golf pros post 50

theeaglehunter

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How many of the current crop of tour professionals do you think will move onto the senior/champions tours and if anyone who? I was thinking about this the other day, and with the much larger purses and much greater endorsement packages, is there any need for the top pros to carry on competing after the main tour? For example I for one can't see Tiger competing on the champions tour, he has no need to, he already has enough money to live off for the rest of his life, and if he wishes to play for the love of the game/ enjoyment he can simply do so recreationally eliminating the stress factor.

Let me know what you think.
 

Marko77

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I guess they may dabble in it, especially if it means adding more majors to the honours list.

For the likes of Sam Torrance, Ian Woosnam, Berhard Langer and Sandy Lyle to name but four there can be a renewed sense of rivalry for these guys which they couldn't get on the main tour.

As and when Tiger gets to 50....does the man know any boundaries? Once he scoops the seniors majors he may well call it a day :)
 

Leftie

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Re: golf pros post 50

I think that quite a lot will join so that they can still play and enjoy the competetive aspect of the game at the highest practical level. Taking the European Seniors Tour as an example, I'm sure that players such as Torrence, Jacklin, Woosnam and even Faldo last year, with all their other activities don't necessarily "need" the prize money which, after all, is not a lot outside the first 2 or 3 places.

However I'm also sure that once they no longer enjoy the game or cease to play competetively they will quickly give it up. Bob Charles was still playing on the tour last year at 71 years old!
 

HomerJSimpson

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Re: golf pros post 50

When the senior tour came out particularly in Europe there was much talk of it being like the 80's heyday with all the good players of that era (Howard Clarke, Lyle, Faldo etc) all competing again as they had done.

Sadly (I'd love to have seen the Ryder cup heroes going head to head) it didn't work out that way. A lot of the bigger guys have gone into other areas (Faldo into TV and course design, Clarke into TV, Torrance advertising K1 drivers) so the need and motivation wasn't/isn't there.

In the US I think the prize fund has had a lot to do with the better quality fields (plus the weather and courses). It also helps when 3 out of the 4 senior majors are also in the US.

I think if you still have the capability to break par regulalry there is nothing wrong with these guys going out and competing and making a nice living later in life. It also helps compensate for the European guys playing for crap purses in their heyday
 

viscount17

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Re: golf pros post 50

The Champions tour is more of a PGA pension plan - the golf doesn't exactly sparkle and though most of them would still like to win, most of them won't.
 

stevelockie

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Re: golf pros post 50

The seniors tour is a great idea, the "old guys" must love it!
A lot of them will be reasonably well off from their "peak" playing days.
They're getting to play competitve golf on top courses, with a lot of their old sparring partners and get paid.

Plus the paying public can see some "legends", albeit past their prime.
 
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