Golf needs more Team Events

[Slab]

The Curtis Cup

Yup, I got it later but was more annoyed with myself that I couldn't recall the name of one of the most important team events in women's golf And as a golf fan I'd have thought I had a better chance than most of naming it (cant imagine that ever happening to RC)

So unless we only want to watch a new team event if it has the top pro's in it I'll reiterate earlier post. We have enough team events, we just don't support/showcase them enough

 

[need_my_wedge]

I would love to see a mixed version of the Ryder Cup/Solheim Cup with men and women playing together. You could have like purely male/female foursomes and fourballs the first day and then mixed pairs the second day. In singles you just have men against men and women against women again ... that way you would not need different tee boxes or anything like that. Just make sure that the same number of women and men play in both teams.

I think that something along these lines would be an interesting idea

 

[IanM]

Well the limited number of them makes it more special!

But a Mixed-Ryder Cup would give an added dimension... shouldnt be too hard to come up with an interesting format

 

[User62651]

Maybe we accept that golf is primarily a participation sport/game/pastime and does not have the dynamics to have real mass appeal like a faster shorter duration team sport like football or rugby has or a sport with speed/noise/danger like F1. To watch a golf tournament in full you need 3 or 4 days, other more exciting sports you need 2 hours.
Golf is watched by golfers or ex golfers like me with a little bit of interest from die hard non-golfing sports fans who'll watch any sport on tv. If you're a golfer you're happy enough to watch strokeplay or matchplay, solo or team events on tv or attend. Trying to re-invent golf for non-golfers however to watch is flogging a dead horse imo. Dress it up all you like but golf is fundamentally slow and boring, unless you're a golfer/ex golfer. Ryder Cup is the exception though, somehow it has transcended into a bi-annual glitzy American bashing event and has appeal outside of just golfers but remember it's only 3 days every 2 years. That's enough golf to watch for the non-golfers.

 

[Grant85]

Maybe we accept that golf is primarily a participation sport/game/pastime and does not have the dynamics to have real mass appeal like a faster shorter duration team sport like football or rugby has or a sport with speed/noise/danger like F1. To watch a golf tournament in full you need 3 or 4 days, other more exciting sports you need 2 hours.
Golf is watched by golfers or ex golfers like me with a little bit of interest from die hard non-golfing sports fans who'll watch any sport on tv. If you're a golfer you're happy enough to watch strokeplay or matchplay, solo or team events on tv or attend. Trying to re-invent golf for non-golfers however to watch is flogging a dead horse imo. Dress it up all you like but golf is fundamentally slow and boring, unless you're a golfer/ex golfer. Ryder Cup is the exception though, somehow it has transcended into a bi-annual glitzy American bashing event and has appeal outside of just golfers but remember it's only 3 days every 2 years. That's enough golf to watch for the non-golfers.

I don't disagree with the appeal being it's only once every 2 years. While I would certainly enjoy it being every year, it would reduce the intensity of each event.

But probably the Presidents Cup is the event most in need of a revamp. A complete waste of time from a competitive and interest stand point. This is something that would surely benefit from having the woman involved.

 

[Dibby]

A lot of team golf already exists. I think the biggest challenge is around making what is an individual sport, into a team activity. If you were going to have a big league of teams with matches, then the whole reward system of golf might have to change, with prize money going to the teams, and salaries going to the players, this would be a huge change.

Cycling is about the only sport where this has really been successful, and in part, I think that is because a team can work together and draft and beat a true individual. Crossfit has also made an individual sport somewhat adapted to teams. Beyond these examples, all other individual sports with team competitions are really just individual events, with scores being given to teams, but the individual getting their own medal, sponsorship\reward anyway - track & field, swimming, gymnastics, tennis, boxing, skiing etc...

It seems the fundamental issue is that unless the sport requires a team (rugby, football etc..) or an individual can benefit from being in a team (cycling) the individual will tend to prefer to act for themselves only - maybe this is a bigger thing relating to human nature and behaviour patterns. I suspect it only works for the Ryder Cup because it is a one-off, has history and is so infrequent.