Who Cares About the Champions Tour?

[colin007]

12 hours ago, NM Golf said:

There are only 5 Americans in the Top 25 in the world.

This could NOT mean less to me. Who cares?

[iacas]

31 minutes ago, colin007 said:

This could NOT mean less to me. Who cares?

Many do.

[Shindig]

There are a handful of players who were in their mid-30s when I began watching golf who are just now qualifying for the Champions Tour.  In theory, I can watch them compete against a field of other players like them.  Jim Furyk and Phil Mickelson are in this set. 

I don't really know my preference order behind the PGA Tour.  There's a Champions Tour event that, most years, is near to where I moved about a year ago.  It wasn't held this year I think.  I do plan to go, and I also have planned several years to go to an LPGA event near my parents.  It hasn't happened.

I guess the answer is, I say I care about CT more than I really do.

[ChetlovesMer]

2 hours ago, boogielicious said:

Bernard Langer is a great player, but I’d rather watch Danielle Kang. For men’s golf, the PGA and Euro Tours and a better show.

I agree with you. I will of course watch the Champions' Tour, but for me its the last on the list. It even ranks below the Korn Ferry Tour, Euros, and college golf. 

 

2 hours ago, iacas said:

You can’t use one Tour’s money list when someone says “in the world” when that sport has a literal world ranking list. It’s five.

And this topic isn’t about the LPGA.

Yep, I goofed that up. He did say "World Rankings" but he mentioned he doesn't watch the LPGA because among other reasons there aren't enough Americans. So, I just glanced at my Yahoo Sports ap on my phone which has the money list for the LPGA. Again, it doesn't matter. If you want more Americans, you want more Americans. 

For me, country of origin makes no difference. 

As it relates to caring about the Champions' Tour, I wonder if the same metric would apply to the Champions' tour in terms of Americans in it. Would it be less interesting for @NM Golf if there were more Bernhard Langers, Ernie Els, Miguel Angel Jimenez, Retief Goosens, Rod Pamplings But there were fewer Scott Parels, Brett Quigleys, Fred Couples and Jim Furyks.

At a cursory glance it looks like about 15 of the top 25 on the Champions Tour are Americans. (I didn't actually count) But if the number dropped to 8 would that be too few? 

If the number went up to 20 or so would that make more folks follow the Champions tour? 

Does an American have to be number 1 for people to care about the Champions Tour? Did all that time with Bernhard Langer as number 1 money winner hurt the tour's interest here in the US? 

[kamaaina1]

I think the tour also serves as an inspiration to us older mid-handicappers that we can still play and enjoy the game.   

[NM Golf]

4 hours ago, ChetlovesMer said:

As it relates to caring about the Champions' Tour, I wonder if the same metric would apply to the Champions' tour in terms of Americans in it. Would it be less interesting for @NM Golf if there were more Bernhard Langers, Ernie Els, Miguel Angel Jimenez, Retief Goosens, Rod Pamplings But there were fewer Scott Parels, Brett Quigleys, Fred Couples and Jim Furyks.

At a cursory glance it looks like about 15 of the top 25 on the Champions Tour are Americans. (I didn't actually count) But if the number dropped to 8 would that be too few? 

If the number went up to 20 or so would that make more folks follow the Champions tour? 

Does an American have to be number 1 for people to care about the Champions Tour? Did all that time with Bernhard Langer as number 1 money winner hurt the tour's interest here in the US? 

The main difference is all those guys you mentioned show some inkling of emotion on the golf course. A large percentage of the LPGA Tour show no emotion. For example, Sung Hyun Park is like watching a robot play golf. The next smile she cracks will be her first. The lack of emotion coupled with the fact they bunt it around a 6200 yard course makes for a bit of a snooze fest.

You mention Scott Parel, thats part of the issue with the Champions Tour. He was a nobody prior to his CT time. The CT needs some star power to make it relevant IMHO. But if I am going to watch people I don't know or care about I would at least like them to be playing interesting golf.

[ChetlovesMer]

5 minutes ago, NM Golf said:

The main difference is all those guys you mentioned show some inkling of emotion on the golf course. A large percentage of the LPGA Tour show no emotion. For example, Sung Hyun Park is like watching a robot play golf. The next smile she cracks will be her first. The lack of emotion coupled with the fact they bunt it around a 6200 yard course makes for a bit of a snooze fest.

You mention Scott Parel, thats part of the issue with the Champions Tour. He was a nobody prior to his CT time. The CT needs some star power to make it relevant IMHO. But if I am going to watch people I don't know or care about I would at least like them to be playing interesting golf.

I get it. 

Perhaps Tiger or Phil end up giving a star power boost to the Champions tour? If they can somehow get those two out there in their post-50 years. 

[iacas]

On 8/4/2020 at 10:32 AM, ChetlovesMer said:

At a cursory glance it looks like about 15 of the top 25 on the Champions Tour are Americans. (I didn't actually count) But if the number dropped to 8 would that be too few? 

It's about how well you can relate to the people. Foreign female players who sometimes (not always) don't speak English are tougher to relate to.

[Yukari]

I have zero interest in the Champions Tour.  Heck I don't watch majority of the PGA events either.  I would rather go out and play.

[Onin2]

Fred Couples many years back said the CT should start at 45. Brandle Chamblee says his analysis shows that the door shuts on a tour player at 45, so perhaps Fred had a point. I wish those 50 and over would play the CT more or exclusively.

I think the CT would be more relevant if it followed the PGA and played the same courses. Then if we couldn’t relate to the players, at least we could relate to the course.  

[Papa Steve 55]

I would rather watch college or amature events.

[GolfLug]

I don't hate CT or anything but it's just that there's so much golf on TV and precious little time to watch. 

If PGA or College is on, it's a no contest. CT against LPGA? It's a toss up. Depends on who is playing. Have a few 'favorites' on both.

[Papa Steve 55]

I wonder if Phil and others from the generation playing in more will boost the interest. At first I was very surprised he entered a tourney, but when he failed to qualify for Fed X it makes more sense than anything else out there.

[Vinsk]

30 minutes ago, Papa Steve 55 said:

I wonder if Phil and others from the generation playing in more will boost the interest. At first I was very surprised he entered a tourney, but when he failed to qualify for Fed X it makes more sense than anything else out there.

I doubt it. Watching Phil compete against the big guns is mediocre at best. Watching him compete against older, shorter hitting players...sheer boredom.

[ChetlovesMer]

3 minutes ago, Vinsk said:

I doubt it. Watching Phil compete against the big guns is mediocre at best. Watching him compete against older, shorter hitting players...sheer boredom.

I think there's going to be a lot of pressure on Phil. Most of the people I've talked to about it, truly believe Phil will dominate the CT. I think there's high expectations... even if people aren't actually watching, I think they will be following the results and expecting to see Phil winning. ... 

[burr]

I do enjoy watching players closer to my age although I am older than most of them nowaday.

I especially love to watch KennyPerry play. He has cut back drastically but was a factor in this major last weekend. 

[Onin2]

2 hours ago, burr said:

I do enjoy watching players closer to my age although I am older than most of them nowaday.

I especially love to watch KennyPerry play. He has cut back drastically but was a factor in this major last weekend. 

Kenny Perry is a great golfer and a very nice person, but I can not watch him swing. It gets in my head...no....look away. 

[Archie Bunker]

It used to be called the SENIOR TOUR. Changed it to "Champions" to try to make it more exciting sounding to the public. But a lot of these guys playing aren't "champions", and I've followed golf since the 60's. In fact, some of these guys I've never heard of before. I voted no, but I will tune in if I'm in the mood for watching some golf scenery and nothing else is on. Hogan quit when he could no longer compete and I doubt if he'd be playing the "Champions Tour" if it existed back then.