Jason.H
Well-known member
Hope not. Saudi golf already involved with some women’s European events.
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LIV Golf
- Thread starter MarkT
- Start date
Has anyone heard whether women can play in this? If they can't get the PGA Tour players and they're already onto the amateurs then would it not be a good fit to go after some of the leading women?
IanM
Journeyman Pro
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- May 18, 2009
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Not been mentioned, but would certainly be a differentiator!
SwingsitlikeHogan
Major Champion
From the interview Norman gave on R4Today this morning it sounds like he isnt - he said they had offered but they Ladies PGA and LET had both turned the offer down. Of course that doesn’t mean they won’t make individual offers to women.
AddisonRoad
Active member
In the long run, I don't believe the Saudi golf league will be viable. They can't replicate the allure of the PGA and the various majors on offer (from a fan's perspective). This isn't similar to a mega league in another sport - there aren't multiple leagues with star-studded players that are already competing against one another (LIV isn't attempting to poach the best players from various leagues, they just want all the PGA's players). Everyone seems to think they'll just bankroll it at a loss for five years. Whereas I honestly think it will be over after this series.
From an in-person spectator's position, they're already pricing their tickets way above the European Tour - and for a less appealing product. I don't understand how they haven't made tickets £10 for the inaugural event. Expensive tickets with a limited lineup is looking unlikely to produce a crowd worth talking about.
From an in-person spectator's position, they're already pricing their tickets way above the European Tour - and for a less appealing product. I don't understand how they haven't made tickets £10 for the inaugural event. Expensive tickets with a limited lineup is looking unlikely to produce a crowd worth talking about.
HeftyHacker
Well-known member
Rick Shiels said the same on his podcast. Who is going to pay £70 for a ticket when they don't even know who will be playing? As you say they should be £10 a ticket and try to drum up a decent crowd. Its not like they can't afford it given the sums being bandied about as prize money.
£70 quid a ticket isn't going to get 10,000 punters through the gates in a weekend whereas £10 might get 70,000 through given its proximity to London etc.
Jason.H
Well-known member
I wouldn’t be surprised if Rick Shiels would attend and get a you tube video on it. Love or hate the idea of the LIV tour there’s a lot of people talking about it around the world
4LEX
Well-known member
They've gone about this in the wrong way totally.
They should've at first sponsored two flagship events on the PGA and DP World Tours and had an incredible first prize like £5m. This would've attracted the best fields and both tours are so greedy anyway, they would've been happy to have a wealthy sponsor, regardless of the spectre of sportwashing. You give it 4-5 years and these events become like unofficial majors. Over that time you can gradually influence people and poach key non playing personnel from both tours. Then if you really want a new World Golf Tour you make a move and set up a mini one that doesn't clash with any other big event on both tours. Gradually increasing the prize money and within another few years they would be in a fantastic position to do what they wanted.
The reality is they've rushed in and appointed two of the worst possible faces for it in Player and Norman. As a result they've acted in a flash, arrogant and shameful manner which has got everyones backs up. Throw in the Mickelson debacle and it's off to about the worst start possible.
I couldn't think of anything worse than watching grinders like Bland or Poulter around a soulless members only venue and being charged £70 for it
They should've at first sponsored two flagship events on the PGA and DP World Tours and had an incredible first prize like £5m. This would've attracted the best fields and both tours are so greedy anyway, they would've been happy to have a wealthy sponsor, regardless of the spectre of sportwashing. You give it 4-5 years and these events become like unofficial majors. Over that time you can gradually influence people and poach key non playing personnel from both tours. Then if you really want a new World Golf Tour you make a move and set up a mini one that doesn't clash with any other big event on both tours. Gradually increasing the prize money and within another few years they would be in a fantastic position to do what they wanted.
The reality is they've rushed in and appointed two of the worst possible faces for it in Player and Norman. As a result they've acted in a flash, arrogant and shameful manner which has got everyones backs up. Throw in the Mickelson debacle and it's off to about the worst start possible.
I couldn't think of anything worse than watching grinders like Bland or Poulter around a soulless members only venue and being charged £70 for it
BubbaP
Occasional Player of Golf
BubbaP
Occasional Player of Golf
It may be 'majors' could be a big influence on the end game. Also the world ranking system.
Notionally the majors allocate (or invite) players who play on all sorts of tours. And the world rankings are influenced by the field ranking.
Mel Smooth
Hacker
If they'd charged a tenner, they'd have been accussed of cheap tickets to influence the favour of the fans over the source of the funding.. aka - Sportswashing.
£70 just outside London, seems like a decent price to me - I'm guessing you could even get the train up there from London Central?
You can go to the Scottish Open for £25 if you want to save a few quid, but by the time you've paid for fuel and accomodation, it's gonna be way more than £70
fundy
Ryder Cup Winner
£70 to watch a few has been and a few never will be golfers round Centurion is a decent price? Each to their own I guess. Especially when you try and buy food and drink there
Seems awful compared to walking inside the ropes for final open qualifying at st andrews, st annes, hollinwell or princes. Field will have better depth in final open qualifying too lol
Ethan
Money List Winner
Maybe they are trying the old 'price it high and people will think it is quality' trick?
Mel Smooth
Hacker
Well you don't know who will be there yet, but Poulter, Mickelson, Sergio and Westwood are all class players that have won a number of events/majors and fought in god knows how many Ryder Cups - they've also got a bit of "spunk" about them, which will add to the appeal. Get Patrick Reed in there as well, the guy everybody loves to hate, and you're starting to get something waaaay more interesting than some pointless PGA event in Canada.
And the final day is on a Saturday. Hallelulah.
fundy
Ryder Cup Winner
Imurg
The Grinder Of Pars (Semi Crocked)
DP World Tour is reported to have denied requests too...
sunshine
Well-known member
I couldn't think of anything worse than watching grinders like Bland or Poulter around a soulless members only venue and being charged £70 for it
Season ticket at St James Park?
Foxholer
Blackballed
Centurion is hardly a soulless course imo. Some really rather good holes - starting with the 1st. And plenty of variety of style as well....
I couldn't think of anything worse than watching grinders like Bland or Poulter around a soulless members only venue and being charged £70 for it
Price is definitely too much though.
HomerJSimpson
Hall of Famer
Have to agree. Been to a couple of final qualifiers and seen former tour winners, ex Ryder Cup players and an ex-major champion. A far better field than has been announced. I really can't see this being more than an expensive fairground peep show for a few years, the players then having to serve some sort of ban and going back to their respective tours with their tails between their legs or loiter for the champions tours and hope serving a few years in the wilderness gets them in
