World Tour...

[senorchipotle]

lately, i've been hearing about a "world tour," although it's nothing but rumors and i won't even pretend to speculate on whether such a thing will happen. but if it does, what would happen to the majors? would the masters, us, british, and pga still be played by the best and revered by all? would they create new major venues is south africa, the emirates, bolivia, antarctica?

[uttexas]

We don't have an official world tour, but there are more golfers playing in different countries than ever. It's a nice idea, but it'll only work if the networks, advertising agencies, tour administrators, players, and agents make more money than they do now. The Concord doesn't fly anymore and the players already spend a lot of time away from family. Not many players would be willing to spend more time away. There's only a handful of countries with the economy, courses, infrastructure, and golf stars to support a world tour. My proposed world tour schedule November-South Africa December-Australia January-Hawaii then Arizona February-California March-Florida April-Masters then Texas May-the Carolinas, then the Players, then Memorial June-US Open then the northeast July-Canadian Open then the British Open, then United Kingdom August- World PGA Championship held at Valderrama in Spain, France, Sweden September- Germany then Italy October-Dubai then China

[deasy55]

A World Tour that spends 6 consecutive months in the USA? Damn Americans and their ideas

Originally Posted by uttexas

We don't have an official world tour, but there are more golfers playing in different countries than ever.

It's a nice idea, but it'll only work if the networks, advertising agencies, tour administrators, players, and agents make more money than they do now. The Concord doesn't fly anymore and the players already spend a lot of time away from family. Not many players would be willing to spend more time away. There's only a handful of countries with the economy, courses, infrastructure, and golf stars to support a world tour.

My proposed world tour schedule

November-South Africa

December-Australia

January-Hawaii then Arizona

February-California

March-Florida

April-Masters then Texas

May-the Carolinas, then the Players, then Memorial

June-US Open then the northeast

July-Canadian Open then the British Open, then England

August- World PGA Championship held at Valderrama in Spain, France, Sweden

September- Germany then Italy

October-Dubai then China

[michaeljames92]

Australia in 40*C heat in summer would be fun :)

[uttexas]

Australia in 40*C heat in summer would be fun :)

The initial proposed schedule isn't perfect. Ideally, I'd like more tournaments in Ireland and Scotland, but the weather is consistently good maybe three weeks a year. The United States gets 6 months of tournaments due to its size, infrastructure, number of courses in the world top 100, variations in climate zones, and economy. I've been to Australia in December, and I certainly found the north regions hot (Carnes), but the south east coastal area was rather pleasant, with temperate heat with cooling winds off the ocean. I'd like to add a couple of tournaments for New Zealand so I can view Cape Kidnappers and Kauri Cliffs on the tele once a year.

[jamo]

We don't have an official world tour, but there are more golfers playing in different countries than ever. It's a nice idea, but it'll only work if the networks, advertising agencies, tour administrators, players, and agents make more money than they do now. The Concord doesn't fly anymore and the players already spend a lot of time away from family. Not many players would be willing to spend more time away. There's only a handful of countries with the economy, courses, infrastructure, and golf stars to support a world tour. My proposed world tour schedule November-South Africa December-Australia January-Hawaii then Arizona February-California March-Florida April-Masters then Texas May-the Carolinas, then the Players, then Memorial June-US Open then the northeast July-Canadian Open then the British Open, then England August- World PGA Championship held at Valderrama in Spain, France, Sweden September- Germany then Italy October-Dubai then China

I actually like it. I'd like a little more time in Europe and the middle east though. CA, SA, and AUS probably don't need entire months to themselves. Then again, there are more great courses in CA, SA, and AUS than Europe and the middle east.

[deasy55]

Ignorance is bliss

Originally Posted by jamo

Then again, there are more great courses in CA, SA, and AUS than Europe and the middle east.

[jamo]

Ignorance is bliss

So you are saying Europe (continental Europe, he already included England, and I'm assuming Scotland, North Ireland, Ireland, and Wales, as well, in another month) and the Middle East have more great courses than California, Australia, and South Africa? Let's look at it by the numbers. In [URL=http://courses.golf.com/top-courses-and-resorts/top-100-world-courses-2009.html?No=0&sid;=130F10BCAC15&Ntk;=main&Nr;=AND(P_RankYear:2009)&Nr;=AND(P_RankYear:2009)&Ntx;=mode%20matchallpartial&N;=0&Ns;=P_RankWorld%7c0&Nf;=P_RankWorld|LT%20101&Nf;=P_RankWorld|LT+101&Nty;=1]this Golf.com ranking[/URL], there are 7 courses from California (Cyrpress Point, Pebble Beach, San Francisco GC< Riviera, Olympic Club, Los Angeles CC, and Spyglass Hills), 1 from South Africa (Durban CC), from Australia (Royal Melbourne West, Kingston Heath, New South Wales, Barnbougle Dunes, Royal Adelaide, and Royal Melbourne East), plus 2 from New Zealand (Cape Kidnappers and Kaura Cliffs), where they would likely play during the Australia swing. On that same list, there are just 3 courses from mainland Europe (Morfountaine in France, Valderrama in Spain, and Oitavos Dunes in Portugal). Now, if we look at [URL=http://www.golfdigest.com/golf-courses/golf-courses/2009-05/100greatestinternational_golfcourses?currentPage=2]this GolfDigest.com ranking[/URL] of strictly courses outside of the U.S., Europe is on a bit more equal footing, but 75% of the top European courses on that list (there are 12 of them total) are in the last 15 courses. In that ranking, Australia has 8 courses, New Zealand has 2, and South Africa has 4, most of which are at the top or in the middle of the rankings. The Middle East has 1 course, ranked 97th. (I'll admit, though, I was surprised by the amount Canada has. 11 courses is impressive.) Since I haven't been to every country in the world and can only go on the rankings of other people, this is what I have. And it seems to tell me that California, Australia (with or without New Zealand), and South Africa have more great courses than mainland Europe and the Middle East. Now, If you were including Ireland, Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales in with Europe, Europe might win, but that's not how I took uttexas' schedule to be. I could be wrong, obviously.

[deasy55]

To be honest i'm just going by what i've seen on tv. But it seems to me that the courses in the other parts of Europe and the Middle East are just as good if not better and more varied than the places you mentioned. I'm also just going by what i've seen on tv (like yourself). I apologize if I was too assertive in my original post. I seem to be doing that a lot lately without even thinking.

Quote:

So you are saying Europe (continental Europe, he already included England, and I'm assuming Scotland, North Ireland, Ireland, and Wales, as well, in another month) and the Middle East have more great courses than California, Australia, and South Africa?

Let's look at it by the numbers.

In this Golf.com ranking, there are 7 courses from California (Cyrpress Point, Pebble Beach, San Francisco GC< Riviera, Olympic Club, Los Angeles CC, and Spyglass Hills), 1 from South Africa (Durban CC), from Australia (Royal Melbourne West, Kingston Heath, New South Wales, Barnbougle Dunes, Royal Adelaide, and Royal Melbourne East), plus 2 from New Zealand (Cape Kidnappers and Kaura Cliffs), where they would likely play during the Australia swing. On that same list, there are just 3 courses from mainland Europe (Morfountaine in France, Valderrama in Spain, and Oitavos Dunes in Portugal).

Now, if we look at this GolfDigest.com ranking of strictly courses outside of the U.S., Europe is on a bit more equal footing, but 75% of the top European courses on that list (there are 12 of them total) are in the last 15 courses. In that ranking, Australia has 8 courses, New Zealand has 2, and South Africa has 4, most of which are at the top or in the middle of the rankings. The Middle East has 1 course, ranked 97th. (I'll admit, though, I was surprised by the amount Canada has. 11 courses is impressive.)

Since I haven't been to every country in the world and can only go on the rankings of other people, this is what I have. And it seems to tell me that California, Australia (with or without New Zealand), and South Africa have more great courses than mainland Europe and the Middle East. Now, If you were including Ireland, Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales in with Europe, Europe might win, but that's not how I took uttexas' schedule to be. I could be wrong, obviously.