The European Tour 2013 season so far..........

So here's a challenge for you, describe this seasons European Tour so far in 3 words, the winner wins the title "Golf Board Poster of the Year so far according to JPX"

Here's my go:

Spoiler:

Seriously though, what has O'Grady done to the European Tour? Apart from take it away from European soil and of course the UK where the core golf fans are. I believe this has led to the top players moving across to the PGA Tour and who can blame them? Even the "not so top players but had recent success" players seems to be leaving.

This has made the tour well, extremely boring so much so that it seems to be dying a death. Don't get me wrong I am a massive golf fan and used to watch any old shanker, but this? Well it makes Iain Carter seem interesting!

I don't think it will be long until the main sponsors pull out.......................what's gone wrong?

JPX - Here's an observation ...

Has O'Grady ignored the most logical starting point in professional golf? The paying/viewing fans and sponsors?

If the sponsors aren't getting their money's worth and the TV base isn't significant or growing (forget the pathetic attendance I've observed at the actual event), it's time to retool.

A whittled down series of events actually held in Europe, catering to the sponsors, played live at the best possible time to attract the largest TV viewing audience might be a place to start.

Here's my entry JPX.

Needs more sponsors.

European Tour season so far: "never in Europe"

Shotrock / Hibbz, totally agree. But what to do? The Sponsors want to make money, how do they do that? By attracting the crowds, to attract crowds they need the top players. They don't even have Europe's top players let alone the worlds top players.

So what would it take to get them? More prize money? More ranking points? There are some great course across Europe that never seem to see the light of day.

I just don't think it can compete with the PGA Tour. Still, African and Asian golf is thriving!

1GrumpyGolfer has the nod so far!

the European tour so far...played mainly in south Africa. isn't the main issue that mainland Europe is still suffering a shortage of money. so euro tour is chasing the rand/yen/whatever. makes sense I suppose.

Rain in Spain.

If it wasn't for the Spanish economy the European season would have been up and running - without the Spanish events where are they going to play in Europe before April anyway. Thing I don't understand though, is why the Spanish economy supports several top tennis tournaments but not the golf equivalents. Puzzled.

Has it started?

Air Miles Bonanza

E.T. phone home

It is a bit of a damp squib so far but the schedule does move back to Europe shortly so it may improve.

As said above the Spanish economy is on its arse and that is really the only major golf playing area in Southern Europe that could support early season tournaments.

Ultimately I think it comes down to who plays the events. Look at the difference when Tiger plays. While it will not be the same level I would imagine the same happens when the likes of Rory, Luke, Justin or Lee tee it up over here with the British audience. Ultimately sponsors want people to see their brand and having players you have only heard of if you are a golf nut is not going to get them flocking to the door.

Unfortunately for all concerned this is a little chicken and egg. The players go where they can earn the most and tailor their schedule to suit their family and playing requirements. As we were saying on the Ballwasher the other day, its easier for them to do both being based in the US.

Maybe Finchem making it tougher to get onto the PGAT will have a positive effect on the ET but it still won't stop the top players going there and they are the billboard where money, ranking points and so on will follow.

I agree with the idea that maybe a slimmed down tour in Europe with a shorter season is the way to go. I guess that it could still start and finish with the Middle East as the time difference is not that big so it still fits with Euro TV viewers.

Given that everyone here is a big golf fan, how many of us really watch the European Tour events in Asia? I know that I may keep an eye open on the results but that is about it.

Some of you are forgetting the competition!

It's between Roller_Coaster and Barragan's entries so far (is that 3 words though Barra??)

I really don't know what the answer to this problem is, O'Grady struggles to attract Europe's stars for his flagship event at Wentworth, the second biggest event on tour outside of the Majors and WGC, behind the R2D final, so it's no wonder they don't want to fly across the world to enter the Hong Kong stableford.

Think there's a total of 12 players within the top 100 of the world rankings in this weeks European Tour even way out in China Open....... in Asia. So we shall all be glued to our Sky Sports channel this week? Nope didn't think so, will be as boring as hell.

"Around the World in 80 Days" is too long.

Anyway, how could anything possibly be better than Barragan's entry?!

Shotrock wrote:
Anyway, how could anything possibly be better than Barragan's entry?!

Just waiting on the rules clarification!

Where's the Beef!

I can take out the dots if it eases your conscience.

Driving home from work on the radio comes an update from the European Tour event in China. "79 shot by a 12 year old" they didn't even say his name, or the leader. I mean this is all they could say bout it. Says it all really.

at least they clarified it was a golf event and not a mass murder.

"What European Tour?"

Do I win a prize?

hend085 wrote:at least they clarified it was a golf event and not a mass murder.

If it had been in the U.S. you'd definitely want clarification on that....