Category: PGA Tour

The Super League; the Hypocrisy of the PGA Tour and Human Rights

In the last few weeks, the Golf Super League has become a sore subject for the PGA Tour, the European Tour, and the governing bodies.  Understandably so, for these entities the monopoly has been good and profitable.  For me it has become an issue of blatant hypocrisy.

Now, the powers have recruited their minions in the media to peddle a narrative about the Super League and their funding sources.  There is no secret Saudi Arabia is funding the endeavor, but for the PGA Tour to be outraged by this is hypocritical at best.

The European Tour has a sanctioned event played in Saudi Arabia, the Saudi International, with big names attending and handsomely paid for their appearance.  I have not seen any outrage from the governing bodies.

But let us get to the meat and potatoes of this new anti-Saudi campaign.  They claim the money is coming from a country with serious human rights violations.  That is correct, Saudi Arabia has a dismal human rights record, and it should be held accountable for it. 

If human rights violations are the barometer used by the ruling bodies to make their case against Saudi Arabia, they are in for much bigger surprises.

Let us start with one of the biggest human rights violators in the world, China.  One of the most prestigious tournaments on the schedule, the WGC-HSBC Championship is played in China.  Where is the outrage by the folks at the Golf Channel and PGA Tour Radio? 

China’s persecution of human rights defenders, internet censorship, lack of freedom of religion, are only a few of the long list of continuous human rights violations promoted by the Chinese Communist Party.

Another place where the tour has a footprint is India.  India is another country with major human rights violations, including arbitrary arrests and detentions, restrictions on freedom of expression, unfair trials, and unlawful attacks and killings of its citizens.  This is just to name a few.

South Africa is also a serious human rights violator, but the European Tour has no problem conducting their business with the South African government.  Among their violations:  excessive use of force, unlawful killings, gender-based violence, to name a few.

This is just a short example of the hypocrisy perpetrated by the golf ruling bodies when it comes to Saudi Arabia and the Super League.

If the people at Golf Channel, PGA Tour Radio, PGA Tour, European PGA Tour, the R&A, and PGA of America, want to condemn Saudi Arabia for their dismal human rights record, by all means, but you can’t have a double standard when it comes to human rights violations.

These organizations need to do some serious soul searching about their business practices and how they support countries who are major players in the human rights violation arena. Otherwise, it is time to put a lid on it and let the free market decide.

Opinion: Is the PGA Tour afraid of the Super League Golf ? Absolutely!

Do not leave the PGA Tour or else pally! Image courtesy of Getty Images.

PGA Commissioner Jay Moynahan threatens players with possible expulsions from the PGA Tour, Rory McIlroy says “is a money grab”, and PGA of America CEO, Seth Waugh, says “be careful of what you wish for”.

Well, well, well, that is easy to say by someone like McIlroy who has made millions on endorsement deals and PGA/European Tour victories.  But ask the guy looking from the outside, or who’s career is on the downside, and he may think is a great idea to earn a set salary while playing golf for a few weeks a year.

What is the Super League Golf?  According to ESPN.com, “Originally, plans were for an 18-event schedule from January to September with 48-player fields and $10 million purses each week, with a season-ending team championship.  The Premier Golf League would offer the top players $30 million up front with a share of the teams they would be part of. Those teams would compete week to week, with individual results also logged and big-money purses for each tournament”.

It sounds like good old competition to me.  The PGA of America and the PGA and European Tour posture on this appears to be disingenuous to say the least, more life mafia type strong-arming.

Speaking of money grabs, the PGA Tour has established a $40 million Player Impact Program which will only reward the top 10 players on tour based on their popularity and not their skills.  That is a nice “money grab” like McIlroy would say, and for under achieving advertising magnate Ricky Fowler, that should be a nice pay day.

Give me a break!  I thought professional golf was about entertainment, giving back to the community, etc., etc., etc.   Excuse me, it is about business and profits, otherwise Moynahan would not be sweating bullets and issuing threats like a third world dictator.  If the PGA Tour is such a good an honest product; what is there to be afraid of?

This season alone, the PGA Tour is looking at giving out over $500 million dollars between the FedEx Cup, tournament wins, and bonuses.  Do not forget, in 2022, they will kick a $700 million television deal with NBC, which for sure will contribute to higher purses and bonuses.

Of course, the European Tour is lock in step with the PGA Tour in their opposition to the Super League.  But let us not forget, the European Tour is pretty much a lap dog of the PGA Tour since the PGA Tour has a controlling stake of the Euro Tour.  Who says money grabbing is not a good thing?  Right Rory?

Let us face it, the PGA and European Tour are afraid the top players are going to be lured by the idea of making millions of dollars in what, for all intent and purposes, is nothing more than a very lucrative Tuesday Night Men’s League.

I look at it with a different lens.  Moynahan is threatening players, independent contractors, with expulsion from the Tour.  But who would be the ultimate loser? 

Who the fans want to see?  Dustin Johnson or the 125th player on the money list?  If Johnson decides he wants to join the league; are you going to expel the #1 ranked player in the world from the Tour?  Do not be a fool Jay!

On the other hand, if the 126th player on the money list could make several millions by playing on the Super League Golf: why not?

For marquee players like McIlroy is easy to seat there and open his mouth about money, after all, he does not have to worry about it.

At the end of the day, it is a business and competition is always healthy.

I, for one, would love to see the Super League Golf come into fruition.  The PGA Tour has made several boneheaded moves in the last year, and frankly, I am ready for an alternative.

I just want to watch golf for its entertainment value, and if the PGA and European Tours cannot deliver a bias free product, then perhaps is time for a new and fresher option.  Let the free market decide.

To the USGA: Arm-Lock Putting is Anchored Putting

To Anchor or Not to Anchor…..

Putting is my favorite thing to do while playing golf.  So much so, I have a putting green in my basement and a bunch of putters laying around, including several Scotty Cameron’s made specifically for me.

I was never a fan of anchored long putters because it provided a crutch to those players who were not good putters or did not practiced enough to be a good putter. 

I still think that allowing the usage of long putters on tour should not be allowed and it opens the door to scrutiny as has been the case with Scott McCarron and Bernhard Langer on the Champions Tour.

The governing bodies banned anchored putting on January 2016; but did they? 

Introducing Arm-lock putting.  Let us be honest, Arm-lock putting is nothing more than anchoring a putter grip to your forearm restricting a “free flowing swing”. Was this a compromised to appease the “yipsters” out there on the professional tours?

Arm-lock putting may not be the textbook definition of “the player’s forearm held against his or her body to establish a stable point”.  By locking the grip, or “resting the grip against the forearm” the putter is technically locked against the body and therefore establishing a stable point.

Whatever the reason behind it, it is still anchoring by another name and it should be banned all together.  Putting requires skill, grit, patience, and controlling one’s nerves under stress. 

To me, skillful putting is what separates a Major Champion from a journeyman, and it should be preserved in its purest form.

It is time for the USGA and the R&A to right this wrong. Make putting great again!

https://www.usga.org/content/dam/usga/images/rules/anchoring/understanding-anchored-strokes.pdf

Professional Golf; You have been Canceled

Image courtesy of golfmagic.com

I remember the first time I was introduced to the game of golf.  It was back in 1994 and my first set of clubs were a used set of Beryllium Cooper Dunlop blades.  Ever since, I have loved the game and have been a loyal follower of the Tour, be the regular tournaments, the Majors, or the Ryder and President’s Cup.

I was fortunate to have witnessed the “Golden Era” of Tiger Woods and how he changed the game, not only for us as fans, but for the Tour.  Tiger Woods made me want to watch and play a rather boring sport.

The PGA Tour has been a very entertaining endeavor until 2020.  In 2020, the PGA Tour made the decision to morph their entertainment business with politics.  Probably because they did not have the guts to stand to pressure groups or because they believed they owed something to society, only they know the real motives.

As a fan, it has been a very disappointing year and frankly I have not watched much of it.  Like the NBA, NFL, and other sports, the PGA Tour decided to become a social lecturer instead of doing what they did best, sell a great apolitical product.

Most Americans watch sports to get away from the realities of everyday life and this has been taken away for the sake of politics.  Like many people I know, I do not follow any of these sports and professional golf has been the latest sport entity to join the ranks. 

The PGA of America latest shenanigan was to cancel the 2022 PGA Championship at Trump National over the violence at the Capitol.  The PGA of America is blaming President Trump for the riots.  Are you serious?  What evidence does the PGA of America has President Trump was responsible for the mayhem that ensued at the Capitol?  I will give you the answer, none, because non exist.

The R&A also decided to join the nonsense by stating they will not use Ailsa Course at Trump Turnberry in Scotland.  Cheers!

Once again, the PGA of America, the PGA Tour, and the R&A, have jumped the gun and joined the crazy liberal mob, without information, without facts, and without thinking of the consequences their actions are going to bring to their wallets and audience.

Under these circumstances, I have decided to boycott the PGA of America, the PGA Tour, the USGA, and the R&A, The Golf Channel, and any television or radio transmission that has anything to do with professional or amateur golf.  Perhaps, one day, they will come to their senses and return to entertain instead of lecturing on social issues.  Until then, they will never get a rating or a dime from me, period.

Fortunately, I love the game and have a rather good game of my own.  So, why watch when I can play?  I thought golf was the last sport to stay away from politics and social nonsense, but I guess they were too weak and succumbed to a false sense of social pressure.  They should have stuck to supporting charities and stayed away from politics which they do not understand.

They decided to cancel me out as a fan, therefore I am canceling them.