Greetings Golfers,

So next Friday – a week from today – Tiger and Phil will be battling it out in what is being hyped as “The Match”.

Next Friday is also called “Black Friday” … the biggest shopping day of the year.

Though I’ll probably be staying home (I definitely won’t be out shopping) I’m not sure I’m going to partake of “The Match”. The more I’ve read about it, the less I want to watch it. I guess they’ll be doing stuff like giving odds on the shots (?) … and Phil and Tiger will be even “challenging” each other during the round with side-bets.

I get it. They want it to seem like a match between “the boys”. Supposedly Tiger and Phil have been working on one-liners because they’ll be mic-ed up for the “trash-talking” that is supposed to be a big part of the entertainment.

It probably won’t be worse than those Skins Games … which I used to watch after Thanksgiving … but at least they weren’t on Pay-Per-View.

Since I’ve got your attention about televised golf … let’s talk about the PGA TOUR. The 2019 season has already started. It started a week after the Ryder Cup. All sports have stretched their seasons – but this is ridiculous.

Here’s my vision:

Start the season in January at the Phoenix Open. It’s a crazy event – sort of like the Ryder Cup. Would be a fun way to jump start the new year. Then go on the normal West Coast swing, finishing up with the big ProAm event at Pebble Beach. After that, head east to Florida, and then to Augusta for the Masters. The Majors are still the main events in golf – no matter what the TOUR tries to do. Don’t fight it – maximize it. The PGA Championship should not be moved to May. The Players Championship is great and like a 5th Major – keep that in May. Then during the Summer, work around the US Open and the British Open. That’s what matters. Then end the season in September. Not with the FedEx Cup. No one cares. The season ending tournament should cap off the year with a champion. The PGA Championship used to be match-play. It should be. It would be a great Major if it were the final tournament and crowned a champion who beat the best head-to-head. What a way to end the season. And end it.

Leave the Fall for silliness like “The Match”. They used to call the off-season the “silly season”. It still is.

Cheers,

Tom Abts

GM and Head Golf Professional

tabts@deerrungolf.com