Golfweek Rips Off My Golf All-Star Game Idea

by Ryan Ballengee on Oct 13, 2008 12:14 PM EDT Comment 9 comments

Major golf publications have ripped off of my ideas - either word for word, or in concept - for a few years now. I was one of the people clamoring for the FedEx Cup and even called for the design of FEC v 1.0. (Sorry about that, apparently.)

And now Golfweek has done it again. This time, it's about the concept of a golf all-star game. (Admittedly, their's is funnier.)

From Golfweek's Monday Scramble:

We’d even bet about 50 dozen Pro V1s that ol’ Timmy Finchem has a folder in his file cabinet up there in Camp Ponte Vedra dedicated to this exact topic:

PGA Tour All-Star Weekend.

Seriously. How does one not already exist?

While the Tour is trying to build excitement with its FedEx Cup Playoffs system, a properly-constructed weekend with the stars also seems like a great way to bring more attention to its product. The NBA’s All-Star Weekend, of course, is a three-day infomercial. The message being, the NBA is cooler than all those other sports, or something like that.

How to create such a weekend with guys that can’t dunk a Titleist from the 3-point line while blindfolded?

But, after the jump, here comes the egg to Golfweek's face.

I beat them to it ...by FOUR MONTHS.

While watching Josh Hamilton belt 28 home runs in a single round, I could not help but think back to golf. Golf does not really have something like an all-star game. If you go to a tournament on any circuit, you basically get to watch the players play (quietly), stripe ball after ball (quietly), and maybe get an autograph or two. That is the standard experience.

Baseball has a similar experience for the other 162 games per season. Their All-Star Game and Weekend stands out as something to break from the norm. It serves largely as a commercial for the sport — even if home field advantage in the World Series is determined in the game. Golf needs an experience for fans that largely serves as a commercial for the sport and provides fans with a new level of intimacy with the game. Golf needs an all-star game.

You know that noise that you hear when someone loses a game on the Price is Right? Play that on your mental MP3 player now.

Even if Golfweek probably read the article and then waited four months until the Timbelake Vegas event to trot it out, I still want to hear what you think about the concept.

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Comments

Sounds like fun !

…that would definitely take the definition of “silly season” to a new high (or low, depending on your view of these things). As long as you don’t pin any kind of hopes on the likes of a Tiger or Phil showing up (maybe AK might come once – he’s still young) – you might get a decent turn out. Don’t count on Arnie or Jack.

This new thing with the Euro Tour might make scheduling tougher if some of the guys are going to head to Asia or Australia or South Africa to get their tournaments in.

"this ball will fit in that fairway"

by courtgolf on Oct 13, 2008 12:33 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Isn't the Tour Championship...

…basically an all-star game? Slap some fanfare around it and there you go. Of course, all-star games don’t usually have much meaning (except maybe for MLB), where as the TC is supposed to be a Championship. But there’s your all-star field.

by Double Eagle on Oct 13, 2008 12:53 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Coca Cola called...

…they would like you to switch to Pepsi :-)

The Tour Championship is a real tournament – no windmills or walls or panes of glass — geez !! :-)

"this ball will fit in that fairway"

by courtgolf on Oct 13, 2008 12:57 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Well, the points system...

…is so much fun, I just assumed there were some games of HORSE happening that weekend.

by Double Eagle on Oct 13, 2008 1:11 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

LMAO !!

Do you suppose Vegas could put it in their casinos and make some money ?

"this ball will fit in that fairway"

by courtgolf on Oct 13, 2008 1:15 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

If they can make money on solitaire...

…they can make money on anything. Sign me up! :)

by Double Eagle on Oct 13, 2008 1:41 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I swear

I have seen $5000/hand War.

by Ryan Ballengee on Oct 13, 2008 1:45 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Hahaha

Good stuff so far. My original suggestion was to take the Mercedes Benz event at the start of the year as the all-star game. No one really likes going to Hawaii to play on a par 73, windy course. Have it travel around to fun places.

by Ryan Ballengee on Oct 13, 2008 1:44 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I actually like the idea...

but I say incorporate it more like a fan appreciation weekend – sort of like the fan fair thing they have for country music – players available to sign autographs and take photos with – golf clinics – skills contests – and a daily 18 hole event – maybe have 10 or 12 teams, picked by “fan captains” (like a draft) and the gallery gets a random team on their daily pass and if their team wins they get a hat/shirt or something. Sponors and charities could also be a part of it, too.

by red tees on Oct 16, 2008 9:58 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs