Golf’s Roller Coaster Ride: Challenges, Changes, and the Pursuit of Fun

Hey, I’m new here. I’m Trevor, nice to meet you. I’m not self-absorbed enough to think you have seen some of my stuff before, but maybe you have! If so, that’s awesome, and if not, welcome to my first post here at Golf Unfiltered. As you will see by the following, I don’t take things too seriously. This game, which has given so much to so many, is just that…a game. Let’s have some fun with it. 

I thought I’d kick things off by taking a look at the current state of golf. I apologize in advance if this is an oversimplistic point of view, but I want everyone to look at the bright side of things. Yes, there are many issues with the current state of the game, but positives can be found if you really look. Sure, some of the things happening right now are not great and there are certainly many negatives. But walk with me a little as we try and find the silver lining of things. 

One issue that comes up repeatedly is the current state of the Official World Golf Rankings. Yeesh, things are a mess right now and, at times, contentious when it comes to the OWGR. The biggest problem I see is that players who have joined the LIV Tour no longer receive world-ranking points. This causes an issue for many players who have not qualified for golf’s major championships. There are also concerns about how these points are awarded and people will debate how these calculations are made. For the record, the Hero World Challenge probably shouldn’t be handing out ranking points. 

But here we are. Complicated formulas, shunned players, and some tournaments awarding dubious ranking points. Like I said earlier, there’s a chance it’s not all bad. Maybe, just maybe, we will see some changes. Sparked mainly by the LIV problem, could we see some serious changes to the OWGR? It would seem we are heading to an overhaul. We could see a complete re-do of the current system. Can we make it simpler? More fair? Find a way to coexist with LIV? Maybe! Time will tell.

Speaking of LIV, what do we do here? If you are like me, a PGA Tour mark, you inherently oppose the very idea of LIV. Shorter tournaments, team golf, guaranteed paydays, NO CUTS? Back in my day, you had to earn your living on the PGA Tour. 

Excuse me while I shake my fist at a cloud.

Anyway, the biggest issue with LIV in 2024 is that they are plucking many of the Tour’s best and most popular players. It is tough to see the PGA Tour lose players like Brooks Koepka, Phil Mickelson, and Jon Rham. For a lot of these guys, they are upfront: they went for the money. Others went for the idea that they could play less golf. Some will even tell you it’s because you can wear shorts. Whatever the reason, losing top-tier players AND weekly grinders undoubtedly hurts the depth of fields on the PGA Tour. 

We have seen the Tour respond by adding more prize money and event distinctions as a result of the limitless supply of cash that LIV has. Aside from that, there seems to be a deal to merge the two tours. Unfortunately, this still hasn’t left the theory stage. A deal was supposed to be done by the end of 2023, but as you may realize, it’s not 2023 anymore. 

The game appears to be heading in a very cloudy direction but can we find some sunshine? Maybe the PGA Tour had become stagnant? They hadn’t made many meaningful changes in recent years, but LIV has forced their hand. And maybe, ultimately, a merger would be good for the game. It would certainly help to see a lot of the LIV guys back on our TV every weekend. 

Wherever we end up with all of this, it’s clear the LIV isn't going away. These two tours will need to coexist for the time being. From a PGA Tour perspective, they will have to take a deep look at how they do things and hopefully, they improve for the better. We can only hope.

Speaking of improving for the better, the governing bodies in the game of golf have decided to roll back the golf ball. My initial thought here is that I want all the distance I can get. But on second thought, and after listening to people who understand this better than I do, it’s not going to be that bad. If you are an amateur of decent golfing ability, the impact on your game will be minimal. 

As I keep saying, let’s have some freaking fun. Instead of getting caught up in the sudden need to hit a seven iron instead of an eight, I urge you to remember that no one cares what club you are hitting and you shouldn’t either. The game is fun. Spending time with friends is fun. Gambling is fun. Hell, even just being outside for a few hours can be fun. Enjoy the game!

While we are on the topic of enjoying the game, I would never be in the position I am in without enjoying golf. I don’t know that I would even be interested in golf if wasn’t for Tiger Woods. He is the reason I picked up a club in the first place. He is the reason many people picked up a club. As people say, he is the needle. He still is. But there is noticeable wear on those tires.

Over the past several years, injuries have kicked off Tiger’s swan song from professional golf. Rather than retiring and putting us all out of our misery with a quick death blow, the last few years have been a slow bleed of a will he or won’t he scenario. Will he come back? Will he shut it down? Will he win again? Will he walk normally again? Round and round we go on the roller coaster.

Sure he will play a few times a year, but the years of Tiger being the main draw for the PGA Tour are coming to an end. We have been saying for FIFTEEN years now, “what will we do without Tiger” and still don’t have a good answer. He remains one of the most popular athletes of all time. The Tour will lose him for good at some point, but there hasn’t been a player that can transcend golf come along since his mid-nineties debut. There probably never will be another. So what does the Tour do? How does it attract young fans? How does it get people to tune in weekly? That all remains to be seen, but it’s not all bad!

Even with the emergence of LIV, we still get treated to great golf every week. There are so many good young players that will be a fixture for years to come. Social media has introduced many to the game in a variety of ways. Maybe with Tiger fading away, golf courses and equipment manufacturers will be forced to confront the idea that profit is not the most important thing. Making golf accessible and affordable will be key in the years to come. Without a superstar like Tiger Woods, I’m willing to bet that we see some changes that make the game more available to more players. 

Again, I said from the very beginning that this is probably an oversimplified look at the problems in golf today. There are nuances and subtleties to every one of these issues. And there are certainly many more issues we could delve into. But my point remains the same: enjoy the game. Remember why you fell in love with golf in the first place. Remember that this is just a game. Remember that the biggest goal in your golfing life should be to have fun. Try and find the positive in everything you do. 

Okay, you probably want to punch me for being so glass-half-full. I will just say, I am looking forward to contributing here at Golf Unfiltered. Throw me a follow on Twitter or Instagram. You haven’t lived until we watch a golf tournament together. So many bad jokes and terrible takes, I am sure we will all have some fun. 

Tiger, Please, It's Time to Retire

Dear Tiger Woods,

Hey man. Adam here. You don’t know me, we’ve never met, but like so many of your fans I feel like I know so much about you.

It was really tough to hear the news yesterday. We all hated to hear about yet another procedure on your lower body, this time on your right foot. A really thorough Twitter thread explained to everyone what your procedure — a subtalor fusion — looked like and meant, along with what the rehab process could mean and how fusing two bones in your foot might mean to your golf game.

This isn’t anything new to you, of course, having gone through so many surgeries over your career. You’ve had spinal fusions, clean up procedures, knee joint operations and damn near losing your leg after your car accident. Every time you’ve managed to return to not only the golf course, but major championship golf. You even won the 2019 Masters, for crying out loud. Remember that time?

You’ve made it a habit of proving your doubters wrong time and time again. I don’t know if it’s your stubbornness, your drive to succeed, setting an example for Sam and Charlie, or the voice of your father in the back of your head. I have a feeling it’s all of the above.

I’ve loved watching you play golf more than watching anything else. Like so many millions of other fans, you’ve brought so much joy and excitement to this world that hopefully, one day many years from now, you can sit back and accept the gift of knowing that. I hope the magnitude of that gift is the slightest bit similar to the gift you’ve given those who witnessed you.

All of that makes this next part the hardest to write, but it’s important for you to know.

It’s OK if you want to retire. In fact, I’m asking you to.

Don’t get me wrong, Tiger: I know you’re probably never going to read this. If by some miracle you do, you’ll probably ask, “who the hell is this guy?” That would be a fair question.

I’m just a regular fan of yours who decided to start playing golf 26 years ago because I watched what you did on the course. I’ve loved watching every single moment of your career since then, and even managed to learn a few things about life along the way. I know people get on you for your mistakes off the course, but I also know that you persevered despite the horrible things people said (and thought) about your choices. You never acted like a victim or passed blame to anyone. You owned your human nature wrapped within the fantasy world that only fame and success can create. For some people, that is too hard to comprehend.

But I’m worried, Tiger.

I’m worried that nobody has mentioned to you that it’s actually OK for you to step away from the game. The work that you’ve done as an ambassador for the PGA TOUR only pales in comparison to the influence you’ve had on the game of golf itself. People might quip that “COVID saved the golf industry,” but you established the foundation of modern golf due to your greatness and popularity. The sentiment that “no one person is above the game” can only be written now with an asterisk.

Without Tiger Woods, modern golf as we know it couldn’t possibly exist.

My point here, Tiger, is that there is nothing else left for you to prove. You owe us absolutely nothing. Yes, I know… you still want a couple of those records to be yours. We can’t fault you for that. But maybe it’s OK to allow yourself the relief of knowing that you don’t have to be The One anymore.

Long ago, your father, Earl Woods, was quoted with the following. It was as important to understand for him then as it might be for you now:

“The worst part of getting older is realizing what you could have accomplished if you'd known then what you know now. Every old person, no matter how content they seem, feels that sense of regret. It's a bitch, but it's part of life.”

Your dad is completely correct. We’re all older now. We’ve all (hopefully) learned some things along the way, including the concept of “what might have been.” As he said, it’s a bitch, but it’s what we all must experience.

In closing, Tiger, if you do happen to catch wind of this letter, just know that what you’ve accomplished can never be topped. Circumstances in the world might change to a point where another great talent wins more majors and/or tournaments, but the moments you created will never be replicated.

Know that. Accept that. Cherish it. Pay it forward to those you love.

We will miss you, but now’s the time, Tiger. It’s ok.

Adam

VIDEO: Tiger Woods hits driver at Bluejack National

Tiger Woods is back in the news -- again -- for doing something with a golf club that somewhat resembles his old swing. This time, however, other people were actually around to see him do it at Bluejack National.

A video posted by Adam (@golfunfiltered) on Apr 26, 2016 at 6:48pm PDT

Initial thoughts on the swing above?

• Tiger looks awfully stiff, which would be expected from a guy who has had three back surgeries in recent months
• Swing speed appears aggressive, yet controlled. This is obviously due to the context of the practice round situation.
• I don't care what anyone says: there's no way this guy comes back before The Players. And even that is a stretch.