Toms Steps Up
Courtesy: Golf.com
There's a good story over at PGATour.com written by John Maginnes.
It deals with the current economic situation (or, as I call it, depression) that is settling in upon all of us.
Tour veteran David Toms says simply it's time for the players to step up and help the tournament sponsors by playing more tournaments.
What welcome words they must sound to corporations that are re-considering their future with the PGA Tour.
Too bad they didn't come out of the mouth of Phil Mickelson, for example.
Mickelson didn’t comment because he was too busy eating. dg
Ouch. I have forwarded your comment to Mickelson’s legal representatives. No doubt you will be hearing from them soon…
This just solidifies my contention that the tour needs to fundamentally change the way it is organized. Create a 6 month season, with a 6-week pre-season beginning in January that allows players to make cash and get ready for the real deal. Tally points during 6 month tournament season, and move the U.S. Open to the end of the season to serve as the Championship match. Make the point total system such that players will have to participate in a very high percentage of tournaments to qualify for the final, then make the purse for the U.S. Open insanely high to ensure everyone gets a decent cut (an increased motivator). If you want players to play more, you’ve got to give them proper incentive to give it there all — which will in turn make the entire golf season more compelling.
After the season is over in September, no more major sponsor tournaments. None. Cut it off, make people want it. You’ve got to end with a bang and then cut it off. Less is better (see NFL). It’s supply and demand. You reduce the number of tournaments, you increase the demand for them.
Do ya think a certain player was the focus of this point? Maybe a guy by the name of Tiger?
That’s certainly possible, Tony. But you could also include a number of others, perhaps chief among them the Euro Tour lads who play both sides of the ocean: Sergio, Ernie and others. But Toms might have had Tiger in mind. Who knows?