FBR Rant...here goes...

[Rockford35]

This is gonna be short and sweet.

I HATE the style of play that they have set up at the FBR on that par 3. That stadium style setup is everything that I hate about the "new era of golf".

Golf is supposed to be the sport of gentlement (and ladies), not 70,000 people yelling scripted shit at you from the nosebleeds.

I can't watch that, and I won't. They've lost a fan.

No wonder Woods doesn't play in that tournament and goes to Dubai every year instead. Good riddance.

R35

 

[HighTopFade]

It's not much different from The US Open at Bethpage Black.

 

[LyleG]

Woods goes to Dubai every year because they give him 2 million up front to play there. Personally I love that set up at the FBR. Nothing wrong with good fun during a an early season non major event. Heaven knows golf could use a little lightening up. This tourney also raises over 6 million a year for charity, well worth a little noise imo.

 

[Slingblade61]

Rock was ok when Fred Funk wore a skirt.

Lighten up rock.....you're much too young to be a curmudgeon. :laugh:

 

[ezra76]

Yeah lighten up man. It's all in fun. You should have heard what they yelled at Dave Winfield when I went to see Yankees/Red Sox in Fenway when I was a kid...

It's not my favorite tournament by any means but I liked watching JB drive the ball there last year. Tiger didn't seem to mind the crowd in '97 BTW.

 

[Fourputt]

Golf used to have a "gallery" populated by "patrons". At the FBR it's like any other pro sport, with "fans" filling the "stadium". In places like The 16th at Scotsdale, golf is losing some of its identity, some of what has always separated it from the rest of the professional sports scene. I agree with Rock that it's not a positive move. It's no real surprise that not only Tiger, but most of the world's best don't play in Phoenix. It's been reduced to a second tier tournament for me.

This is one of those weeks when I just skip the PGA telecast and watch Dubai on TGC.

 

[Rockford35]

Golf used to have a "gallery" populated by "patrons". At the FBR it's like any other pro sport, with "fans" filling the "stadium". In places like The 16th at Scotsdale, golf is losing some of its identity, some of what has always separated it from the rest of the professional sports scene. I agree with Rock that it's not a positive move. It's no real surprise that not only Tiger, but most of the world's best don't play in Phoenix. It's been reduced to a second tier tournament for me.

This is one of those weeks when I just skip the PGA telecast and watch Dubai on TGC.

Yep, my feelings exactly.

It's too bad that golf couldn't be saved from being part of the X-games in a few years.

Thanks Tiger.

R35

 

[Sandpiper3]

Yep, my feelings exactly.

It's too bad that golf couldn't be saved from being part of the X-games in a few years.

Thanks Tiger.

R35

Haha, like thatll ever happen. Lighten up man. Its just ONE HOLE that this is on, it generates a much larger fan base (as Ez said, im sure Tiger didnt mind it at all in '97) and ive watched the interviews with a lot of the pros, they love the atmosphere that is created by this hole, its something you get in other sports (which most golfers have played other sports and gave up to play golf) and they have missed.

Its just one week anyway, quit moping and go watch dubai then

 

[Fourputt]

If you think it's good for the game, then we have different ideas. Look at the mass of nobodies on the leaderboard. It's like watching semi-pro football or minor league baseball. The PGA Tour isn't going to do anything to improve its prospects with that sort of field. The only real "star" in that field is Vijay, and he isn't popular enough to be a big TV draw, especially when he's well back on the leaderboard. And the big money comes from TV, not from the live gallery. It's not just the boisterous fans that make this tournament an also ran, but it's those those fans that will help to keep it that way.

 

[mont86]

Rock was ok when Fred Funk wore a skirt.

Lighten up rock.....you're much too young to be a curmudgeon. :laugh:

I see no reason not to get an early start being a curmudgeon...

 

[Sandpiper3]

If you think it's good for the game, then we have different ideas. Look at the mass of nobodies on the leaderboard. It's like watching semi-pro football or minor league baseball. The PGA Tour isn't going to do anything to improve its prospects with that sort of field. The only real "star" in that field is Vijay, and he isn't popular enough to be a big TV draw, especially when he's well back on the leaderboard. And the big money comes from TV, not from the live gallery. It's not just the boisterous fans that make this tournament an also ran, but it's those those fans that will help to keep it that way.

Fourputt, the thing about this is it brings pro's back, a lot of them love getting the feeling of being in an arena, what you dont get in golf. Also with thousands of people actually getting a chance to see this, brings more people into our game. These nobodies you talk of are known, they just arent reknown yet, everybody starts somewhere, and not everyone can be a Tiger or a Ernie or a Phil.

Its a great atmosphere there, it is fun to watch for a good number of people, and its only ONCE a year.

 

[ezra76]

Fourputt, the thing about this is it brings pro's back, a lot of them love getting the feeling of being in an arena, what you dont get in golf. Also with thousands of people actually getting a chance to see this, brings more people into our game. These nobodies you talk of are known, they just arent reknown yet, everybody starts somewhere, and not everyone can be a Tiger or a Ernie or a Phil.

Its a great atmosphere there, it is fun to watch for a good number of people, and its only ONCE a year.

Phil is playing or did he miss the cut?

Just because Tiger isn't there doesn't mean there is a bunch of "nobody's" Fourputt. Ernie hardly plays any tournaments over here anymore. Didn't he barely keep his card? I seem to recall him going driver off the deck to save it. Not that he still isn't great he just doesn't play over here very much.

 

[LyleG]

If you think it's good for the game, then we have different ideas. Look at the mass of nobodies on the leaderboard. It's like watching semi-pro football or minor league baseball. The PGA Tour isn't going to do anything to improve its prospects with that sort of field. The only real "star" in that field is Vijay, and he isn't popular enough to be a big TV draw, especially when he's well back on the leaderboard. And the big money comes from TV, not from the live gallery. It's not just the boisterous fans that make this tournament an also ran, but it's those those fans that will help to keep it that way.

This is crazy. Nobodies? These guys are the young future of the sport. Jeff Quinney for example is an outstanding Nationwide grad who has contended every week this year. Baddeley and Bryant both won last year, Taylor was a Rider cup team member, Bubba has a huge fan base thanks to his 350 yard bombs. I fail to see how these guys are nobodies. If you want big names look further down the page. Phil, Davis, Freddy, Big John were all playing, so where many other big names. You just didnt see them because they getting waxed by a bunch of nobodies as you call them. This is the new PGA, a PGA full of stars, full of players who can win on any givin week.
The game has changed, the average player is better than he was 10 years ago, the average feild is 100 times stronger than 10 years ago. Golf has evolved imo for the better, too bad your missing all the action.
To not like the rowdy fans is your opinion and thats fine, to call these guys nobodies tells me you need to learn a little more about the game.

 

[dave.]

Yet the Dubai classic was a much better tournament,better players,better course,changing weather conditons and aboce all else,some shot making,which stopped about 15 yrs ago when the PGA decided to make the tour target golf

 

[demon]

Woods goes to Dubai every year because they give him 2 million up front to play there. Personally I love that set up at the FBR. Nothing wrong with good fun during a an early season non major event. Heaven knows golf could use a little lightening up. This tourney also raises over 6 million a year for charity, well worth a little noise imo.

They said he got 3 million this year to play in Dubai.