Running 2024 golf thread

[SixToe]

Our daughter's boyfriend grew up about 15 minutes from Bethpage. He's played the other courses but not Black. I suggested, jokingly, that we could come up next year and crash at his parents' place. He said no problem, and then I saw the ticket prices several weeks ago. I think the PGA sent an email for early purchase lottery or something, but it had the price on it. My brother and son and I all said, "Um, hell no" when we saw $750 per ticket. That's insane.

 

[playthrough]

The PGA of America bluecoats surely did their homework on this pricing. They'll sell out for sure, but unless pigs fly and Tiger makes the U.S. team, they're not gonna watch these tickets flip for twice the price and think "damn we're too low, we could have had some of that."

And they'll never admit it but that sure seems like a price point to keep out the lunchpail NYC golf fan that everyone thought would overrun Bethpage when this RC was announced years ago. "We love the passion of NY fans!" they say, they just want them out for a practice round and then on the couch all weekend.

 

[qtlaw]

Just got back from 5 days in the Valley of the Sun (Scottsdale). Played TPC Scottsdale (Waste Management tour), Grayhawk, Quintero and Whirlwind.

TPC was just overseeded so not the greatest experience, especially with cartpath only. We saw Colt Knost and Max Homa though.

Grayhawk a bit better, think Phil's a member there. Pricy though, and I'll pass next time.

Of those, man Quintero was a beautiful, amazing course. You're driving in cactus scrub-brush for 45 mins without nothing else around and you wonder "there's a golf course here?" and bam it opens up. Just gorgeous and a beautiful layout for each hole. The par 3s are spectacular.

Whirlwind, Native American affiliated, beautiful condition even with overseeding, friendly staff, a tad shorter and easier, a nice way to finish.

If you're thinking of going to the area, I'd give you a good shove to do it.

 

[I Should Coco]

Glad you enjoyed your trip, qt. Lots of great choices for golf in the Phoenix/Scottsdale area ... did you still get the summer greens fees?

Another golf club that's recommended: the two We-Ko-Pa courses at the Fort McDowell resort near Fountain Hills (take the Beeline, Hwy 87, northeast of central Phoenix). Beautiful views of the Four Peaks, Superstitions and other mountain ranges. Plenty of desert terrain, too, so if you're a hacker like me, bring at least a dozen golf balls!

 

[qtlaw]

Glad you enjoyed your trip, qt. Lots of great choices for golf in the Phoenix/Scottsdale area ... did you still get the summer greens fees?

Another golf club that's recommended: the two We-Ko_Pa courses at the Fort McDowell resort near Fountain Hills (take the Beeline, Hwy 87, northeast of central Phoenix). Beautiful views of the Four Peaks, Superstitions and other mountain ranges. Plenty of desert terrain, too, so if you're a hacker like me, bring at least a dozen golf balls!

Hey thanks Coco!
Damn, no summer rates, full rack rate.
We-Ko Pa was supposed to be Sunday but I think we went Whirlwind because it was closer to airport (last 4 were leaving Sun night).

 

[Matt1735]

Got tix to the Senior event this week in Arkansas. Going on Friday. Should be a fun day just watching and being out there.

 

[playthrough]

Just got back from 5 days in the Valley of the Sun (Scottsdale). Played TPC Scottsdale (Waste Management tour), Grayhawk, Quintero and Whirlwind.

TPC was just overseeded so not the greatest experience, especially with cartpath only. We saw Colt Knost and Max Homa though.

Grayhawk a bit better, think Phil's a member there. Pricy though, and I'll pass next time.

Of those, man Quintero was a beautiful, amazing course. You're driving in cactus scrub-brush for 45 mins without nothing else around and you wonder "there's a golf course here?" and bam it opens up. Just gorgeous and a beautiful layout for each hole. The par 3s are spectacular.

Whirlwind, Native American affiliated, beautiful condition even with overseeding, friendly staff, a tad shorter and easier, a nice way to finish.

If you're thinking of going to the area, I'd give you a good shove to do it.

First time I went to Phx/Scottsdale was to interview Danica Patrick for a magazine story, a bizarre encounter. Met her at a studio where they were doing the photo shoot, I came straight from the airport and walked into a ****show -- the makeup artist was very, very late and the catering was screwed up. Danica was beyond pissed and unloaded on me, I held up my hands to say "I'm just the writer!" So they decided to do the interview first and then the photos, and Danica flicked a switch and became completely charming. Wild. At one point I told her I was staying an extra day to play golf but wasn't sure where yet and she called her then-husband for recommendations. Ended up at Talking Stick.

Played TPC Scottsdale once and Billy Mayfair was on the putting green, working on his strange putting stroke. Wish they would make permanent structures around 16, seems like it would be more cost-effective in the long run and would be fun for amateurs to imagine what that shot is like during the tournament.

Troon North was the first place I ever beat my Dad, after 25-plus years of trying, so that will always be high on my list. And as mentioned, We-Ko-Pa is terrific.

Love desert golf. Definitely pay through the nose in-season but I justify it as a Midwesterner who rarely pays greens fees from December through March.

 

[SixToe]

Tour players propose changes, reducing some fields, shifting points:

PGA Tour players proposing big changes for '26

• The PGA Tour would adjust the maximum number of players in a starting field of an open one-course, full-field tournament from 156 to 144, with a further reduction from 132 to 120 as required by circumstances such as darkness.
  
  
• The PAC proposed reducing the number of players who would maintain their PGA Tour card and full status from the top 125 finishers in FedEx Cup points to the top 100, while adding a new conditional category for those players who finish anywhere from 101 to 125.
  
  
• The Korn Ferry Tour, which typically awards 30 PGA Tour cards per season, would now award only 20 cards under the proposed changes. The DP World Tour would continue to award 10 PGA Tour cards, and Q-school cards would be capped at five.
  
  
• Restricted sponsor exemptions, which include two reserved PGA Tour spots and two DP World Tour spots, will now be awarded to the next eligible members on the proposed priority ranking. Tournaments will still keep unrestricted sponsor exemptions.
  
  
• The PAC is also proposing slight adjustments to the FedEx Cup points distribution system to account for increased strength of field under the new schedule model. Second-place finishes at the Players Championship and the majors would receive a slight increase (100 more points), while players who finish 11th and beyond would receive a slight decrease (10 points for 11th, 20 points for 12th and so on) in points won. During signature events, players who finish seventh or worse would receive a slight decrease in points.

 

[Chef2]

Strictly a players deal.
The TOUR needs to climb in bed with LIV/PIF pronto and get this settled.

 

[qtlaw]

Jeez, you go all the way through Q School and there are only 5 spots open? Wow.

 

[Michael_ Gee]

Every single proposal the advisory comittee has ever made is that how can the top 50 pros make more money at the expense of everyone else. This is no different. If I was a newcomer with game, I'd have my agent callingLIV tonight.

 

[playthrough]

Every single proposal the advisory comittee has ever made is that how can the top 50 pros make more money at the expense of everyone else. This is no different. If I was a newcomer with game, I'd have my agent callingLIV tonight.

There's plenty of guys in and around that top 100-150 range who might have had LIV offers two, three years ago and didn't take them, while stiffs like Charles Howell, Brendan Steele and Cam Tringale did. And now Cantlay, Spieth et al are pulling the rug out from under them. It's a bit unbecoming but now there are investors to answer to and 156 guys slogging around apparently isn't gonna cut it.

 

[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.

 

[SixToe]

Looking at doing a fishing trip w my son and brother next summer instead of going to East Lake for the finale. We’ve been about 10-12 years and I think fishing, beer and fishing would be a better way of spending the money instead of on tickets.

 

[playthrough]

Monahan earned $23 million in 2023, an increase from $18related.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.

Wow that's awful, even with whatever is "L.A. tax" these days. If the PGA Tour's private-equity investors' solution for getting ROI includes jacking ticket prices, they're in for an awakening.

 

[qtlaw]

Wow that's awful, even with whatever is "L.A. tax" these days. If the PGA Tour's private-equity investors' solution for getting ROI includes jacking ticket prices, they're in for an awakening.

Agreed. People accept slight increases, but spiking prices while the commish's salary goes up 25% is not a good sell. I certainly am not interested in paying $250 to walk Pebble when that's 50% towards playing #7 on my own.

 

[MileHigh]

Wonder what Saturday at Scottsdale might be running.

 

[maumann]

We've done the Valspar the last few years but I told Gwen we can find cheap tickets for the Lightning one or two nights instead. Last year was cold and windy for west central Florida.

If the LPGA is still planning on Bradenton, that's way more value and the players will actually appreciate your applause.

 

[playthrough]

Wonder what Saturday at Scottsdale might be running.

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.

 

[Michael_ Gee]

For a pleasant fall day, a high school golf match on the Cape is good viewing, and prices are reasonable. All the teams home courses are our region's most distinguished clubs. My regional HS's course is Eastward Ho!, a very tough track, and maybe the snootiest club in the state, which is saying something. It is a little depressing watching 14-year old kids hit the drive further than you have in your whole life, though.
Pay for a PGA tourney? In all honesty, the thought has never occurred to me.