Running 2024 golf thread

[playthrough]

Jeff Babineau, longtime golf writer for Golfweek and others and a past president of the Golf Writers Assoc of America, died early today reportedly of natural causes. Horrible news.

 

[Slacker]

Jeff Babineau, longtime golf writer for Golfweek and others and a past president of the Golf Writers Assoc of America, died early today reportedly of natural causes. Horrible news.

Posted a thread, then saw this. Worth his own thread, hope all agree. He was only 62.

 

[playthrough]

Posted a thread, then saw this. Worth his own thread, hope all agree. He was only 62.

Sure, thank you for that.

 

[poindexter]

Monahan earned $23 million in 2023, an increase from $18.6 million in 2022. Good to see the PGA tightening their belt in tough times.

https://awfulannouncing.com/golf/pga-tour-pay-increase-jay-monahan-tax-return.html

Maybe related, but a regular, get-you-in-the-door ticket to Thursday at Riviera in February 2025 is $140. Honest to god, it may have been $40 pre-pandemic.

My wife loves going, and, yes, we have $280. But I said I just don't feel like that is near worth it, and we opted out of going. I have just lost pretty much all my interest in professional golf.

Update: I just got an email from Genesis Open - "Ticket Prices Increase Tomorrow"

 

[Cosmo]

Shoutout to my guy Lanto Griffin. Exhausted all of his win exemptions and injury exemptions, then goes out and wins Q School to retain his Tour card.

 

[playthrough]

So the Skins Game is coming back next year on Black Friday? Yikes. That ship sailed 20 years ago for a reason, now there's not enough money or personalities to make it interesting. But pro golf will keep trying to repackage stuff for an audience that continues to rapidly lose interest.

 

[qtlaw]

The Mixed event this weekend was fun and different. Alternate shot is always fun to watch.

 

[playthrough]

PGA of America confirms $500,000 payments to Ryder Cup players: $300k to charity, the rest as a stipend.

The boys better not fall behind on Day 1 at Bethpage.

 

[MileHigh]

Sources: LIV in talks with Fox about broadcast deal

 

[qtlaw]

Sources: LIV in talks with Fox about broadcast deal

Admittedly might be the height of hypocrisy but while I enjoy wearing shorts and blaring my How Long by Ace through my speaker as I make it through 18, that's not what I want to see as the professionals play for millions. What little I've seen of LIV golf is farcical. Its SAE golf with Eddie Money on stage. That's not serious golf IMHO.

 

[playthrough]

Sources: LIV in talks with Fox about broadcast deal

The thought of Fox running promos for LIV Golf during the Super Bowl is wild.

 

[swingline]

Sources: LIV in talks with Fox about broadcast deal

ANOTHER reason not to watch Fox. Christmas came early this year!

 

[playthrough]

Time to retire the Match, the Showdown and the rest of these prime-time exhibitions. But if they must proceed (and they will), go to Hawaii where the guys are still in daylight. The visuals aren't good under the lights and the play isn't either.

The best way to do them would be day-after broadcasts with editing (don't need to see guys driving golf carts), but that's not happening anymore with live betting.

 

[hondo]

Friday/Saturday is $125, Thursday/Sunday is $75. There is free parking.

Players Championship regular tix are $88-99 on tournament days and parking passes are $45 (not sure if there's any way around that).

Maybe I'm just old. Haven't bought golf tickets in more than 20 years. But anything over $100 for a regular Tour stop seems like a lot, especially since you're gonna eat and drink too and those prices ain't like Augusta.

There is no room to put private lots around the golf course and the covenants inside the gates of the TPC Sawgrass prohibit that. And all of the retails business outside the gate zealously have people towed if they think they're parking there to walk to the tournament. They need a large satellite lot and a shuttle but no one's stepping up.