What a World Tour Might Look Like.

 

A World Golf Tour

 

 

What could professional golf look like?

 

With the recent events of potential mergers and purchases of the PGA Tour and DP/European Tour, the opportunity now arises to re-imagine a worldwide golf tour.

 

The first question is what is the purpose of professional golf? There is the 4 majors, which are championships looking to find who the best player is, while the rest of professional golf is essentially entertainment looking to captivate, enthrall and delight fans and golfers.

 

What do the golf fans and viewers want? They want to see the best players in the world playing against each other as well as local underdogs battling out against the giants of the game.

 

How do we get this to happen? We look at how often the best players play, what's the optimal number of events for them to play in, create an off season, play no more than 2-3 weeks in a row and have 1-2 weeks off between events. Having less events creates a scarcity factor generating more interest in the events that do happen. Have worldwide events, not just stuck in one country and have the ability to climb the ladder to get into the World Tour.

 

I'd like to see 24 events, 4 majors and 20 World Tour Events, taking place in the Americas, Europe, Middle East/Africa and Australasia. Base the 20 World events on National Opens and well established events. I'd have 9 events in the Americas, such as the LA Open, Western Open, Texas Open, Mexican Open, Canadian Open, Brazilian Open etc, 5 events in Europe, Scottish Open, French Open, Spanish Open etc, 3 events in Middle East/Africa, Dubai Open, South African Open etc and 3 events in Australasia, Japan Open, Australian Open etc. The events would rotate from country to country from year to year, so the Argentinian Open would be a world tour event one year and the Brazilian Open the next.

 

What would the fields of these events comprise of? I'd have the top 100 in the world from the previous year contracted to the World Tour to guarantee that the best players are playing in all events, contracts ranging from $100,000 to $500,000 per event ($2 million to $10 million per year) depending on the world ranking and prize money would be earned on top of the contracts.

 

The World Events would have fields of 156, Top 100 in the world from the previous year, 10 of the highest in the current rankings not already eligible, 40 from the local tour where the event is on and 6 Monday qualifying spots every week. Cut to 60 and ties after 2 rounds. Every week would have great stories to tell, from the best players in the world fighting it out down the back nine to the local pro getting through the Monday qualifying and more. 

 

Notice there would be no sponsor exemptions, every one is in by merit. Also, no limited field events and no no cut events.

 

Underneath the World Tour would be three more divisions of professional tours, division one would be the PGA Tour, European Tour, Asian Tour, division two would be the Korn Ferry Tour, Challenge Tour, Sunshine Tour, Japan Tour, Australian Tour etc, and division three would be a selection of mini tours from around the world.

 

From division one the players would look to gain ranking points to get into the top 100, as well as get to play in the world tour events in their region, division two tours would have 20-30 golfers getting promotion to division one tours each year and division three tours would have 10 golfers getting promoted from each tour to division 2 tours. 

 

Each division one and two tour would have 30 events, no over exposure of these tours too and division 3 tours would have 20 events which are funded properly. A division 3 tour would have $10 million funding, ie 20 events of $500,000 per event, not the current situation where all mini tour players are essentially broke and unable to earn any sort of living while playing on them.

 

That is what I would do if I was commissioner of a potential World Tour.

 

What would you do?

The Last Minute Guide for Non-Golfers Buying Gifts for Golfers

It can be difficult for the non golfer to buy gifts for a golfer but this guide will assist you buying a present every golfer will love. Read on for 10 great gift ideas.

1. The Gift Every Golfer Will Love

Titleist Pro V1 Golf Balls

 

Every golfer no matter who they are will love the most popular golf ball, the Titleist Pro V1. Head to your closest pro shop to buy. Price ~€60 per dozen.

2. The Gift of an Unforgettable Experience

A Round of Golf

 

A round of golf at an exceptional course will create enduring and life long memories of a never to be forgotten day. In Ireland Ballybunion, Portmarnock, Waterville, Old Head, Lahinch, Royal County Down, Royal Portrush and others will deliver amazing golfing memories. 

Green Fees from €150 upwards.

3. The Gift of Reading

A Classic Book

 

Golf has an abundance of great books. One of the easiest to read and full of great tips and anecdotes for golfers of all levels is Harvey Penick's Little Red Book, a timeless classic from the 1990's. Other great books include, Golf is not a Game of Perfect - Bob Rotella, Every Shot has a Purpose - Vision 54, The Anatomy of a Golf Course - Tom Doak, Caddy for Life - John Feinstein, Every Shot Counts - Mark Broadie and a new release to consider - A Course Called America - Tom Coyne. 

Available from your local book store or to download, Price ~€20

 

4. The Gift of Better Putting

Every Golfer wants to hole more putts

 

 

Training aids are hard to buy because even though every training aid is good for something and someone, very few are good for every one. One of the exceptions to the rule is the Orange Whip Putter Blade. It's flexible shaft design trains putting rhythm, tempo, timing and balance leading to better distance control and face contact which means less putts and lower scores. It works for both right and left handed golfers and is ideal for rolling a few putts on the carpet at home in the Winter time.

Checkout https://orangewhipgolf.com/. Also available with us at Drive Golf Performance

Price: ~€140

5. The Gift of Lower Scores

A Golf Lesson

For the golfer who is already taking lessons, a gift lesson is an easy buy, contact the professional they are getting lessons from and they will know what gift to give. 

For the golfer who is not taking lessons, a gift lesson is a bit more difficult to buy as they will have a few reasons, such as little time to practice, as to why they aren't taking lessons. In that situation, a lesson voucher for a distance gapping session, green reading session or playing lesson for strategy would be a great option. The golfer won't have to practice after these sessions and will gain plenty of information to help them shoot lower scores. The professional at the golfer's club will again be able to advise on this.

Golf Lesson Price: €40-€100

6. The Gift of Warmth

A Kjus Radiation Vest

 

Clothing items are also a difficult buy but the Kjus Radiation Vest is a gift every one will love. Extra lightweight with windproof and insulating fabric, this vest is as versatile as it gets, perfect for all outdoor activities not just golf. The vest has great freedom of movement and the classic styling will suit everyone.

Available from Waterville Golf Shop with the iconic hare logo.

https://watervillegolflinks.ie/proshop/product/mens-radiation-vest/

 

7. The Gift of Longer Tee Shots

Extra Speed

 

Every golfer loves extra distance, the Superspeed Golf over-speed training system will guarantee extra swing speed and distance after a 6 week training program. 

Head to https://superspeedgolf.eu/ for more information. The SuperSpeed training system is available too at Drive Golf Performance.

Price: €240

Alternatively if the golfer is thinking of looking at new equipment a club fitting voucher is a great idea. Vouchers can be tailored to meet the needs of the golfer. Contact padraig@drivegolf.info for more information.

Price: From €50

8. The Gift of Organisation

The Gift for the Golfer Who has Everything

For the golfer who has everything, a Mizuno Den Caddy is ideal for organisation in the home office or home practice area. It will stylishly hold everything from golf balls to socks! Den Caddies are in stock at Drive Golf Performance

Price: €95

 

9. The Gift of Technology

Know Your Distances

 

There is a plethora of golf technology devices. Range finders and GPS systems are a good buy but the golfer may have one already. A portable launch monitor to measure club distances while practicing is another great option. The PRGR portable launch monitor is accurate for measuring club head speed and ball speed and gives a great distance estimate. PRGR Launch Monitors are in stock at Drive Golf Performance.

Price: €250

10. The Gift to Fill a Stocking

Quick Stocking Fillers

Every golfer will use tees, a sustainable bamboo tee from https://oceanteegolf.com/, will fill up a stocking nicely. Price ~€5

Every golfer likes to stay warm in the winter, a Footjoy retro style bobble hat is also a great stocking filler, visit your local Pro Shop to find a nice head warmer. Price ~€20-€25

Follow Drive Golf Performance on Twitter https://twitter.com/0to300golf, Facebook https://www.facebook.com/DriveGolfPerformance and Instagram https://www.instagram.com/drivegolfperformance for great golf tips, stories and information.

Don't Grow the Game, Grow the Passion

 

 

Growing the Game is a phrase that makes me uncomfortable, not because I don't want more people to play and enjoy the game, it's the greatest game, everyone should play, but because it feels like a phrase that's been hijacked by corporations and boardrooms to increase their profits. They're only interested in numbers and money, not enjoyment, not passion and not in the love of the game.

 

The cries can be numbers are down, rounds are down, members are down. The solutions offered are dramatic at times, bigger holes to make it easier and more attractive, music blasting, 12 hole rounds to make it faster and even things like foot golf.

 

What's ignored at times is the natural ebb and flow of popularity of games. People's passion wains and they leave the game. The games themselves are rarely the reason why less people play, some of the main attractions of golf are it's difficulty, the time it takes to play. Golfers like the challenge, golfers like spending 3-4 hours in the fresh air in a refuge away from the other parts of their life.

 

What drives it all is a passion for the game. If a golfer has passion, it offsets the difficulty, time and any other perceived problems. What needs to be grown is peoples passion. What grows passion is being in contact with other golfers who are passionate. Passionate about great shots, great courses, great rounds, the history of the game, great golfers, great swings, explaining how to hole putts and make impossible ups and downs.

 

This is what draws people to golf. Most golfers start playing because they have a close relative or friend who plays, they live close to a golf course, they come in contact with someone who has a great passion for the game, or they see someone exciting playing.

 

The close relative or friend will have passion and this feeds into the daughter, son, grandson, granddaughter, niece, nephew, friend and passion is infectious. Caddying and living close to the golf course will bring the person into contact with many passionate golfers which feeds their passion. And if a golfer visits a school to talk about the game, the passion spreads. Watching on TV or at an event feeds the passion too, think of the excitement that Arnold or Seve or Tiger or Rory brought and bring!

 

One of the key individuals in spreading the passion is the PGA professional, pros love the game, they're passionate about the game, they introduce golfers to the game, they talk about the game, the stories, the history, the traditions, the listen to golfers tell their great stories, they teach the game, they give words of encouragement to golfers of all ages, sizes and abilities from 4 to 100, from the plus golfer to the rank beginner. They look out for golfers.

 

When a club removes their professional or has them stuck behind a counter or desk, counting rounds, trying to maximize profits, it's a travesty. The pro being out and about connecting with golfers, telling visitors how to play the fifth hole or not to go above the hole on the 9th, giving members a swing tip on the range or putting green, recounting stories about great members, golfers or days is paramount to feeding the passion.

 

Don't grow the game, grow the passion. Feed it through the pro, the other golfers will pass on their passion too. More passion, more golfers, no need to worry about numbers or profits.

How does Grip Size affect your shots?

Testing Grip Size

 

Drive Golf Performance Grip Fitting Matrix

 

Grip size is often an overlooked component in a golf club. Typically the advice given is that the grip size is related to your hand size, the bigger your hands the bigger the grip size. Frequently it is also said that thinner grips promote draw shots and thicker grips fade shots. That is to say grip size has an impact on club face control and accuracy of shots.

In order to check this out we tested different grip sizes. We wanted to see did they have an effect on the accuracy of shots and also would they have an affect on other factors such as club head and ball speed.

 

6 iron Grip Sizes

 

We tested grip sizes on both a 6 and a driver. For the 6 iron we used a Mizuno MP18 SC with a Dynamic Gold S300 shaft. For the driver we used a Cobra King SZ 10.5 with an Accra 65 gram Stiff shaft. 

The grip sizes that were tested on the 6 iron were, Standard, 2 layers Extra, 4 layers Extra, Midsize and Oversize. The extra layers were added with masking tape underneath a standard grip to make the grip bigger.

The grip sizes that were tested on the driver were Undersize, Standard, Reduced Taper, Midsize and Oversize.

The testing was done over a couple of April days, one day for 6 iron and another day for the driver. Temperatures were around 14 degrees both days and there was a slight breeze against. The golfer performed a warm-up before the testing. The ball used in the test was the Titleist ProV1. The methodology of the test was to hit 3 shots with each grip size starting with the smallest progressing to the largest returning to the smallest and following the same procedure until 12 shots were hit with each. The shots were recorded on a Trackman 111 launch monitor.

 

Results

6 iron

 

Grip Size – 6i	Club Speed MPH	Ball Speed MPH	Carry Yards	Total Distance Yards
Std	82.2	113.6	152.0	160.6
+2	82.3	111.6	148.6	157.3
+4	82.8	111.7	148.8	157.8
Midsize	82.2	112.8	150.4	158.6
Oversize	82.0	112.6	148.8	157.0
	Dispersion Feet	Launch Angle	Spin Rate	Height Feet
Std	18.9	14.8	6106	75
+2	15.7	15.5	6048	74
+4	15.6	15.0	5963	72
Midsize	17.3	15.0	5872	75
Oversize	28.7	14.8	6117	74

 

Dispersion Pattern of 6 iron

What we are mainly looking for length and accuracy. Dispersion is the indicator used for accuracy. Ball Speed, Club Speed, Carry and Total Distance are the indicators used for distance.

 

The +4 layers gave the best accuracy with an average distance of 15.6 feet off the target line, the +2 layers wasn't too far behind with an average of 15.7 feet. The oversize was the worst with an average of 28.7.

 

The best ball speed, club head speed, carry and total distance came from the standard grip. The lowest came from the +2 layers 

 

Overall the standard grip would seem to be the best performing with the longest distance and ball speed (best indicator of strike) and an accuracy close to the best but not quite the best accuracy. The oversize was definitely the worst, with a dispersion quite a long way off then the others. The other 3 performed well enough, with not much difference in accuracy between them.

 

Driver

Grip Size – Dr	Club Speed MPH	Ball Speed MPH	Carry Yards	Total Distance Yards
Std	99.6	149.8	234	259.3
Undersize	98.8	148.6	235.2	257.5
Reduced Taper	98.2	147.4	233	257.3
Midsize	99.0	149.2	233.5	261.0
Oversize	98.4	146.7	230.1	251.8
	Dispersion Feet	Launch Angle	Spin Rate	Height Feet
Std	31.6	10.1	2880	77
Undersize	39.2	11.7	2861	88
Reduced Taper	57.2	12.3	2861	83
Midsize	42.2	11.0	2613	75
Oversize	43.0	11.8	3127	88

 

 

Dispersion Pattern of Driver

The standard size gave the best accuracy with an average distance of 31.6 feet off the target line. The reduced taper was the worst with an average of 57.2.

 

The best ball speed and club head speed came from the standard, carry from undersize and total distance came from midsize. The worst distance with the highest spin came from the oversize. 

 

Overall the standard grip would seem to be the best performing. The oversize and reduced taper both performed poorly.

Grip Size -6i	Attack Angle	Club Path	Face to Path
Std	-6.0	-4.4	5.0
+2	-5.6	-3.7	4.5
+4	-4.8	-3.1	3.7
Midsize	-4.7	-2.8	3.3
Oversize	-3.8	-1.5	2.3

 

Grip Size -Dr	Attack Angle	Club Path	Face to Path
Std	-1.2	0.2	-1.1
Undersize	-1.6	-0.2	-0.8
Reduced Taper	-0.9	-1.1	2.6
Midsize	-1.2	0.1	-0.1
Oversize	-0.9	-1.1	0.9

 

While we were mainly looking at distance and accuracy we also checked the impact factors. With the 6 iron the grip sizes did seem to have different influences on club path and face to path, with the driver not as much.

 

Notable with the driver the biggest disparity between path and face to path was with the reduced taper grip which did have the worst accuracy.

Analysis and Conclusion

When recommending a grip size, we recommend the one that gives the best performance and we can see with this test that grip size does change performance. If the performances are similar, go for the one that feels the most comfortable in the hand. 

 

Overall for this golfer you would say that the standard grip size was best for them. It gave the best combination of distance and accuracy in both the 6 iron and driver. For the 6 iron as the grip sizes went up there wasn't a big difference in performance until the oversize. 

 

With the driver there was a bigger difference between dispersion as we changed sizes. Can we surmise that as the driver is harder to control and that having the correct grip size in the driver is more important?

 

Did we see thicker grips more likely to go left to right? With the driver the oversize grip definitely went more left to right, with the iron it was more of a general difference rather than a side pattern

 

We have also noticed over time that there isn't a big correlation between hand size and grip size, which means testing is required to find the optimal size. 

Our best guess as to why grip size is not related to hand size, is it seems to be more closely related to the previous sport history of the player. What the player uses first is what they get used to and continue using.

Any questions and comments are welcome.