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19th Hole

The right mindset for examining Waste Management Phoenix Open rowdiness

Published

6 years ago

on

More than 700,000 rowdy souls (some were even golf fans) attended the Waste Management Phoenix Open last week. Given the uptick in player heckling this year, a pre-tournament streaker, and the usual insanity at the par-3 16th, there’s been plenty of debate about the singularity that is the WMPO.

This isn’t so much to rehash the entire debate, but rather to point an important element we tend to overlook in voicing our approval or disapproval for the Waste Management atmosphere: the genteel whitewashing of the game’s (and the Tour’s) history.

Golf Magazine’s Josh Sens points out this fact in response to the question, “Have the massive crowds, vocal fans and party atmosphere at the WMPO become untenable?”

“…But let’s not pretend that the Waste Management has a monopoly on bad behavior. I don’t have a lot of patience for tut-tutting traditionalists saying the Waste Management is an affront to the blissful way things were. Bad behavior takes a lot of forms and golf has a long history of unseemly behavior happening under a genteel guise. Well-practiced exclusion. Outright discrimination. The PGA Tour used to have a caucasian-only clause.”

“Just last week, at the Farmers Insurance Open, I stood next to a tournament marshal who encouraged the crowd to beat the pulp out of a guy who had yelled in Tiger’s backswing. I don’t condone a yahoo heckling Rickie Fowler or Jordan Spieth or anyone else. But all the self-proclaimed purist harrumphing about the Waste Management isn’t just tedious. It belies a truth. Golf likes to pretend that people who play and love the game are somehow intrinsically more honorable because of it. I don’t buy it. And I believe that people who hang out in glass clubhouses shouldn’t throw stones.”

A sense of nostalgia, rich history, these are things that may be particularly great about the game of professional golf in relation to other sports. However, perspective and resisting oversimplification are critical. While Sens may not be 100 percent on point in his remarks, he’s right to caution against setting up false dichotomies.  You can read what the rest of the Tour Confidential team had to say here.

My take as a panel of one here at GolfWRX: There’s always going to be an element of trying to put the toothpaste back in the tube at the WMPO. Crowds swell every year, and the spectacle (on all sides) is consistently ratcheted up by vested interests. Assuming these trends aren’t going to change (and not saying that they should), the only material questions are “where do we drawn the line for fan behavior at the Waste Management Phoenix Open?” and “are more fans crossing the line year over year?”

If the answer to the second question is “yes,” then the real fun begins: What ought to be done about it?

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19th Hole

LET pro gives detailed financial breakdown of first week on tour…and the net result may shock you

Published

2 days ago

on

Apr 26, 2024

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On Friday morning, Ladies European Tour player, Hannah Gregg, took to social media to share her weekly expenses playing on the LET.

“Expenses of my first week on Ladies European Tour: Flights: $2600 Work Visa: $350 

  • Food: $377 
  • Caddie: $0 because I have an amazing Fiancé 
  • Hotel: $0 because  @GregChalmersPGA sorted me host housing for the week!  
  • Rental Car: +0 because the Tour Tee guys GAVE me their car  
  • Gas: $165 
  • Entry Fee: $130 
  • Lounge Pass for caddie: $50 
  • Gym: $0 
  • Yardage book: $0 
  • Total expenses: $3672 

Made cut, finished 54th, total earned: $1244 Factor in 35% tax on earnings. To break even, needed to finish 24th. To make money, 21st. Guess we have our goals laid out for next event!”

When factoring in Gregg’s free housing, free caddie and free rental car, it’s evident that most LET players would have to finish well inside of the top-20 to make any money.

With ridiculous amounts of money being thrown around in professional golf these days, it’s important to remember the other side of the coin as well. There are countless professionals out there who struggle to get by on their golf salary.

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19th Hole

54-hole golf tour deemed eligible for OWGR points…but it’s not LIV

Published

3 days ago

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Apr 25, 2024

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After a seventeen-month application process, a 54-hole golf tour was deemed eligible for OWGR points.

Unfortunately, for LIV Golf and their fans, it was the Clutch Pro Tour.

After the decision, which is effective immediately, OWGR chairman Peter Dawson issued a statement.

“This is a significant milestone for golf, and OWGR is deeply encouraged by the achievement and the continued efforts in developing the sport of golf in the United Kingdom.”

“We look forward to watching the progress of the Clutch Pro Tour as it continues to play a key role in the development of players from the region,” Dawson added.

The Clutch Pro Tour operates in the United Kingdom and features a 36-hole cut. It also has an open qualifying school.

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19th Hole

Charlie Woods attempting to qualify for spot at 2024 U.S. Open

Published

3 days ago

on

Apr 25, 2024

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As first reported by Bob Harig of Sports Illustrated, Charlie Woods will be attempting to qualify for this year’s U.S. Open at Pinehurst No. 2.

The first stage of qualifying for this year’s tournament will be an 18-hole local event on Thursday, April 25th, in Port St. Lucie, Florida.

There will be 84 players in the field, five of which will reach the 36-hole qualifier that will take place in June.

Earlier this season, Charlie attempted to qualify for the Cognizant Classic, and struggled, shooting an 86.

If the younger Woods is able to qualify, he will tee it up in the same field as his father in a few months at one of the more historic U.S. Open venues.

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