3 Lessons The PGA Tour Could Learn From The DP World Tour (No.2 Is A No-Brainer)

I'm going to say something controversial here... I am pleased the PGA Tour season is over and I can now enjoy an exciting European stretch of top-tier golf.

The DP World Tour has been in the PGA Tour's shadow for some time now, slipping far from the glory years of the European Tour, but there are still three lessons I believe the Stateside circuit could learn from their international counterparts.

With the spotlight shining on the season-ending stretch for the DP World Tour, now feels like the perfect time to ponder those reflections and share my analyis - let me know if you agree (or not) in the comments below...

1. Culture

The camaraderie on the DP World Tour is one of its most endearing elements.

The group comes across like a tight-knit bunch of travelling pros who enjoy each other's company, rather than the transactional, flat atmosphere that is sometimes associated with the PGA Tour.

Clearly, there will be cliques and those who prefer solitude - but from what I see, the vibe is very friendly.

The lower prizes offered on the DP World Tour, in relation to the astronomical money on the PGA Tour, almost certainly plays a part in that.

Money isn't really spoken about as openly, perhaps because there is less to shout about, but I like that about the DP World Tour broadcast. Quite frankly, the audience doesn't care what the winner is playing for - they just want to see good golf.

On the worldwide circuit, many players travel together, use the same hotels and spend time together away from the course - perhaps to save on costs, but also to share an experience while travelling the world.

On the PGA Tour, however, it feels more business-first. Some players rent properties or stay in their own homes, attend the course to work and head home to spend time with their teams. For many, money is no obstacle.

Again, I know that there are groups of players who bond and share the experience of PGA Tour life together - but the overall feeling is different, in my opinion.

Camaraderie among the US Ryder Cup team has been raised as a concern by some in the past, and perhaps the culture on tour has something to do with that.

I am aware that the PGA Tour isn't going to reduce prize pools in a bid to improve camaraderie between their players, and you can't force players to mix against their will.

But, I do think that the DP World Tour is a good role model and the relationships between players has clearly had a positive impact on the performance of the European Ryder Cup team.

2. Social Media Brand

The DP World Tour gets this absolutely spot on.

I love their content on social media. Things like 14-club challenges, 'keepy-uppy' down the line attempts and 500 ball hole-in-one chases (see below) are very entertaining, but they also do a great job of showcasing their talent as human beings.

The utilise life on tour videos and raw player reflections after significant moments to help highlight player personalities, their sense of humour and, importantly, their vulnerabilities.

The PGA Tour feels, again, far more 'professional' - but not in a good way.

Highlight reels, press conferences and shots of the day feels very bland in comparison to the light-hearted approach from the former European Tour.

Watching two top DP World Tour professionals trying to drive a golf ball down an airport runway is far more enjoyable to watch than final round highlights of the Rocket Classic - and is certainly more likely to engage a new audience of fans.

The PGA Tour could learn a lot with regards to its social strategy, starting by taking itself a little less seriously.

3. The Closing Stretch

I realise that the PGA Tour are making changes to their season from 2028 onwards, but until that comes into effect and the progress is measured, the point stands that the DP World Tour season-ending stretch is far more compelling.

I love watching players take on Crans-sur-Sierre, Wentworth, Le Golf National, the various courses the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, Yas Links and the Earth Course - the variety of styles, conditions and cultures is incredible.

When you compare that to the end of the PGA Tour season and the FedEx Cup Playoffs, it comes up short.

If you offered me the 3M Open, Rocket Classic, Wyndham Championship, FedEx St. Jude Championship, BMW Championship or Tour Championship - not one single event would make me switch over from the tournaments offered on the closing stretch of the DP World Tour.

The tracks are repetitive and the experience is tedious.

I am actually looking forward to the changes being made on the PGA Tour, especially the new Tour Championship format, but they have some way to go in order to match the broad, global appeal of a truly international tour.

I would love to see the PGA Tour travel a little more, or at least showcase more variety in track design/layout. It's not a high-profile event, but the Black Desert Championship was a step in the right direction.

That model needs to be rolled out further and elevated to bring the best players in the world to amazing courses that United States has to offer.