Lifetime Membership to the European Tour

First topic message reminder :

This is something I briefly touched on before in a thread about an ET event. It has again come to light this week and something I find quite infuriating. Probably me being a saddo for letting it bother me but it really does when I look at who has lifetime membership and think about what have they really achieved to be given such an award.

This week the tour announce 2 new lifetime members to the tour for apparently service to the tour! Those new entrants were Darren Clarke, one I would not argue with as he has been on tour for 20years, won numerous times, been influential in Ryder cups both as a player and vice captain and who could forget the memories of his performance after the loss of his wife. He has now capped this off with a win in protugal this year and by picking up the Claret Jug with some fine play at RSG.

McIlroy however gets my goat. What the hell has this kid done for the tour. He won in Dubai a couple years back, then toddled off to the states leaving the ET behind, only to come back this year after realising he wasn't enjoying life stateside. No-one of that I hold against him whatsoever. He then astounds us with some sublime golf at the US Open and was deserved winner. I'm sorry though this has no way earned him the right to be a lifetime member of the ET for so called services to the tour. Yes he should get what is deserved his 5year exemption as a major winner but he does not deserve lifetime membership NO, maybe in another 15 years yes give the guy it if he continues as he is but not after less than 4years as a pro.

This leads me to look at other recent inductees as lifetime members Charl Schwartzel again he gets it on the back of his Masters win and not for services to the tour, same as Kaymer great year last year, average this year a good player with a great career ahead but not a deserved lifetime member yet! Then the other 2 from last year GMac and Oosthuizen, Gmac again great last year pretty poor this year does not yet deserve such an accolade nor does King Louis.

If you were to say what is the entry criteria I couldn't tell you but it should be far more than winning one major and having a decent season. As I say no issue with Clarke for long service and topping it off with a Major fair play and deserved.

Guys that deserve it like Monty multiple Order of merit winner, a ryder cup record that is nothing short of outstanding and a winning RC captain, he's not everyones cup of tea, but he has in my mind at least earned life membership through his services to the tour. Much like Sir Nick Faldo or Seve multiple major winners, mulitple wins on tour and former Ryder cup captains. Even Woosie and Langer and Olazabal with the number of years they gave to the tour and RC are deserved but not this new breed who have not been around long enough to qualify under the criteria of services to the ET

Is this ET's fault or Rory's ?

Looking from ET's point of view.

Who's our best young player at the moment ? Some would say McIlroy. How can we guarantee, he will be in our Ryder Cup team for the next 25 years.
Lets give him lifetime membership of ET. That way, he can be picked without playing the mandatory number of events. Just those World & Major events that count towards membership. Oh he has lifetime membership.


Lifetime member : does he need to play a certain number of events to meet the selection criteria ??

If I became life member of the ET, obvioulsy I wouldn't be so conecerned about playing the minimum number of tournaments required to retain ET memebership, or be eligable for the Ryder Cup team. I therefore can't really blame Rory -- although in an ideal world he should of course act differently.

The real culpit here is the ET. IMO they undermine the ET by awarding life time memberships, leavnig the ET as some kind of anachronistic golf tour the best players only play to be eligable for the Ryder Cup. ...and obviously leave once they obtain life time membership.

I see Carter is getting some stick from the replies!!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/iaincarter/2011/08/mcilroys_switch_to_pga_tour.html

Regarding Carter:

I love the one from "Daffy" about "comments"; now I wonder who "Daffy" might be.

JPX perhaps?
Maclaren??
Not me, as I'd've referred any discussion to 606v2.

Not guilty you honour! I like his work though!

kwinigolfer wrote:now I wonder who "Daffy" might be.

Maverick?

I like daffy's work on the blog and he thinks muchlike me and appears to say exactly what I was I referring too but alas I'm not daffy!

Perhaps it's your young lady, Mav?

Yes he's quite intruiging this Daffy fellow. Just seen his latest post and he obviously knows about this site.

He certainly has it in for Iain Carter!