What do you think of full pro-am tournaments?

BubbaP

BubbaP

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Pebble beach in progress at the moment. We normally have Dunhill.

Thoughts?

Worth a space in the schedule? Unwelcome, who wants to watch 'celebs' and rich execs play?

Some will already have seen Tony Covey have a Stateside rant.


Oh and will Phil win?
 
We have recently cancelled Sky and I must admit to some "withdrawal symptoms" over the loss of golf coverage.

However, I sure as hell won't miss the AT&T or Dunhill. I really have no interest in watching so called celebrities getting in the way of coverage of the pros'.

Rather like the dreaded Trilby Tour in that I can see that sort of hacking about every week at the Club.
 
A lot of the money goes to charity and does allow the pros to show a more natural side

If they are ok with them then can't see any reason why they would need to get rid of them
 
As season openers or closers, they're entertaining enough. And it's not as though the season is full of them. Probably a good advertisement for the game to some who might be mildly interested in golf.
 
I've been to the dunhill links for the last 4 years. The celebs are not for me, but the girlfriend enjoys it more that way. She has the chance to see some celebs and get a few pictures and what not. I get to watch some golf. Certainly I don't get to watch as much golf as say wentworth, but it's a trade I'm happy to make.

Also it's a good way to introduce new people to golf. The amount of people I've seen at the dunhill that are clearly there only for the celebs maybe some of them like the look of it and get into it.
 
Liverpoolphil said:
A lot of the money goes to charity and does allow the pros to show a more natural side

If they are ok with them then can't see any reason why they would need to get rid of them
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I am not suggesting they should be scrapped, each to their own and all that, it's just that they don't do it for me.
 
Can't be bothered with the AT&T, but always watch the Dunhill, mainly because of the courses; the Old Course, Carnoustie and Kingsbarns are a cut above Pebble, Spyglass and Monterey in my mind.
 
They generate more interest in the public for the game so I am all for it and theres all the charity work as already pointed out.
Its think its good for the game personally. I enjoy watching a few celebs hack round every now and then.
 
I think it gets in the way of a 'proper' tourney but that said, it does commercialise the game and open it up to a wider reaching audience.

I understand how the pros feel though having played many a round with Lincoln Quaker :D
 
It's only a handful of events so I don't have any problem with it. Something a bit different now and again does no harm.

And if I had the cash I would jump at the chance of playing in one with a tour player.
 
I don't mind the premise of them what bugs me is that the comps on the Euro and PGA tours are on some of the best courses they'll play all year on either tour.

Some of the (relative) goat tracks that tour events are played on and we've got pro-ams round Pebble Beach/Spyglass and The Old Course/Kingsbarns/Carnoustie is a shame IMO.

I'd far prefer to see pro events on these courses rather than Hugh Grant or Justin Trousernsnake chomp it round.
 
As a golf nut I think they fit in well and offer something a little bit different

Like every sport some fans will watch any golf while others will only watch the guys who are the best in the world in the top tournaments
I've a mate that'll watch any televised football game while plenty others will only watch a 'top 4' or even just their own team play. TV golf's no different to that
 
Not for me, im not an avid watcher of golf other than the tours & majors, I can see how it might appeal to some and it does some good work for charities but other than that, I wouldn't give it a second look.
 
Being just round the corner (same state) I've no more inclination to head up and watch than I have to watch on TV. Then again I won't be going next week either, and that really is just round the corner!

I think the TV coverage does its best to provide tournament coverage with a flavour of the am side rather than full blown pro am coverage but I'm increasingly finding that the majors, FedEx and race to Dubai marketing have been so successful that I'm only tuning into those events, and even then it's later events and final rounds too.

Am I alone in this?
 
duncan mackie said:
Being just round the corner (same state) I've no more inclination to head up and watch than I have to watch on TV. Then again I won't be going next week either, and that really is just round the corner!

I think the TV coverage does its best to provide tournament coverage with a flavour of the am side rather than full blown pro am coverage but I'm increasingly finding that the majors, FedEx and race to Dubai marketing have been so successful that I'm only tuning into those events, and even then it's later events and final rounds too.

Am I alone in this?
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Fans come in all shapes and sizes with levels of interest that'll ebb and flow.

I think even most of those who say they're not interested in pro am's etc would soon tune into the Dunhill if the Pro from their course was playing or if their fav celeb was in it or if the event was being held at their home course

Everyone has their hook, some just need a more personal hook than others
 
Slab said:
Fans come in all shapes and sizes with levels of interest that'll ebb and flow.

I think even most of those who say they're not interested in pro am's etc would soon tune into the Dunhill if the Pro from their course was playing or if their fav celeb was in it or if the event was being held at their home course

Everyone has their hook, some just need a more personal hook than others
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I can go with this, I've watched a lot more coverage just lately when Andy Sullivan has been playing as he's very local to me, I can probably say I wouldn't have watched some of the days all the way through without his involvement, so yes, we all have different hooks.
 
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