LIV Golf

[Foxholer]

the thing is they arent actually doing anything that different are they?. all they have to do is look at club golf to see all the different comp options that they could pursue, mix the mens and womens games etc but thy are just recreating the same wheel. why not:

set up a whole course as a risk reward course, 6 par 5s, 6 short par 4s and 6 par 3s
play some mixed formats with 6 holes of 4somes, 6 of greensomes and 6 better ball
play a mixed strokeplay/matchplay format where day 1 the top 16 qualify then they play matchplay for the rest
change the max number of clubs allowed to make it suit shot makers more

That might be fun for the participants, but not what I believe true followers are after. The current approach - finding the Golfer that needed th fewest shot - works fine as it is.
What clubs do is fine for clubs, not just about the golf. But tournament golf is about finding the best golfer for the event.
I'm happy if LIV provides other entertainment that attracts more spectators, but the main pupose of the tournament, for me, is to find 'the champion golfer'.

 

[Crow]

If they rolled back the technology, used wooden woods, simple blades and a ball that behaved like a balata then I'd be very interested.
See true shot shaping and ball control.

That would be bringing something different, rather than new, to the public and it would make a whole lot more great courses available that are now too short for modern professional golf.

 

[AussieKB]

If the PGA will not release players for LIV then I suppose they now must not release players for the DP Tour, so no more PGA Players for the Scottish Irish Opens etc.

As for Rory and Justin Thomas to carry on is a joke, both play in Saudi UAE etc, and also they take appearance money as well, how does that help the average Pro trying to make a living.

I remember when the Press had a go at Nicklaus for receiving appearance money in Australia, he said he would just add it to the pot, then went out and won the tournament anyway.

 

[Deleted member 1147]

If the PGA will not release players for LIV then I suppose they now must not release players for the DP Tour, so no more PGA Players for the Scottish Irish Opens etc.

As for Rory and Justin Thomas to carry on is a joke, both play in Saudi UAE etc, and also they take appearance money as well, how does that help the average Pro trying to make a living.

I remember when the Press had a go at Nicklaus for receiving appearance money in Australia, he said he would just add it to the pot, then went out and won the tournament anyway.

The DP tour doesn’t play in North America, which the LIV tour will.

The Scottish Open is a joint sanctioned event with the PGA tour.

 

[Mel Smooth]

You can tell how desperate the PGA and it's supporters are.

This is how low they will go.....

https://twitter.com/x/status/1524830280334266368

 

[ColchesterFC]

That might be fun for the participants, but not what I believe true followers are after. The current approach - finding the Golfer that needed th fewest shot - works fine as it is.
What clubs do is fine for clubs, not just about the golf. But tournament golf is about finding the best golfer for the event.
I'm happy if LIV provides other entertainment that attracts more spectators, but the main pupose of the tournament, for me, is to find 'the champion golfer'.

If they are really trying to grow the game then they should surely be looking at some new ideas. "True golf followers" already have the two main tours providing what they want. By simply doing the same or similar things to the other tours they are competing for the same audiences. Maybe implementing some of Fundy's ideas would attract new audiences and actually grow the game.

 

[Foxholer]

If they are really trying to grow the game then they should surely be looking at some new ideas. "True golf followers" already have the two main tours providing what they want. By simply doing the same or similar things to the other tours they are competing for the same audiences. Maybe implementing some of Fundy's ideas would attract new audiences and actually grow the game.

They do seem to be providing some different approaches wrt specttor/attendee participation. But keeping the basic format of the Golf tournament is fundamental imo. Otherwise, it's a circus.

 

[ColchesterFC]

They do seem to be providing some different approaches wrt specttor/attendee participation. But keeping the basic format of the Golf tournament is fundamental imo. Otherwise, it's a circus.

I'm more thinking of different formats rather than putting windmills and clown heads on the green for them putt through. All they are doing is stroke play golf over 54 holes. I'm thinking proper golf formats not a circus but maybe a tournament of mixed foursomes, a four ball better ball pairs tournament, mixed stroke play etc. I can't see how churning out more men's stroke play golf is going to grow the game. It's simply providing more of what's already on offer and is very unlikely to attract new people to watch or attend.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

They do seem to be providing some different approaches wrt specttor/attendee participation. But keeping the basic format of the Golf tournament is fundamental imo. Otherwise, it's a circus.

Maybe they are trying to tap in to people who suddenly found 20:20 interesting and find a 72 stroke play event dull? Perhaps the regular market is already maxed out and they want to tap into people who are not golf obsessives.

 

[Swango1980]

I'm more thinking of different formats rather than putting windmills and clown heads on the green for them putt through. All they are doing is stroke play golf over 54 holes. I'm thinking proper golf formats not a circus but maybe a tournament of mixed foursomes, a four ball better ball pairs tournament, mixed stroke play etc. I can't see how churning out more men's stroke play golf is going to grow the game. It's simply providing more of what's already on offer and is very unlikely to attract new people to watch or attend.

Give pro's handicaps based on WHS, and play Stableford .

 

[Foxholer]

I'm more thinking of different formats rather than putting windmills and clown heads on the green for them putt through. All they are doing is stroke play golf over 54 holes. I'm thinking proper golf formats not a circus but maybe a tournament of mixed foursomes, a four ball better ball pairs tournament, mixed stroke play etc. I can't see how churning out more men's stroke play golf is going to grow the game. It's simply providing more of what's already on offer and is very unlikely to attract new people to watch or attend.

I can't see them doing any of that - at least not for the main tournaments. Those formats are likely to deter 'new' spectators/TV audiences rather than attract them! The 'grow the game' phrase is just a faff expression anyway. They'll drop/redefine it soon enough.

 

[Foxholer]

Maybe they are trying to tap in to people who suddenly found 20:20 interesting and find a 72 stroke play event dull? Perhaps the regular market is already maxed out and they want to tap into people who are not golf obsessives.

No. They are trying to gain legitimacy by throwing money at sport. No different to any commercial (sponsorship) exercise. Though this time, for new product/endevour.

 

[Bdill93]

No. They are trying to gain legitimacy by throwing money at sport. No different to any commercial (sponsorship) exercise. Though this time, for new product/endevour.

I agree to an extent.. but they are trying to do something different to just another 4 days of 18 holes stroke play.

I dont know viewing figures, Im no expert at all, but really who is watching the Thursday and Friday of your average PGA tour event? Me and my friends certainly dont.

I also like the concept of "team play" - how that comes into play, I dont know. But I think it would be a cool concept to have team Taylormade going down the stretch 3 points behind team Callaway and pulling back the win on the 18th - Gives players who are out of the individual competition something to play for thats still entertaining for fans.

Saudi/ Emirate money in sport is sadly going nowhere. To name a few examples:

Newcastle United
Man City
PSG
F1
Boxing
They're in Golf already too... The European tour/ DP World Tour

Not to say I agree with it, but theres no denying that theyre taking over slowly.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

No. They are trying to gain legitimacy by throwing money at sport. No different to any commercial (sponsorship) exercise. Though this time, for new product/endevour.

I don't dispute that but I was replying to the point about having to keep the format the same. They don't, they want to attract new people or people who are half interested. I am not saying that is their sole purpose, it absolutely is not, but altering the format may well interest people in the same way 20:20 has or the mini race for qualifying in F1 (I don't watch F1 but I think that happens on occasions now)

 

[Foxholer]

...
I also like the concept of "team play" - how that comes into play, I dont know. But I think it would be a cool concept to have team Taylormade going down the stretch 3 points behind team Callaway and pulling back the win on the 18th - Gives players who are out of the individual competition something to play for thats still entertaining for fans.
...

The only 'team' format I can imagine is one within the main singles comp. Where, say, 4 players make up a team and lowest total of the sum wins. Still basically strokeplay, but gives even those out of rankings (but still with a huge payday) something else to play for.
As I've posted before, the 'growing the game' is just faff to provide some legitimacy!

 

[Mel Smooth]

There’s plenty of info on how the team element will work on the LIV website

Essentially it’s 12 teams of 4 players picked from a draft. 2 best scores to count on days 1 and 2
3 scores to count on day three.
So you’ll have 48 players out on the course all at the same time, which will culminate in them all finishing around the same time. its going to be totally different as a team with an easy finishing run of holes could move rapidly up the order - something you don’t get in conventional tournament format.
A bit like watching Steve Redgrave and chums in the Olympics, one team will edge in front, then drop back while others are having a good run.

 

[Foxholer]

...
Saudi/ Emirate money in sport is sadly going nowhere. To name a few examples:
...

It would be a mistake to bundle Saudi Arabia and UAE together for many/most areas.

 

[Bdill93]

It would be a mistake to bundle Saudi Arabia and UAE together for many/most areas.

LOL

https://www.amnesty.org/en/location...IRATES 2021,to health was partially fulfilled.

 

[woofers]

A bit like watching Steve Redgrave and chums in the Olympics, one team will edge in front, then drop back while others are having a good run.

Not quite, with Steve Redgrave and chums all the action is in front of you, you can actually see who’s in front and dropping back etc.
Whereas the shotgun start element of the golf event probably means the only way to ‘see’ who’s in front and dropping back will be via screens / leaderboards around the course, or an App?
My experience of shotgun starts is that you never know who’s won until all the cards are returned. I really can’t see the benefit of a shotgun start.

 

[Mel Smooth]

Not quite, with Steve Redgrave and chums all the action is in front of you, you can actually see who’s in front and dropping back etc.
Whereas the shotgun start element of the golf event probably means the only way to ‘see’ who’s in front and dropping back will be via screens / leaderboards around the course, or an App?
My experience of shotgun starts is that you never know who’s won until all the cards are returned. I really can’t see the benefit of a shotgun start.

You mean like the great big leaderboards that they’ve used for donkeys years at golf tourneys?I’m sure for those in attendance, will be kept updated of the scores, but for people watching via television etc, the shotgun start will add to the climax / interest imo.