8 Things Majorly Lacking In Professional Golf
What is professional golf lacking? From rivalries to scarcity and cohesion, our tour experts pick what they'd like to see more of...
'Inside The Ropes' is the chance for Golf Monthly's expert team to share its honest thoughts on the biggest subjects in the game. This time, it's all about our thoughts on what is lacking in the pro game.
The world of professional golf is abundant with incredible players, record prize money and a busy, global schedule showcasing some of the world's best courses.
The grassroots game is flourishing and the professional game is certainly as popular as ever, but what could make it better?
In this week's instalment of our Inside The Ropes roundtable, our tour experts discuss what the pro game is currently lacking...
And be sure to join the conversation below with your view.
Personalities
NB: This has been an issue for quite a long time. Where are all the big personalities? Where are the mavericks? Where are the rivalries?
People don't just tune in to professional sport to watch the action, they do so for the drama and storylines too.
Apart from Bryson DeChambeau, who are the game's larger-than-life characters?
I was happy Rory McIlroy spoke about not being particularly fond of his American counterpart, because that makes things more interesting the next time they're paired together.
Players aren't obliged to be interesting or gregarious, but golf is an entertainment industry that competes for people's time.
Are you more likely to watch someone who wears their heart on their sleeve, or someone who wins their first professional title and can barely muster a smile or celebration?
The amount of money in the game also feeds into this 'problem' (I've put it in inverted commas here, because some people won't view it as such. I certainly do). When the financial rewards are so great, it makes more sense to do everything by the book.
Scarcity
NB: You can absolutely have too much of a good thing.
One of the reasons the NFL is so popular is that, if your team doesn't make the play-offs, it's eight months between the last game of the previous season and the first game of the current season.
That creates immense anticipation and excitement. In my view, there's simply far too much golf being played on the PGA Tour right now.
The Signature Event model doesn't work and so many huge events are crammed in between March and July.
Brian Rolapp is clearly aware of this, and I'm looking forward to seeing how the PGA Tour's two-pronged structure works out from 2028.
Cohesion
JL: The leading tours in professional golf could work together more efficiently in order to create a worldwide year-round schedule that genuinely suits players and fans and gives the prime events their moment in the spotlight.
At the moment, it's every tour for itself. In that sense, there are always going to be winners and losers.
However, if there was more cohesion then everyone could earn a healthy slice of the pie.
It's a shame because the opportunity really is there to grow the game, but no one seems to want to give an inch.
Variety
JL: I'm a real supporter of adding a bit more variety into pro golf, such as a match play event in the men's pro game.
I also really enjoy "silly season" at the end of the calendar year where there's unique events.
They could be on Friday evenings or Saturdays during the NFL season to avoid clashes with college football or the pro game.
Then there's a lack of variety in courses. On the PGA Tour and LPGA Tour, there seems to be a similar course every other week.
I like the DP World Tour and LIV's choices because they go to different layouts far more regularly. Variety is the spice of life, as the old cliche goes, and I think it could improve pro golf as well.
A global schedule
CK: Without sounding like a PR employee for links golf, if we are serious about ‘growing the game’, why are seemingly 95% of the elite tournaments based in the United States?
When you ask yourself this question, the simple answer is money.
Sponsorship deals matter. Corporate hosting matters, I get that, but why does the PGA Tour play just two weeks of links golf a year?
Why do I not get to watch Scottie Scheffler knock it around Australia’s stunning sunbelt courses?
Why is Asia’s massive golf market left untouched?
Bouncing around state-to-state on the PGA Tour has become stale, so to freshen it up, let’s get serious about this sport being a global game.
Here’s a hot take and a good way to kickstart that - let’s rebrand the PGA Championship as the world’s Major and bring it overseas.
Rivalries
CK: This modern age of sport has robbed us of seeing a lot of athletes' true selves.
Stars that are destined for the top are media trained from the get-go, which robs us fans (and journalists) of some truly juicy storylines.
Rory McIlroy is one of the few sportstars who shoots from the hip and tells you how he feels, which can be to his detriment at times. It has certainly cost him a few fans over the years, but when he speaks, people listen.
McIlroy telling media at Royal Birkdale, unprompted I’ll add, that he isn’t “overly fond of Bryson” brought a smile to my face. Sports are far more enjoyable when there are storylines, and a game as respectful as golf having genuine beef between two stars only adds to the drama.
Give me more!
Appetite to travel
EH: I must say, I think my colleagues have nailed these on the head and I agree with most of what has been written above.
One thing that grated me recently was Scottie Scheffler saying how much he wanted to go and play in Australia and New Zealand.
My instant thought was, 'Well, go on then...nothing is stopping you.'
He claimed he enjoys the off-season and time off at home, but the reality is he has only played 21 tournaments in each of the past three years. That means he has 31 'off-weeks' per year, when the average citizen has around six weeks of 'annual leave.'
I'm certainly not saying those 31 weeks are considered as vacation for him, I'm sure he's working very hard and diligently to improve his game and body, but I would think he has time to travel around a bit more. Especially as he is the best golfer in the 'world.'
Unfortunately, unless Scheffler gets paid millions in appearance fees, I find it hard to see him getting on a Qantas A380 and heading left to the 1st class section.
It's the same with the majority of the world's best. Let's be honest, Rory McIlroy only played in India last year due to appearance fees and it's the same reason he played in Australia and will again head there later this year. That is my hunch anyway, if I'm wrong I'll happily hold up my hands.
The world of professional golf is ruled by money, I know, but these golfers have more than they could ever dream of spending. If you want to go and play somewhere, go and do it!
Mixed golf
EH: I think professional golf does a poor job of mixed golf.
There will be a mixed doubles Olympics event in 2028, which should genuinely be fantastic and I'm sure the players will love it, but that is the only time we'll see the best men and the best women competing alongside each other.
We have the Grant Thornton Invitational in December now, which the women support fantastically, but the highest-ranked male player last year was World No.28 Chris Gotterup.
Why did none of the top 27 male golfers play? You guessed it...money.
I would love to see a revamped World Cup of Golf return with mixed teams. It could be a really big event again, if a few sponsors can stump up the cash to guarantee it for the next decade.
What do you make of our views? And what do you think is lacking in pro golf? Join the conversation below...