Q-School: Can We Just Call It 'Q'?

by One-Eyed Golfer Guy on Nov 3, 2009 8:43 AM EST Comment 17 comments

You do not have to say 'Tiger Woods.' He is one of many stars where only one name is necessary to fully identify them. Kobe, Labron and Venus are also a couple athletes with one name. Terrell Owens' first name is pretty common, but, when you say 'T.O.', people know who you are talking about with just those two letters. Q-School is the only entity where once you mention the very first letter - Q, everybody knows what comes next - School.

Officially started in the mid-1960's, this qualifying tournament has haunted virtually every player playing professional golf except TW and a handful of others over the decades. Virtually every one else has had the specter of this horrific event in their brain at least a couple times throughout their career.

Ty Tryon and David Duval are two players I am following. Duval to see if he can avoid having to attend this year and Tryon, to see if he can get through successfully and obtain that little piece of paper telling him where he will be playing in 2010. Duval stands at 125th currently on the money list and Tryon just advanced to the second stage of qualifying. I wish them both luck.

John Feinstein wrote a great book on Q-School named Tales from Q School: Inside Golf's Fifth Major. It is a great read and very, very informative.

Once the season is officially over, I am going to look at the final numbers and put forth a reason the PGA Tour Q-School should be eliminated. All of the minor league triple-A baseball players do not compete at year end to go to the major league. I feel there are suitable alternatives. They will never be considered, but I have an awful lot of time on my hands and there are still a few people I have not ticked off yet, so be prepared.

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LOL – good idea. Maybe go one step further into the Prince realm. Instead of having a letter people can pronounce and spell – when “Q” comes up, just scrape your fingernails on a chalk board. :-)

"this ball will fit in that fairway"

by courtgolf on Nov 3, 2009 10:29 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

While Q-School is thoroughly entertaining for those not subjected to the joys of participating, I believe it’s a concept that time has passed by. As you’ve argued elsewhere, Vince, taking the top of the Nationwide list to replace those who fail to keep their PGA Tour cards makes a great deal of sense. Q-School was devised before there was an appropriate “minor” league tour. Now there is so it’s time for golf to adjust.

The PGA Tour could also allocate slots to the top earners on the Euro and Asian Tours as well.

While we’re at it, we should demand the LPGA offer the same opportunity to the FUTURES Tour players.

Truth has a well-known liberal bias.

by dianemarie on Nov 3, 2009 11:19 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

golf has been adjusting over the last few years. Nationwide tour grad numbers are up and Q-school grad numbers are down. The top 25 and ties from q-school get cards – down from 35 and ties just a few years ago. The Nationwide also gets 25 cards from the money list.

Q-school doesn’t just cater to up and coming players – it is also a chance for guys who didn’t make the top 125 on the money list and also don’t have priviledges by another route (past champions, medical, etc) to get back on tour.

It is difficult to go much further down than 25 on the Nationwide list before you get to guys who really aren’t ready for the PGA Tour. Of the 25 who earned cards by the Nationwide Tour last year, only 10 have kept their cards by the PGA Tour money list…with one tournament left, of course. The other 15 can go through Q school to try to get a second year on the big tour with a year’s experience without taking a year away from those tournaments to play on the Nationwide Tour again.

Don’t forget, too, that Q-school feeds the Nationwide Tour more than the PGA Tour.

"this ball will fit in that fairway"

by courtgolf on Nov 3, 2009 11:47 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

When the PGA (not the PGA Tour) ran Q School, there actually was a classroom portion. That’s in Feinstein’s book.

JF is not so beloved by all in these parts, BTW, OEG. He is considered a Coach K sycophant, which the UNC and NC State fans are not entirely thrilled with. You see, here, basketball runs deeper than anything. Up there in Alaska, you probably know a little about that. :-)

by Old Man Par on Nov 3, 2009 11:23 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

You have to hand it to Coach K for being competitive with UNC even though his students have to go to class.

Does NC State still have a basketball program? They’re like the Williams sisters not named Venus & Serena! ;-)

by MattSpence on Nov 3, 2009 12:02 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

ouch – a little Triangle Trash Talk getting tossed out ! you gotta love ACC hoops !!

"this ball will fit in that fairway"

by courtgolf on Nov 3, 2009 12:14 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

No, NC State has a Soak-The-Fan program where they sell PSLs in our hybrid college hoops / NHL arena but fail to put a decent team on the floor.

For now. Sidney Lowe may well be putting a Top 5 class together. Rumor is that Harrow and C.J. Leslie may commit to the same school on the same day. Since Harrow is a firm NC State commit, go figure.

I know, wishes and horses, but sooner or later the third best team in ACC history historically will awake from its doldrums and once again cast Maryland into irrelevance…as we did to Len Elmore and crew in the 70’s. Lenny is still pissed at Tommy Burleson, you can see that much when he comes here to call a game and Tommy sits a couple rows behind him.

by Old Man Par on Nov 3, 2009 2:12 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

and then there are the “Honk if you love Carolina – Moo if ya’ll fum State” bumper stickers. ;-)

"this ball will fit in that fairway"

by courtgolf on Nov 3, 2009 2:17 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Which is funny, becauseKenan Stadium (also known as the Reynold Wrap Field) is named for notable dairy farmer William R. Kenan.

Let’s see though, how fast you could go without Medieval English Literature or eating.

by Old Man Par on Nov 3, 2009 2:22 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Gary Williams

is also working hard to cast Maryland into irrelevance. Missing the NCAA tourney 3 times in 7 years following a National Championship and back-to-back Final Fours should be punishable by jail time.

by MattSpence on Nov 4, 2009 9:59 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

The idea of Duke hoopsters being studious is utterly hilarious, Matt, and with all due respect, it’s proof you don’t live here. They are slackards non-pareil. Ooops, Sociology or General Studies majors.

by Old Man Par on Nov 3, 2009 2:14 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

John Feinstein wrote a great book on Q-School named Tales from Q School: Inside Golf’s Fifth Major. It is a great read and very, very informative.

I would put it closer to 50th than 5th…

by MattSpence on Nov 3, 2009 12:15 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

you mean the book, right ? (lol)

"this ball will fit in that fairway"

by courtgolf on Nov 3, 2009 12:16 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Have you seen the latest list of Nationwide Tour grads?

I am ignorant of feelings against Feinstein, but I found Tales of Q School totally engrossing.

I look forward to final rationale of OEG re elimination of Q school although I have my doubts about how open-minded I will be. Nonetheless I will try.

by WendyUK on Nov 3, 2009 5:41 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Beware of the

Turtle.

OMP, when the PGA ran Q, a good portion of the classroom learning was on the rules. It is embarrassing how poorly these professionals actually know the rules. Each week there are some local rules, the same ‘tour only’ rules and the USGA rules of golf. These guys won’t take a drop from GUR without getting a rules official. At least Tiger and Phil do, but virtually everyone else is deathly afraid of being DQ’d for making an improper drop. Rules officials should decline to assist in basic rulings.

...from the land of pleasant living, Baltimore.

by One-Eyed Golfer Guy on Nov 4, 2009 1:37 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Wouldn’t THAT be funny ? Picture this – the Tour hires women to deal with these drop situations that should be common sense. The offiicial breaks down in tears and pulls out one of the lines we men hate most from a woman…“well if you don’t know, I’m not going to tell you !”, then runs off.

Or a one stroke penalty for not knowing simple rules ? :-D

"this ball will fit in that fairway"

by courtgolf on Nov 4, 2009 1:54 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

CG on thin ice

W: “It’s their right to impose a lesser penalty”

CG: “Where is that written?”

Oh for heaven’s sake, I’m not your secretary you know. I mean, if you can’t be bothered to look it up for yourself…..And another thing, I’m not picking up your socks again. If you don’t know where the laundrybasket is by now…… You always…….. You never……..

by WendyUK on Nov 5, 2009 12:46 PM EST reply actions 0 recs