European tour vs PGA tour

[Val]

Because a lot of european tour players, mainly uk based, will have a lot of experience on links courses and would therefore give the top pga guys a run for their money.

3 of the last 5 Open winners were American ............... just saying

 

[NWJocko]

Then its only really about money?

Of course it is, these are professionals so will play wherever they can make the most cash.

PGA Tour is, to me, pretty boring to watch bar a few courses but has by far the best fields due to the money and ranking points on offer.

Rarely get the chance to watch much European Tour these days due to time.

 

[Spear-Chucker]

Much prefer the variety of the European tour and think it has a great identity. I like the new initiatives being tried and different countries visited. The US dullfest can naff right off. Money talks for many though so hence they flock to awful, boring resort courses.

 

[ademac]

3 of the last 5 Open winners were American ............... just saying

But how many of the 5 before that?

 

[ademac]

Of course it is, these are professionals so will play wherever they can make the most cash.

PGA Tour is, to me, pretty boring to watch bar a few courses but has by far the best fields due to the money and ranking points on offer.

Rarely get the chance to watch much European Tour these days due to time.

Do you think this could have any bearing on uk golf membership numbers being down?

People may be finding it harder to relate to golf nowadays as it seems to be much more focused on the other side of the pond.

 

[NWJocko]

Do you think this could have any bearing on uk golf membership numbers being down?

People may be finding it harder to relate to golf nowadays as it seems to be much more focused on the other side of the pond.

If it is a contributor it will be 0.000001% in my view. European Tour is shown during daytime when folk are at work/Uni etc. PGA Tour is on from about 7-11 Thursday to Friday so perfect timing really. Maybe ET should do some televised night golf events from Dubai/Turkey etc?

Far fewer council owned courses with dirt cheap memberships for kids, people having less time/disposable income after buying a Pret every day for lunch, greater availability of options in terms of what to do with free time and ease of travel to them etc are more a bearing IMO (note this isn't meant to be an exhaustive list )

 

[Papas1982]

Most, well three quarters of the majors are based in America so maybe that gives them an advantage?
If 3 of the 4 majors were in the uk on links courses do you think that would still be the case?
I'm not sure I would accept that the european tour has a lower calibre of player either.

Rory, Sergio. Fleetwood etc all go to Dubia for some money and decent weather and feature at the top of leaderboards. Now they're just part of the pack in the US.

Not sure many european (tour players) go to the us and do better than they do in europe.

I also think it's fanciful to think that all our (european) touraments are links style. On the european tour there are plenty of park land courses.

I meant most open winners aren't european tour players anymore. Historically maybe, but imo the PGA tour is the main tour and its where most players aspire to be.

 

[Slab]

For a regular tour event it's the ET for the variety of courses/conditions etc and the broadcast times but if I can I'll watch the PGA too (even if just the highlights because they do typically get the best players) Saying that i'll watch any golf, I get some coverage from sunshine and asia tours and last weeks LPGA event was excellent viewing

But as a fav the ET edges it over the PGA for the reasons above

 

[Capella]

I watch neither on a a regular basis, for the simple reason that I don't have a Sky subscription (and not even a tv) and that's pretty much the only way you can watch in Germany. I do get glimpses here and there if someone posts a YouTube video. But I do follow the scores of my favourite players. Emotionally, I am a bit more invested in the ET, mostly because of the fantasy golf thing and the forum league.

 

[Val]

But how many of the 5 before that?

Not sure the point your trying to make, if anything your making my point for me. Go back to 2000 and you have 10 in the last 17 from USA, 2 from Britain,

 

[Deleted member 18588]

I am not sure that the image of the ET is helped by some events.

Currently watching the Indian Open on Now TV and whilst the course looks interesting enough the overall feel isn't helped by there seeming to be more players in the field than there are spectators.

Yes I appreciate that golf is very much a minority sport in India but it seems more like a top amateur comp than a Tour event.

 

[ademac]

Not sure the point your trying to make, if anything your making my point for me. Go back to 2000 and you have 10 in the last 17 from USA, 2 from Britain,

But then surely we could just keep going back until it started?

My point is really that I dont think the US tour or players are that much better than the ET and players but seem to get a lot more recognition.
Which is basically down to money which brings up countless more debates.

I was interested to hear peoples views on which tour, if any, that they prefered and why?

 

[Val]

But then surely we could just keep going back until it started?

My point is really that I dont think the US tour or players are that much better than the ET and players but seem to get a lot more recognition.
Which is basically down to money which brings up countless more debates.

I was interested to hear peoples views on which tour, if any, that they prefered and why?

If you don’t think they are better then look at the world rankings, look at who won 3 out of 4 majors last year, those stats don’t lie.

 

[ademac]

If you don’t think they are better then look at the world rankings, look at who won 3 out of 4 majors last year, those stats don’t lie.

I personally think the world golf rankings are naff and a bit biased if you look into it.

Its all subjective I suppose, thanks for your input. 👍

 

[Val]

I personally think the world golf rankings are naff and a bit biased if you look into it.

Its all subjective I suppose, thanks for your input. 👍

:rofl:

Aye no bother, I suppose if you look at last years major wins that’ll be subjective too

:rofl:

 

[Dan2501]

I watch and follow more PGA Tour due to the time that the broadcasts are shown and probably do prefer it generally. A few ET tournaments I'll watch but mainly only the big ones. I follow the results for both each week but definitely prefer watching the PGA Tour.

 

[Jacko_G]

I personally think the world golf rankings are naff and a bit biased if you look into it.

Its all subjective I suppose, thanks for your input. 

You are correct when you say the world rankings are biased, the ranking points are heavily biased in favour of American tournaments. The fact that America attracts the top players from outside of the USA suggests that the Tour and set up is doing something correct so you could argue that they deserve the extra points.

Europe will always be a second rate tour now.

 

[Deleted member 15344]

You are correct when you say the world rankings are biased, the ranking points are heavily biased in favour of American tournaments. The fact that America attracts the top players from outside of the USA suggests that the Tour and set up is doing something correct so you could argue that they deserve the extra points.

Europe will always be a second rate tour now.

Climate and money are what attracts the players and the ranking points that they hold also attract others - there are some very big financial backing for their events and add in the lovely sun you don’t blame them for playing there

I think it would be great if the ranking points were determined by the tournament and its evenly spread across the tours

 

[rulefan]

How many top US players don'y come to the Open. Many just don't want to travel.
If they've ever made it to Europe, they probably think that India is an English county.

 

[ademac]

:rofl:

Aye no bother, I suppose if you look at last years major wins that’ll be subjective too

:rofl:

Well clearly not because that isnt subjective.