LIV Golf

[Mel Smooth]

Why do you just ignore most parts of peoples posts ?

“Have to keep watching” ? Is that code for that you/they don’t have a clue

Are entry fees not part and parcel of the game below the tours ? How else do they get funding ?

You pay to enter pro ams , junior tours etc.

What is LIV Tour pathway ? You’re critical of the other tours but how does someone qualify to play on the LIV tour ?

I'd imagine the pathway plan to the LIV tour may well involve the planned expansion of the Asian Tours, and the tours that feed that - which have been expanded as part of the investment from the Saudis I beleive.
They've already given plenty of opportunities to young players, so clearly are assesing young global talent. What was the pathway for Eugenio Chacarra - he performed well as an Amateur and got an offer from LIV, so anybody else that wants to get into the LIV series will know that's a possibility.

 

[Barking_Mad]

Well Stenson being poached is proof enough (of true) that they aren't interested in growing the game. It's about wrecking it.

People should be embarrassed backing this pile of crap.

 

[Mel Smooth]

David Feherty has joined as part of the broadcast team. Can't say I know much about him but seems like a good addition for them.

 

[Barking_Mad]

David Feherty has joined as part of the broadcast team. Can't say I know much about him but seems like a good addition for them.

*rolls eyes*

 

[Crow]

Stenson seems to be on his way and many appear to be shocked that he'd throw away the captaincy of the Ryder Cup to join LIV.

I'd say that all professional golf is now purely about the money, and you could argue that it always has been but today money drives everything, even the amateur game.

The Ryder Cup is portrayed as the great match where no player gets paid but in reality they're all already millionaires and it's just a big money making machine for the European & US Associations (I'd write which associations but I don't know which and am neither interested nor can be bothered to find out).
It's been on pay-to-view TV for several years now to make even more money and hence I've not watched it for a long time and don't particularly care about who captains it and with each year I'm less interested in who even wins it too.

Golf has changed, some think for the better, some not, some sit on the fence, but it's changed.

Over the weekend people have been saying that The Open at St Andrews wasn't overpowered by modern technology and the money that drives it and that, whatever the score, the golf was good; it's modern golf. Although I dislike it, I have to admit that this is modern golf and it's here to stay.
The R&A and USGA might talk about bringing distance back (whether they're serious or just paying lip service I don't know) but they won't be able to beat the money that now rules golf.

At the same event there were many posts decrying the shouting of inanities such as "Mashed Potato" etc, but that's a part of modern golf too, along with the pantomime that is the 16th at Phoenix, and professionals chugging beer at the Ryder Cup.

Yes, I might be an old man shouting at clouds, but for me modern golf is not as interesting as it was thirty or forty years ago.


The way that LIV has been greeted by the established tours threatens to tear professional golf apart, but is that necessarily a bad thing for us club players?

Something will emerge and it might be a whole lot better than what went before, it might also be rubbish but as someone who doesn't get the opportunity to watch much Pro golf I don't really care.

(Just to be clear, these are my opinions, not facts)

 

[Deleted member 15344]

I'd imagine the pathway plan to the LIV tour may well involve the planned expansion of the Asian Tours, and the tours that feed that - which have been expanded as part of the investment from the Saudis I beleive.

Is that the pathway ? So they are spending millions on players to appear in their events but would be ok to remove some of those to allow “qualifiers” from the Asia Tour to play instead ?

How will that work out with the players that have move tours ?

They've already given plenty of opportunities to young players, so clearly are assesing young global talent. What was the pathway for Eugenio Chacarra - he performed well as an Amateur and got an offer from LIV, so anybody else that wants to get into the LIV series will know that's a possibility.

He was still in college wasn’t he and was given opportunities on the PGA tour and had the same opportunity that the likes of Scheffler , Hovland , Rahm etc have followed from the US College system. He was paid to jump over all that to get instant money on the LIV tour. The lad was offered the chance to earn money quickly not to build a career.

It’s not like it’s a route - it’s all still invites and closed shop though isn’t it ?

Right now it’s a closed shop rich exhibition and that’s what the events are until something significant changes to the tour.

Trump backing LIV. Class. ?

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/poli...y-for-saudi-backed-tour/ar-AAZHLxX?li=BBnbfcL

It’s no surprise - most of the events are on his courses and he prob isn’t pleased that the R&A and other governing bodies took established events away from his courses

 

[Barking_Mad]

Trump backing LIV. Class. ?

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/poli...y-for-saudi-backed-tour/ar-AAZHLxX?li=BBnbfcL

 

[Mel Smooth]

Is that the pathway ? So they are spending millions on players to appear in their events but would be ok to remove some of those to allow “qualifiers” from the Asia Tour to play instead ?

How will that work out with the players that have move tours ?



He was still in college wasn’t he and was given opportunities on the PGA tour and had the same opportunity that the likes of Scheffler , Hovland , Rahm etc have followed from the US College system. He was paid to jump over all that to get instant money on the LIV tour. The lad was offered the chance to earn money quickly not to build a career.

It’s not like it’s a route - it’s all still invites and closed shop though isn’t it ?

Right now it’s a closed shop rich exhibition and that’s what the events are until something significant changes to the tour.

It's 2 events old Phil, I've no idea what the pathway is, but depending on the growing success of the series, I'm pretty sure they'll have several different plans in place... Asian Tour could play the supporting role, LIV feeder series based around the world? Who knows...

I know this though, the series will dominate golf media for pretty much the rest of the year.

 

[Imurg]

Trump backing LIV. Class. ?

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/poli...y-for-saudi-backed-tour/ar-AAZHLxX?li=BBnbfcL

In my opinion.....says everything you need to know.

 

[Barking_Mad]

Word is they're all going to turn up en masse at an Asian Tour event to bump up the ranking points.

 

[Reemul]

In my opinion.....says everything you need to know.

So if he backed the PGA Tour would you think the same or does it just fit the narrative you are after.

If some thoroughly decent and nice chap supports it does that override it or not?

It's just so lame out there at the moment. Ooh look he's a moron and supports it, that makes it rubbish, oh well he is also a moron and supports the other side, ooh does that make both sides moronic.

It's like my 10 year old arguing with his 10 year old mates, mines better than yours, no mine is, your mate is smelly, is not, yours is dirty.

Does no one read their posts and think what I am saying and the way I am behaving think, this is pathetic............

It's like the posters are behaving worse than the golfers and using it to defend their choice..............

 

[Ethan]

Trump backing LIV. Class. ?

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/poli...y-for-saudi-backed-tour/ar-AAZHLxX?li=BBnbfcL

Trump has a chip on his shoulder at the PGA Tour for switching the WGC event away from Doral to Mexico a few years ago.

2 events at Trump courses, Bedminster and Doral.

He may also have a french fry on his other shoulder at the R&A who made it clear The Open is not going to Turnberry while he owns it.

He also has the moral and ethical flexibility that LIV golf appreciate.

 

[Imurg]

So if he backed the PGA Tour would you think the same or does it just fit the narrative you are after.

If some thoroughly decent and nice chap supports it does that override it or not?

It's just so lame out there at the moment. Ooh look he's a moron and supports it, that makes it rubbish, oh well he is also a moron and supports the other side, ooh does that make both sides moronic.

It's like my 10 year old arguing with his 10 year old mates, mines better than yours, no mine is, your mate is smelly, is not, yours is dirty.

Does no one read their posts and think what I am saying and the way I am behaving think, this is pathetic............

It's like the posters are behaving worse than the golfers and using it to defend their choice..............

If Trump supported anything else I'd have the same view..
Are we not allowed opinions anymore?

 

[timd77]

I went on holiday a week ago, we were on 185 pages, had a little bet with myself and predicted we’d be up to 215 by the time I go back, disappointed to see you’ve only got to 203 pages! Currently at Rhodes airport, you’ve got about 6 hours to clock some more pages up!

 

[Dando]

Didn’t know they had a forum, I’ll have to consult with my manager,

How many pink castle tees are they offering you to join?

 

[Oddsocks]

How many pink castle tees are they offering you to join?

You could not comprehend the package, they have even thrown in a snickers and a can of Dr Pepper!

 

[Mel Smooth]

I went on holiday a week ago, we were on 185 pages, had a little bet with myself and predicted we’d be up to 215 by the time I go back, disappointed to see you’ve only got to 203 pages! Currently at Rhodes airport, you’ve got about 6 hours to clock some more pages up!

I'll DM Greg and tell him to make some announcements to spice things up a little.

 

[RRidges]

Oh there's loads of questions but give it time and I'm sure they'll be answered (one way or another). They've hosted 2 events so far, its not like this has been the case for 10 years - things can change in a second because its privately owned.

I suspect - although obviously just making spitball guesses here - that the LIV tour are doing their best to get OGWR points. That would be the single biggest game changer in this debate.

Without them its hard to put "qualifying criteria" out there - but I have no doubt they're working on it. If they fail, I suspect in time that the whole LIV tour will fail - but money talks doesn't it...

Agreed!
That's why they are 'buying' a Tour that already has access to OWGR points.

 

[BubbaP]

So can you not see the issues ?

Golf has had plenty of image issues over the years in regards snobbery , lack of inclusivity, closed shop , rich man’s game , doesn’t appeal to grass roots etc

So LIV Tour is

Invite only
Players playing just for the money
Closed shop

Where as I thought that the whole idea of LIV tour was - growing the game , opening it up to the masses , inclusivity

So is it not showing all the worst things about Golf ?

Lots of work are being done by various tours in regards pathways for careers and building the sport at grassroots levels

The PGA and DP are far from perfect and many have been critical about both tours - but at least there is a known pathway

LIv have taken plenty that are neither big name or upcoming talent but are happy to take a big load of money .

What’s the vision 5 years down the line ? How many play in each event - what happens to those “discarded” as you say ? Will it always be a closed shop invite only ?

Personally I'm not a fan of invite things, and would agree clear criteria is best in all cases.
But I'm also realistic, it does look like (unsurprisingly) the established business entities were not wishing to welcome liv, so the likely only choice was to become a disruptor. The current 'invite only' is largely 'who can be pursuaded to gamble on playing'.
I agree some kind of roadmap would likely help their cause. In reality though so much of that is out of their control currently (which players gamble, how other tours react, rankings decisions, major qual decisions). I have the feeling at the moment there is a large amount of 'playing it by ear' as things unfold.

It is easy to find fault, but do you have any suggestions to what they should be doing?
I wondered about a 'feeder liv' something, but that would probably antagonise the existing tours even more. Tricky. But ultimately not something that affects me when I tee it up on a weekend.

 

[RRidges]

I went on holiday a week ago, we were on 185 pages, had a little bet with myself and predicted we’d be up to 215 by the time I go back, disappointed to see you’ve only got to 203 pages! Currently at Rhodes airport, you’ve got about 6 hours to clock some more pages up!

You didn't allow for the 3 or 4 days of 'holiday' that Mel had (or was told to have) a break from this thread, while The Open was on. You'd have seriously underestimated otherwise!