PGA's Business Model and Values Keep Golf Cooking

I thought golf might tank with Tiger's woes and the recession. But, it is doing OK. The Economist in a June 9 article says that golf's direct revenues are 25% higher in real terms than in 2001.

I learned from the article (Beyond Tiger) that the business model set up by Deane Beman who headed up the PGA from 1974 to 1994 has been a major reason. He recognized that if a tournament did not help the community, it wouldn't fly with volunteers and corporations. So, he encouraged all PGA Tour events to incorporate as charities. In the past 15 years, the tour has made $1 billion for charity.

Sponsors like the values behind the business model. We have to call penalties on ourselves and be gracious winning or lossing. Thsi is positive news for us younger players.

How Tiger cleans up is what counts now

It’s a big shock to us young guys this Tiger mess. We have learned so much from him.

Guess we are still learning by seeing how he deals with the situation.

The Accenture ad says what we are feeling: “It’s what you do next that counts.”

There could be a silver lining.

Back on Track

Whew! Got my exempt status Can Tour card, finally. It’s been a tough couple of years sidelined by an injury last year and under the gun with a time-limited medical exemption status this year. It’s good to get back on track.

The last four days were more stressful than PGA Q-School. Not being able to compete regularly in the Can Tour puts a major hole in opportunities to play at the developmental level.

We were all stressed out. One guy completely missed his early tee time for the second round. He made the mistake of clicking into the tee times from last year—he was in the 2008 Q-school. He had to wait till the end of the day to play. His score went wild.

On the final day, one of our threesome just made it to the first hole after two of us were already walking down the fairway. A ball whizzed by us. OK he made it. But, he tripled and doubled before settling down. Cost him exempt status (made non-exempt).

Handling the mental side sure is tough. While we were having trouble keeping a lid on our emotions, Tiger got in the zone and shot a 62 in the third round of the BMW Championship. He’s a great role model.

The Tiger Effect

Tiger just keeps raising the bar. With his 68th PGA Tour title at the Buick Open on August 3, 2009, he’s having an effect. For us young pros, we keep learning from him. How he handles himself and how hard he works. But, if you are playing in the same tournament with him and he’s on a streak, it’s tough.

My family told me about some research last year on what it’s like for other pros when Tiger hits the gas. Their scores go higher. But when Tiger’s in a slump, the pros are OK.

It would be interesting to know what the pros have to say.