AJC > Sports > Columnists > Archives > 2007 > September > 12 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USPGA life evidently not as easy as it looks
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Furman Bisher
Now, we all know that golfers playing the PGA Tour have the softest life in sports, short of fast race horses. Horses have to account to no one. No nagging wife. Somebody else raises their kids. Nobody spying on their night life. In fact, no night life.
Look at the jollies of being a Tour golfer, courtesy of Phil Mickelson, who was appearing before a cast of journalists at East Lake on Wednesday:
“We get to play golf for a living. It’s a wonderful deal.”
“We get to make our own schedule.” No team, no nasty manager to obey.
“It’s very difficult,” but they get to travel with their kids when they choose to.
They have agents to cover any glitches. A caddie carries their weapons. Courtesy cars await, keys in the switch.
But through all these hardships, they must be fresh mentally and physically. So a fellow needs some time away from tournament pressure and the ordeal of playing all those “outings.” Oops, “outings?” Yeah, after the Congressional, an “outing” around Washington, and after the PGA Championship, another “outing.”
An “outing” is not your kind of picnic. It’s another day’s work, presenting your celebrated body for a round of golf that some corporation pays a king’s ransom for. Not required. Nothing to do with Tour business. It’s the player exercising his own corporate self.
“For me, it’s 10 out of 13 weeks in a row, starting back at the AT&T National, the Scottish Open, the British Open, two weeks in Europe, then to Akron, then the PGA Championship, then I have four days off before a four-week stretch with the FedEx Cup,” Mickelson said, inserting all those unforced “outings” in between.
Then you have school starting and you go on from there, the golfer’s marathon. So he wins one of the FedEx prelims and takes a bye. Tiger Woods did, didn’t he? “You’re trying to practice and work out and trying to have family time … it doesn’t allow you to play your best every single week for months on end.”
Whew, he’s wearing me out. Just the day before, Rory Sabbatini once again had barked out his challenge: Play all the four FedEx events, or forfeit. “We’ve all learned to take what he says with a grain of salt,” was Mickelson’s retort.
This is, as you may have determined by now, a house divided. Some players prefer cash payment on the 18th green Sunday. Some simply go along with company policy. You see, there’s more than just than the $10 million prize up front. There are 25 millions to be distributed down through the rest of the 30 players.
Tour commissioner Tim Finchem had a press conference Wednesday afternoon and painted it all with a golden tone. Crowds great, TV ratings great, players excited, “a successful run,” as he put it, “not to say it can’t be done better.”
For one thing, telecasts on the Golf Channel have been atrocious. Continuity non-existent. Weekends on the major networks haven’t been much better, and I’m a watcher. I’ve bought into the Golf Channel since its first month. After all that time, I have to say the quality is just above stagnant. So there.
Thus, I have this to propose: If the Tour is as muchly concerned as it seems about bucking football, U.S. tennis championships, and one it seems not to have heavy on it mind, the major league pennant races, I suggest that the official PGA Tour season come to a close with the Tour Championship the last week of August. That leaves time for the Fall Series, as they call it, before the first snowflake and wintry storm. And all those guys outside the exalted FedEx class can have a race of their own to the exempt line of 125.
Permalink | Comments (10) | Post your comment | Categories: Furman Bisher, Golf
Comments
By Ray Moore
September 12, 2007 6:40 PM | Link to this
Some PGA players should not complain so much. They should remember September 11th and the families affected. They should think of the lifes lost in the war the families and other places. I do not agree with you about the Golf channels coverage, they have done a good job and it allows you to see Thursday and Friday of selected tournaments.
By ShakesHisHead
September 12, 2007 10:41 PM | Link to this
Golf Channel gal talks too much. In golf coverage, as in jazz solos, the silences are sometimes more important.
By Leroy Rogers
September 13, 2007 12:33 AM | Link to this
I agree the biggie should be before baseball interests picks up by the winners, also, taking on football is just very intelligent. I didn’t know Tiger Woods signs autographs. And didn’t Gentleman Phil put the wood to big mouth South African, Rory Sabatini? Go Phil. We know you Can’t win with Mr. Finchem’s system but just winning the tourney would be good for golf.
By Oneiron
September 13, 2007 8:30 AM | Link to this
I agree, the sports seasons are too long. It’s only for $$$ however, interest of the fans is not important. When I was a kid, we played baseball until Labor Day, then we switched to football until New Year’s Day, then basketball until Easter. While this is simplistic, I think pro baseball should end its season on Labor Day. Pro football should end by New Years, with the playoffs ending before February. (Remember the greatest NFL championship ever was on Dec. 28) Basketball and hockey should be over before Memorial Day.
I believe these schedule would reduce injuries as well and make for more enjoyable games. At any rate, I can’t get interested until the playoff start when the seasons don’t mean as much anymore.
By The bogeyman
September 13, 2007 8:41 AM | Link to this
Always great to read your thoughts Mr. Bisher. A few thoughts…Don’t matter how much money they make, it is a grind and they are mostly grateful for what they do and have. It does wear you out at times I’m sure. FEDEX “points”…what’s that? too confusing. The system should be based on total score to par over the season adjusted for tournament rating and how many tournaments a player plays. Cutting the field during the 4 weeks is a good thing, it is consistent with the way golf tournaments are conducted.
Finally, it is clear 4 weeks in a row is too much. Make it 5 weeks with either an open week in the middle or let it be best 4 out of 5 or best 3 out of 4.
Overall though anytime these days you get a corporate sponsor and big money involved something will get ruined!
By Court
September 13, 2007 8:49 AM | Link to this
It does seem like a simple rule of thumb…or tongue…when you have it good, keep your mouth shut in public. Make your complaints in private and be as supportive as you can in public. Don’t talk about being worn out, the guys below you are playing twice your schedule and play hard every week.
About the Tour Championship - it’s the first year, there are bound to be changes. Stewart Cink said it best - there were player meetings about this system and nobody showed up. If you can’t show up, you can’t complain.
By Eric
September 13, 2007 10:05 AM | Link to this
Kelly Tilghman of the Golf Channel is brutal. Worst in the biz..
By CG
September 13, 2007 1:40 PM | Link to this
Yes Leroy Rogers, Tiger does sign autographs?? Always negative…go back to your trailer park & don’t be too upset when El Tigre wins this Fed Ex thing. BTW, what do you think of the “start something” project by Tiger & Target that gives out nearly $3mil a week in charities?
By Dan
September 13, 2007 1:51 PM | Link to this
As so many have already said in days (many) past…. it’s all about the $$$$$$$ (in any professional sport)!!! I’m an avid golfer (10 handicapper) and here is what I would do. Go with the flow…. base a big season final strictly on $$$$$. Secure your corporate (big $$$$) sponsor for the “final WINNERS only tournament. Schedule 4 weekly tournaments for each month starting in January. The player that wins the most $$$ each month (forget all the statistical stuff, points, etc.) qualifies for the final “$$$$ winners only” tournament at the end of July or August. THE BIG WINNERS check ( and no annuities please), would be for 5 to 10 million (depending on how much the big sponsor is willing to pay out). This leaves the remainder of the year for any “funny money” events, but not sanctioned by the PGA Tour.
Ther would be no 15 tournament rrequirement, etc. This wwould “level” the playing field, ii.e., those “biggies” that ppresently “pick and choose” their ttour. schedule.
By John
September 13, 2007 4:48 PM | Link to this
I used to be one of the nay-sayers about the FedEx Cup, but now that its here, it has produced some good golf action. Had I been Tim Finchem, I would have had 3 FedEx Cup tournaments instead of 4, but all in all, the “playoffs” seem to be ok by me.
As for Phil complaining about his “tough life” in golf, remember that it has been the only job he has known for his entire adult life. A darned good lifestyle, by the way. But I’m sure that he gets tired of constantly being in the public eye.