no one has taken his place. Want proof? Turn on ESPN any given Sunday an you’ll see them lead the golf segment talking about Tiger‘s third-place finish, rather than the poor schlep who actually took home the trophy.
With no face to the organization and television ratings that are basically nonexistent, it makes you wonder if it’s all worth the effort? Rolling into a new city every week and setting up shop on some corporate sponsor’s dime (could have donated that money to build a new cancer wing at the local hospital or something); trotting out a B-list of tour pros to go through the motions in front of a sparse gallery of spectators; turning on the HD cameras that broadcast to an equally paltry television audience. One has to ask themselves: Does the ends justify the means?
Sure, if the PGA Tour were no longer, some diehard fans would be disappointed (not to mention some of our fellow golf bloggers) and local establishments near tour stops would miss the boost in sales. But the top pros would head over to the European Tour (which would subsequently be broadcast more frequently here in the U.S.) and golf life for you and me would pretty much remain unchanged.
Not many golfers I know are quitting because they stink – no sir, we just keep on playing no matter what the game throws at us. And perhaps that’s the most fundamental point – We don’t play this game because the PGA Tour is so great, we play it because golf is great (if anything, watching the scratch players gives us more of a complex).
So, what if the PGA Tour went extinct? As long as the European Tour added a stop at The Masters, I’d be happy. So perhaps I should re-phrase my question: If the PGA Tour went extinct, so what?
seems like you guys have it out for the PGA. I agree, its always better with Tiger, but if nothing else the PGA gives me a great excuse to catch a nap on the couch.
I hate to say this, but I think it would be a similar situation if the NBA shut down its season…no one would care. With golf, I think more people play and not watch. In terms of TV it’s a four major sport like tennis and that’s its potential unless something drastically changes
The corporate sponsors, the apparel and equipment manufactures and the broadcast networks are all to blame for the demise of the PGA Tour. While having a super hero to cast the spotlights on might help to balance the equation and give the casual fan something to cheer, the problems as I see it from my comfy armchair emanate from the broadcasts and the sponsors. If you watched the Sunday coverage of The Crosby from Pebble Beach there was nary a golf shot to be watched. Every 5 minutes Jim Nance was crooning about this that and the other nonsense about how gooey and traditional “this great place” and this “wonderful tournament” is, er, was. It was a rolling eulogy for something these elitists suffocated long ago. Golfers, and golf fans tune in to watch golf – not ultra slow-mo’s of dogs catching Frisbee on the beach.
Peter, let’s take a look at so-and-so’s swing with the Konica Minolta Swing-Vison Biz-Hub camera, with the special blah-blah-blah… Sure, Jim, after you tell the viewers about tonight’s CBS line-up of pee-poor television. This next commercial break is brought to you by A.T. & T – and my oh my, haven’t they done so much for the game, and the Pebble Beach Foundation, and the clean air and water, and…
We’ll be right back after these messages from Kleenex.
They could play tournaments and a tour, but the management part of the PGA I would not miss. Get rid of them .
nice opinion.. thanks for sharing....
I don’t believe this be true. The PGA tour is to golf’s success here in the US and the world. It is like saying Golf Lessons don’t work and no one can get any better. really weak to say that the tour would not have an impact is just plain, strange. Could the NFL not exist and still sell merchandise and have fans? I think not.
I would actively support the PGA Tour going away. For one thing I say they don’t play by the rules of golf. they simply discard the time rules of golf, don’t assess stroke penalties for slow play like the LPGA does.
But the Tour is boring, entirely. Its a welfare system for rich companies to support rich white tour players.
I’ve stopped watching the PGA Tour and I would encourage others to do so as well.