Compleat Golfer’s playing editor this month offers invaluable insight into behind-the-scenes developments.
It’s almost eight months later and we’re still waiting for any announcement with regard to the PGA Tour, DP World Tour and LIV Golf’s ‘behind closed doors’ conversations. Which begs the question: what is going on?
Over the past few years one of the most frequent questions I’m asked is, ‘What’s your opinion on LIV Golf?’ I’ve always been consistent in my answer and my view hasn’t differed from day one. Simply put, I think it’s good for the greater landscape of golf. Seeing the likes of Dean Burmester really hit his stride and competing with the world’s best while also playing LIV shows the validity of the Tour.
There’s also two chances of LIV Golf disappearing anytime soon. They’re between slim and none and slim is out of town. Especially since last year where the PGA Tour and DP World Tour did a complete 180-degree turn with regard to the treatment of LIV players. At that time, it seemed all parties were starting to find common ground. Why, then, the subsequent delay in communication?
Personally, I haven’t got any insider knowledge, I know absolutely nothing about it. But it has got me thinking … namely: where do I see golf going in the future?
There’s a sense that the current economic trajectory with regard to tournament prize funds is unsustainable, with which I somewhat agree. But I could see the professional golfing landscape looking entirely different by, let’s say 2030.
Now more than ever I could see the possibility of a ‘World Tour’ forming, which would consist of different tiers. Much like professional motorsport, where there’s a Formula One, Formula Two, etc. Where the top 100 players in the world would be on the ‘World Tour One’, the next on ‘World Tour Two’ and so on. With the top players playing for, let’s say $20-million a week, the next playing for $10-million.
The only problem with this, that I can see, is that fewer professional golfers will benefit from this kind of structure. Since each major Tour consists of approximately 170 members, and it’s unlikely that there will be seven or eight Tours within the ‘World Tour’, some guys will be left behind.
Now this concept, although given a hypothetical name, isn’t revolutionary. The current golfing landscape does have a hierarchy within it, the PGA Tour being the pinnacle. So is it that hard to see the formation of the ‘World Tour’?
Who knows, maybe these are the conversations taking place behind those closed doors. From a personal standpoint I would obviously like some clarity and communication in this regard. But I can only imagine the complexity of those conversations so I do understand.
At the end of the day I just want to see the game of golf continue to grow. The more it grows, the more people who play golf, the more clubs and balls manufacturers sell, the better for everyone in the industry. So let’s wait, in great anticipation, for what comes out of those meetings.
But I have to admit, the future of this game makes me excited.
– This column first appeared in the September 2024 issue of Compleat Golfer magazine.
Photo: Charles Laberge/LIV Golf
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