Different Strokes
Different Strokes
Greetings Golfers,
I’m writing this from my porch in SC. It’s about 6:15am … and it’s quiet. Not a car on our street or any streets nearby … no lights on in homes … no one walking the sidewalk. The town is quiet.
I love it.
This is a different style of living from my life in Minnesota. I love both. And I respect both.
Both places are little towns … so similar in many ways. Yet … very different.
You know where I’m going with this. Golf. Yes … golf.
Did you read Justin Thomas’ letter to the PGA Tour about needing to make it more human and player accessible? Or Charley Hoffman’s letter to PGA Tour addressing issues such as slow-play and loyalty?
Last year, the PGA Tour saw its final round ratings drop by 19%. Ouch. Why? Gee … that’s tough … maybe because it’s boring?
Why is televised golf boring? Why the new TGL league? Why LIV golf?
Because the game of golf got stuck and has been trying to get unstuck.
Have you ever read “Doctor Golf” by William Price Fox? You should. It’s hilarious. Doctor Golf is an imaginary golf guru who owns a golf sanctuary in Arkansas. He’s a golf snob on steroids who has a golf column like the old “Dear Abby” advice column. Fox wrote it in 1963 … when Arnold Palmer was making the PGA Tour successful.
Arnold Palmer wasn’t boring. He made golf exciting. He wasn’t a snob … he was charming … he was handsome and masculine … he had a crazy swing … and played an aggressive/reckless style of golf.
In one of the letters to Doctor Golf … he’s asked his opinion of Arnie … the Doctor replies “Who ?”.
For Doctor Golf … golf came in one size … and one size only … elite. Old-school elite … almost royalty.
Can golf come in that flavor? Sure why not? I sometimes play an old elite club in SC where the club pros can’t even go in the clubhouse … only members can. It’s their club … I don’t care how they do it. It’s not my scene … but I love the golf course … I love to play golf.
Later today, I’m going to tee-it-up at a funny public course. Can’t wait. They have a pond by the clubhouse with a golf hole on a dock to hit shots at … but usually a gator is sleeping on it. Seriously.
This week is the Phoenix Open. Doctor Golf would lose his mind.
Should every Tour event be like the Phoenix Open? Should every Tour event be like the Masters?
Golf is getting unstuck. But it doesn’t have to throw old-school golf out the window. Because it isn’t the only model.
How would I improve golf tv ratings? I’m glad you asked. Simple. Don’t cute it up. Just explain what’s going on. The announcers never bring you into the real action. They’re always jumping around the course and mostly showing random guys making putts. Who cares? Maybe if you have bets on the players it’s interesting. Otherwise … show the action. Set-up how the hole is designed. The risks and rewards. How the wind is affecting the strategy. The tendencies of the leaders. What they’re struggling with and why.
Tony Romo does a pretty good job of this with football. He brings you into the game. That’s what televised golf needs.
Ok … this is getting too long. And now it’s 7:15 and cars are actually on the streets. Well … a few.
But before I go … I wanted to talk about my latest golf “insight”. About attitude. When you tee-it-up … take the attitude of “casually-confident”. I think you’ll like.
Cheers,
Tom Abts
GM/Head PGA Professional
tabts@deerrungolf.com