Hello BATCADDY Community! In this week's Walk-A-Round, we take a look at LIV Golf; The new golf tour that's stirring the pot. And we ask, What Say You? Are you for LIV Golf, and what it's bringing to professional golf, or not? We see player's like Bryson DeChambeau, Phil Mickelson, and Graeme McDowell embracing this new format, highlighted by team play, no cuts, shotgun starts, and 54 holes of golf, with team and individual prize purses. On the flip side, 4-time major champion, Rory McIlroy, currently appears to be committed to the PGA Tour, and Tiger Woods turned down, what some say was, a billion dollar offer! That's massive.
At BATCADDY we've been having this debate from both a player and spectator perspective. It's interesting when we take into consideration who we are as a brand and the product we provide. We pay homage to, and are passionate about, walking golf, while on the flip side continuously evolving our product from a technology standpoint. As one colleague said, "We're built on heritage, but always looking towards the future."
"We're built on heritage, but always looking towards the future."
And now we look at the LIV Tour and the PGA Tour. They both share a common thread in which the essence of the game remains intact. However, one looks towards bringing change to the format in which one competes, and with much larger prize purses, which we cannot ignore. For those who embrace LIV Golf, are they turning their back on tradition? For those who deny it, are they challenging progression? It's a topic that strikes conversation in the office, on the golf course, and at home. So, as we approach the 2nd of eight events, LIV Portland, June 30-July 2, at Pumpkin Ridge, we ask, What Say You?
There's change happening all around us, and it appears professional golf is experiencing it as well. Let's strike a healthy conversation amongst our BATCADDY Community and friends. Share your opinion, we would love to hear it!
11 comments
You don’t think it’s good for golf how about the PGA making all the changes since the LIV came about. More money changing some of the formats you think Jay M would have done anything without being forced. I don’t like their abuse of human rights but we all are consumers of their products. If I was a top college golfer and they offered me guaranteed life changing money vs maybe never even making the PGA tour I would probably take it. Realize if the LIV folds down the road these players after a year would be able to qualify for the tour again.
Great for golf…let everyone play PGA, LIV,USGA,LPGA…more golf , more interest, more new people come to the game. Good for all.
Well Member Guest tournaments have made it to new heights. Let’s see shotgun starts, three days of play, team events, if they have open bars and keg stops it would be perfect. Purely a joke, billionaires giving millionaires money to play golf for 24 rounds this year…really. Yes it all about growing something, but it’s not golf. Shame on Greg Norman, still can’t win the big ones.
I hope the players who joined LIV use some of their blood money for good causes, but I doubt it. Their decision is totally selfish, and violates all that the game of golf is supposed to value…Respect, integrity and honesty. They’ll get paid, but they have lost the respect of most of the golfing community. Hopefully their careers and legacy will lack credibility and will become old news. I vote for a permanent ban and at least 10 waiting period for someone who wants back in the PGA
I’m boycotting all LIV advertisers and any company that sponsors a LIV golfer. Don’t support the Saudi and Trump effort to ruin golf. Go PGA.
Well it is a money thing for sure, I don’t see how it grows the game by paying players appearance money or for players to get paid no matter how poorly they perform. In my opinion LIV needs to morph into an organization that is going to benefit local charities and provides instruction opportunities for the youth similar to the other professional golf organizations. Right now the players on the LIV tour are the big winners and everyone else is being left behind. So hopefully they change in a fairly short order to become a tour that is focused on the game itself instead of being focused on who they have playing the game right now. I am hopeful they can change but they are a billion dollars plus into this thing and admitting you spent a billion on something that has to change to really be useful to the game of golf will be difficult.
You cannot spell EVIL without the letters LIV. I will never watch this overhyped skins match. No cut, guarantee money, shot gun start. Also what happens to players 44-48 when better players sign to play. They are dropped that is what happens. This may take a while to play out.
Bad for golf as we know it. Maybe the end of golf as we know it. Lost a lot of respect for those who have chosen to leave the PGA. Spoiled kids “take the ball and go home”! Too much history and legacies to abandon.
Well to me it is all about money and the need for more of it. It is like pro and now college football no team sprit only about me and how much money I can make. I think it is good for amateur golf and will turn us old golfers away from the professional game. As for me it is the separation of the rich from all others and it is just greed that runs all of the professional sports.
I am afraid that LIV Golf is not a good thing for golf. If it succeeds at wildly successful level, it will destroy the PGA Tour. Loss of ratings will drive sponsor’s away and the game will suffer. This will include participation, tours and equipment companies. If it is moderately successful, it will result in a split audience for the game. I will end up like boxing and Indy racing – a sport in a schism that lost its identity. If it fails, the game will prosper and move forward. LIV does not provide a home for players who believe in the history and glory of the game. It provides a home currently for people who don’t really feel they can compete on the PGA Tour.
BAD FOR GOLF