PGA Tour Creates $40 Million Player Impact Program (PIP)

[Vinsk]

18 minutes ago, Pretzel said:

PGA players already engage in a popularity contest, because the more popular you are the more you earn from sponsorships - regardless of on-course performance.

Well....except the GOAT, Tiger. Tiger was hardly an engaging public figure who cheered the lives of many on social media. He was the most popular player ( still is) based on 99% of his on course performance.

[mohearn]

Makes me wonder who the top 10 are:

 

1. Hideki (based on international/Japan popularity)
2. Phil
3. Poulter 
4. Fleetwood
5. Spieth
6. Bryson
7. Patrick Reed
8. Stewart Cink
9. Matt Kuchar
10. Morikawa

*Tiger (Hmm... i wonder if a player has to be active to collect?)

 

[Vinsk]

29 minutes ago, mohearn said:

Makes me wonder who the top 10 are:

 

1. Hideki (based on international/Japan popularity)
2. Phil
3. Poulter 
4. Fleetwood
5. Spieth
6. Bryson
7. Patrick Reed
8. Stewart Cink
9. Matt Kuchar
10. Morikawa

*Tiger (Hmm... i wonder if a player has to be active to collect?)

 

You put Kuchar above Fowler?

[mohearn]

14 minutes ago, Vinsk said:

You put Kuchar above Fowler?

Based only on crowd always cheering "koooch.."  Maybe missing big name Korean based on size of korean market?  Reagardless, there are gong to be some big names left off whatever the final list turns out to be.

And DJ? I mean he is awesome, but so laid back I wonder if he makes the list.

[ScouseJohnny]

2 hours ago, Vinsk said:

Well....except the GOAT, Tiger. Tiger was hardly an engaging public figure who cheered the lives of many on social media. He was the most popular player ( still is) based on 99% of his on course performance.

Proof that people like a steely-eyed winner. If you can pull that off, everything else is incidental or non-consequential.

The closest to him I can think of, in other sports, would be Schumacher the Formula 1 driver, or (more or less unknown outside the UK) Hendry the snooker player. Of similar eras. All they did was win - constantly and relentlessly; they were never there to make friends.

Edited April 21, 2021 by ScouseJohnny

[SG11118]

20 hours ago, SG11118 said:

Seems a little silly to be paying the "self-promoters" even more.  But I guess they have decided it is in their best interest to do so.  Hopefully, it will also mean that the big name stars play in more tournaments.  Perhaps they are just trying to get all the PGA tour members to be more promoting of the game of golf? 

I do kind of like that the old "big name" golfers can no longer keep their card in perpetuity based on decades old achievements and there is more room for up and coming golfers to play on tour.

To add to my comments:

The PGA Tour does already award the "big name" golfers with invitations to the no cut CJ Cup, no cut Zozo and 5 minimal cut invitational tournaments.  Doing well in these events helps the player get a leg up for qualifying for no cut WGC events and the Fed Ex Cup Playoffs.  Even with this, many of the "big name" guys choose to opt out of some of these events.  

I guess I am ok with this bonus if the tour feels they need to do it to keep their "big names" happy.  Tough to feel sorry for these guys though when the tour gives them other opportunities for free money that they decline to take.

[overfade]

I get the reality of this and why they’re doing it, but I don’t have to like it personally.  I’m the old guy that grew up when “grand standing” and “show boating” self promotion was not looked upon as a positive thing.  The whole “get off my lawn” to a tee, so to speak.
 

I don’t care how much money these guys make, especially not compared to other sports.  The top players on tour already live in a fantasy land.  
 

I think, for me, it comes down to just another case in this world of rewarding shallowness over substance.  Yes, I should have been born in the 20’s and not the 60’s. 

[phan52]

I would be disappointed if the top players took the Saudi money in the PGL. Don't they make enough money as it is? I can't help feeling that Phil Mickelson is a driver of this because he is all about the money. But I understand the Tour needing to step up and give the top players a bump. A weekend with Dustin Johnson all over the telecast vs. someone like Brendan Steele or even a major winner like Keegan Bradley is worth a lot to the Tour and their sponsors, and the top guys should be compensated for that. Rory got his act together today and should be in the mix for the weekend, which I am sure makes the TV people and the sponsors happy. I know I will be checking in to see what he is doing.

I remember marshalling a tournament about ten years ago and Rickie Fowler, who hadn't won anything, was paired with Steve Elkington, a ten time Tour winner including a Major. Steve got a golf clap when introduced on the first tee and Rickie got a huge reception. I didn't get it but some guys just move the needle. I guess they should reap some reward.

[Vinsk]

1 hour ago, phan52 said:

Steve Elkington, a ten time Tour winner including a Major. Steve got a golf clap when introduced on the first tee and Rickie got a huge reception.

Could also be that Elkington is an ass-hat.

[Carl3]

If popularity is the driver, perhaps they can get some diversity on the PGA Tour:

One of the reasons I like golf over sports like gymnastics, diving, and figure skating is that success is based on performance and not some subjective aesthetic or style points.

I rather the sport not go there. I would rather see $40M go to struggling golfers.

Edited May 7, 2021 by Carl3

[boogielicious]

1 hour ago, Vinsk said:

Could also be that Elkington is an ass-hat.

Is there a more diagnostic term for that condition?

[Double Mocha Man]

38 minutes ago, Carl3 said:

...perhaps they can get some diversity on the PGA Tour:

There is diversity there... but it correlates to talent.  Remember, the best golfers earn their way onto the tour.  You just can't say Jamaicans are under-represented and put a couple of them on tour.  By the same token nobody in my neighborhood is on tour.  It's a travesty.  I'll volunteer.

And you mentioned you like golf over sports like gymnastics, diving, and figure skating, not some subjective aesthetic or style points.  If the PGA Tour was the latter then Adam Scott would win every tournament.

[iacas]

3 hours ago, phan52 said:

Don't they make enough money as it is?

No.

[Slim_Pivot]

3 hours ago, Vinsk said:

Could also be that Elkington is an ass-hat.

I always thought of Elk as a blustery, hard headed Australian.  I didn’t think he was so bad

[iacas]

 

[iacas]

Tiger wins!

No word yet on whether this moves him to 83 and one ahead of Sam Snead or not.</s>

Some other notes:

 

 

[mohearn]

A few pro's  mentioning on social media that Tiger didn't play, which I get I guess. Everybody of course recognizing what he's done for the game.

I'd be curious to se who was in positions 11-20, just for the heck of it.

If I asked my non-golfing spouse for a list of top 10, It'd be very close to the PIP list, maybe add Fowler, drop Rahm. Cantlay or Morikawa, perhaps. (Not saying it's right!)

 

Not saying I agree, but the non-golfing public is 2 or 3 years behind the curve.

 

[DeadMan]