Is Tiger Woods Bad For Golf In Some Ways?

by Ryan Ballengee on Aug 27, 2009 2:44 PM EDT Comment 17 comments

Tom Dunne poses this question in the context of his piece on Westchester CC being run off as a PGA Tour venue. And I think it's a valuable one to debate.

When the question "Is Tiger Woods actually bad for golf?" is occasionally posed in some quarters (and it is), this is precisely the type of conversation to which they’re referring. Evans’s annoyingly terse comment may also happen to be spot-on accurate, but what follows from it? Tiger didn’t like Westchester, and he only played there when one of his sponsors hosted the event. So what? Tiger doesn’t like Kapalua, Riviera or Pebble Beach, either–should the Tour therefore choose alternative venues that are more to his liking?

Would there be any hue and cry from the golf media if the Northern Trust were to be moved from Riviera to Trump National? Because that’s pretty much exactly what this is.

And you know what, Tiger may not be getting his way about Pebble, but he is about Poppy Hills.

We railed on Carolyn Bivens and the LPGA Tour for following the money around the world at the expense of a robust domestic schedule. It is now a mere skeleton of what it once was (thankfully, Wegmans reupped last night). Can the same be said of the PGA Tour that arguably follows the money - not with global sponsors - but with where Tiger wants to play and, therefore, where people want to watch the Tour?

BTW, just wanted to update this post with an Ian O'Connor column that basically says Tiger thinks LN is a dog track. And thanks to Jay Busbee for the find!

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Here’s the thing – it’s not WHERE Tiger wants to play – it’s WHEN he wants to play.

Tiger’s schedule starts with 4 weeks in the year – the Majors. Then he adds the WGC’s, The Players, and, since it started, the Fed Ex Cup playoffs. After that, he plays Arnie and Jack’s places. His schedule is what he believes gives him the play he needs to win as many majors as he can.

It wouldn’t matter if you picked Tiger’s 36 favorite golf courses and made them the Tour sites, he wouldn’t be playing much, if any at all more than he does now.

"this ball will fit in that fairway"

by courtgolf on Aug 27, 2009 3:00 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

add in the Buicks, too

Of course, this is no longer a given.

by Cairo on Aug 27, 2009 3:01 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

There’s only one left – and that may not have the Buick stamp much longer if their loanshark has anything to say about it.

"this ball will fit in that fairway"

by courtgolf on Aug 27, 2009 3:03 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Nah, no more Buick. They’re out at Torrey also.

Email me any comments or questions at ryan@thegolfnewsnet.com.

by Ryan Ballengee on Aug 27, 2009 3:03 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

’nuf said there.

I’m still baffled that this guy says Tiger doesn’t like Riviera. He has played it 9 times as a pro when he didn’t have to. Part of it was loyalty for them giving him chances to play when he was an amateur – but he has never said that he doesn’t like the course.

"this ball will fit in that fairway"

by courtgolf on Aug 27, 2009 3:08 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

He never said he loves it either. I think it’s kind of in the company of Sawgrass. Fine golf course, just doesn’t like it.

Email me any comments or questions at ryan@thegolfnewsnet.com.

by Ryan Ballengee on Aug 27, 2009 3:25 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

back to it – WHEN did he say he didn’t like it ? I have never heard him say anything other than good things about the course.

"this ball will fit in that fairway"

by courtgolf on Aug 27, 2009 3:58 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I read and linked the same Tom Dunne article and added this posit in riposte:

While some insist that he has brought golf far more than he demands in return – vastly increased purses, incredible TV ratings, etc., others seem to take that for granted and are incensed that Woods would choose to skip a particular event. That latter group always seems to forget that no PGA Tour member plays every single event, and that many willfully choose to skip tournaments because they don’t like the course, the club, or maybe even the town the event is held in. Whatever their reasons are, they are their own and moreover, they are not required to play…and that applies as equally to Tiger Woods as it does to Tim Clark or to James Driscoll. Certainly, Woods is primus inter pares — first among equals — on the PGA Tour, but with all due respect to the likes of Clark or Driscoll, you won’t hear many fans griping about them skipping Westchester or anywhere else.

by Old Man Par on Aug 27, 2009 3:23 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Very well said

"this ball will fit in that fairway"

by courtgolf on Aug 27, 2009 4:00 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Also, it bears pointing out that the Barclay’s returns to Westchester in 2012, so the “run off” statement is erroneous.

by Old Man Par on Aug 27, 2009 3:27 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Tom Dunne sent me an email with a reply. He’s trying to login and do this himself, but some kind of permission thing is goofing him up. Anyway, here’s his response:

Thanks for the discussion, guys—you’ve made some very good points.

I just want to clarify one thing: I don’t at all think Tiger Woods is “bad for golf.” Quite the contrary, though not for the reasons Old Man Par outlined. I think he’s great for golf because of his unbelievable play, year after year. Like millions of people, I feel fortunate to have had the chance to watch him play, both in person and on TV. For quite some time now, though, the calendar has been divided into haves and have-nots—or Tiger and No-Tiger events. I’m not “incensed” that Woods would choose to skip Westchester, but I do find it troubling that some (like certain editors of Golf magazine) believe there is a causal relationship between his absence and the Tour’s shift to other venues. I’m not even sure that’s true, but I wrote about it because IF IT IS, I would object on principle to the idea of one player having that much influence over the schedule.

Email me any comments or questions at ryan@thegolfnewsnet.com.

by Ryan Ballengee on Aug 27, 2009 4:41 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

RB – if you’re the gobetween – does Tom think that TIger is the first player to ever object to a course and have the influence to get the venue changed ?

Here’s what I see – It is Tiger’s choice…as it is every Tour player’s choice to play any event he is eligible or invited to play. If, Tiger has a personal reason to skip a tournament at Westchester, just as an example, that is his perogative. And IF the people who run the tournament that week decide to get in touch with Tiger to ask him what it would take to get him to play their tournament and he said “play it on another course” – I don’t see that as Tiger influencing anything. He was asked a question and gave his answer. He didn’t make a demand (in the example – not reality since I don’t know).

I have never heard of Tiger making a demand of a tournament to change the venue, or threaten not to play if the course wasn’t changed.

"this ball will fit in that fairway"

by courtgolf on Aug 27, 2009 5:20 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

The Pebble Beach event

Email me any comments or questions at ryan@thegolfnewsnet.com.

by Ryan Ballengee on Aug 27, 2009 6:02 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

nope – he chose not to play – he never made a demand on the organizers – they asked him

"this ball will fit in that fairway"

by courtgolf on Aug 27, 2009 6:09 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

It's a Moot Point.

2012: Westchester is back on the schedule.

by Old Man Par on Aug 27, 2009 8:10 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Tiger decides when and where he wishes to play.

He rarely plays a course where 15-25 under par is going to win. He obviously prefers to skip any TPC event but the Players. If you look at his non-major schedule over the years, he appears to prefer older venues where 8-12 under is a good score. Court is right. It is mostly scheduled so as to not play too many in a row and to prep for the majors.

In a way, Tiger has ruined golf for me (and my son). I am ashamed to admit if Tiger is not in the tournament, I rarely watch it. So, he plays 18 events or so and 18 or so he skips, for whatever reason, and I have half a golf season. Worse than that, I have found myself degrading the talent of the players ranked from 10-150 in the world. I just recently reconciled the fact that Phil and Vijay have a little game.

But, that’s my problem…

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

by One-Eyed Golfer Guy on Aug 27, 2009 5:44 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

don't be so negative !

If Tiger played every week – or if he never came on Tour and you watched every week – you and your son wouldn’t be out playing as much together on the weekends. :-D

"this ball will fit in that fairway"

by courtgolf on Aug 27, 2009 5:51 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

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