Good Read

[thekid65]

what can the golf market expect from the rest of the people

Can't answer that, but methinks that hopefully the "rest of the people" might be able to start getting reasonably priced products from the golf market, eh? One can only hope....

 

[fisher]

Actually could make costs go up. Perhaps a drop in the short term as big stores dump the latest Taylor Made R39 drivers and all the rest of the stuff flooded on the market. Then selection will be limited, Dealers scarce and prices ont he rise.

 

[anonymous golfaholic]

Our current household name is still playing. He hasn't retired folks. So he failed to win last year. I play like sh!t when I'm fighting with my wife. I don't think any of us can begin to imagine what Tiger had to endure this past season. So his image is "tarnished". Don't tell me people won't tune in if evil Tiger has the lead this spring at Augusta. I'll say it again, my point is, love him or hate him, Tiger still makes for exciting golf and he is far from done.

 

[BigJim13]

Our current household name is still playing. He hasn't retired folks. So he failed to win last year. I play like sh!t when I'm fighting with my wife. I don't think any of us can begin to imagine what Tiger had to endure this past season. So his image is "tarnished". Don't tell me people won't tune in if evil Tiger has the lead this spring at Augusta. I'll say it again, my point is, love him or hate him, Tiger still makes for exciting golf and he is far from done.

I so hope your right about Tiger, and I agree with you that he makes the sport more interesting. He is a draw to the sport that no other player on tour is right now.

 

[anonymous golfaholic]

I so hope your right about Tiger, and I agree with you that he makes the sport more interesting. He is a draw to the sport that no other player on tour is right now.

If anyone can make a comeback, it's him.

 

[Fourputt]

Our current household name is still playing. He hasn't retired folks. So he failed to win last year. I play like sh!t when I'm fighting with my wife. I don't think any of us can begin to imagine what Tiger had to endure this past season. So his image is "tarnished". Don't tell me people won't tune in if evil Tiger has the lead this spring at Augusta. I'll say it again, my point is, love him or hate him, Tiger still makes for exciting golf and he is far from done.

I have nothing against Tiger (I have an 11x17 autographed photo of him over the desk in my study), and I agree that he brings something to the game that just isn't there when he's either absent or playing poorly. I'd like nothing better than to see him come back to his old form this season.

 

[BigJim13]

I have nothing against Tiger (I have an 11x17 autographed photo of him over the desk in my study), and I agree that he brings something to the game that just isn't there when he's either absent or playing poorly. I'd like nothing better than to see him come back to his old form this season.

I doubt we will see the dominance from his younger years and I heard an interview (forget who was talking) but the person basically stated that the aura of invincibility is gone. That doesn't mean though that he can't come back and I truly hope he does. Football will be over soon, I have zero interest in baseball and the PGA Tour without Tiger in top form is just plain uninteresting.

 

[Fourputt]

Fortunately I still do like baseball. Diehard Rockies fan here.

Plus I'm more likely to get out and play golf.... I really don't watch it that much outside of the majors. If I happen to be sitting round bored, then I might, but not if I have anything else to do.

 

[fisher]

I have nothing against Tiger (I have an 11x17 autographed photo of him over the desk in my study), and I agree that he brings something to the game that just isn't there when he's either absent or playing poorly. I'd like nothing better than to see him come back to his old form this season.

All the crap I take on this site cause I enjoy watching the best player ever play the game and it turns out you are the one who should be getting all the Tiger Crap. I sure as hell don't have a picture of him over my desk. Please get out f Tiger's underwear drawer.:biglol:

 

[Grinder]

.... Tiger still makes for exciting golf and he is far from done.

You posted this twice. Done what? Playing professional golf? If that's what you meant, then you are correct. Done winning majors? You don't know that anymore than someone who says he is DONE winning majors. What I witnessed last year is enough for me to guess that he's never going to reach the status he once had. Win another major (or two or three)? Maybe, but none of us will know until his clubs are collecting dust in his garage.

The two camps have been pretty well defined in many threads. One that enjoy watching him swing, win, and want to see him return to similar heights. The other was sick of Tiger before his shinanigans that only added fuel for their fire. I'll be honest, I'm in the latter camp. He obviously took professional golf to levels never before seen and maybe never again. John Daly said in a presser before his return ".. golf needs Tiger." I disagree John. The TOUR needs Tiger... to keep the purses up. But golf was here LONG before Tiger and it will be LONG after. I'm going to enjoy it (and the Tour) with or without him.

 

[Fourputt]

All the crap I take on this site cause I enjoy watching the best player ever play the game and it turns out you are the one who should be getting all the Tiger Crap. I sure as hell don't have a picture of him over my desk. Please get out f Tiger's underwear drawer.:biglol:

For the record, it was a Christmas present from my sister's husband many years ago. Very early in Tiger's career the Tour was on the Florida swing. The guy who once played lead guitar in my Bro-in-law's band owned a surf shop in south Florida. He went to the Monday practice round, took several photos of Tiger, went home and had enlargements made from the best shot that afternoon. The next day he caught up with Tiger on the practice tee and got him to sign a half dozen of the prints. I ended up with one of those. :beach3:

 

[BigJim13]

You posted this twice. Done what? Playing professional golf? If that's what you meant, then you are correct. Done winning majors? You don't know that anymore than someone who says he is DONE winning majors. What I witnessed last year is enough for me to guess that he's never going to reach the status he once had. Win another major (or two or three)? Maybe, but none of us will know until his clubs are collecting dust in his garage.

The two camps have been pretty well defined in many threads. One that enjoy watching him swing, win, and want to see him return to similar heights. The other was sick of Tiger before his shinanigans that only added fuel for their fire. I'll be honest, I'm in the latter camp. He obviously took professional golf to levels never before seen and maybe never again. John Daly said in a presser before his return ".. golf needs Tiger." I disagree John. The TOUR needs Tiger... to keep the purses up. But golf was here LONG before Tiger and it will be LONG after. I'm going to enjoy it (and the Tour) with or without him.

See, this is where I disagree and that's fine. Yes of course golf was here before Tiger and will be here after Tiger. But who was watching? Comparitively speaking-nobody! Golf was a niche sport that had its followers but was nowhere near the level it is once Tiger hit the scene and got big. Once Tiger is done, without somebody to fill his role, it will go back to being a niche sport with half the following, but yes it will still be here!

 

[TheTrueReview]

... golf was here LONG before Tiger and it will be LONG after. I'm going to enjoy it (and the Tour) with or without him.

Absolutely. Golf was here before Jack, Arnold & Gary. None of those guys would be so egotistical to suggest otherwise. Even Eldrick would not suggest he is bigger than the game. It's only the mesmerised and the ignorant that suggest otherwise. But those types are inherently fickle. If Eldrick's form continues to slide, they will drop him like a hot potato. It's the dark side of human nature.

 

[BigJim13]

Absolutely. Golf was here before Jack, Arnold & Gary. None of those guys would be so egotistical to suggest otherwise. Even Eldrick would not suggest he is bigger than the game. It's only the mesmerised and the ignorant that suggest otherwise. But those types are inherently fickle. If Eldrick's form continues to slide, they will drop him like a hot potato. It's the dark side of human nature.

Yet again I think you miss the point. To the "mesmerized and ignorant" there was no golf before Tiger. They didn't watch, period. Tiger brought a whole new and different audience to the game and without Tiger performing at his best that audience will be gone as will the big $$ contracts from networks. ONce the $$ starts drying up then all bets are off.

When the TV contracts expire in 2012 I think it is, if Tiger isn't back to his old form do you think the networks will pay huge dollars to see Gmac, Kaymer, Mcilroy and Fowler? If one of them becomes dominant then there may be a shot but right now I would have to say no.

 

[TheTrueReview]

Yet again I think you miss the point.

When the TV contracts expire in 2012 I think it is, if Tiger isn't back to his old form do you think the networks will pay huge dollars to see Gmac, Kaymer, Mcilroy and Fowler? If one of them becomes dominant then there may be a shot but right now I would have to say no.

I think I miss a lot of your points Jim and vice versa. I was talking about the game of golf, not television networks, not advertising revenue, not endorsement revenue. Just the game of golf and it's continuation. Heroes come, heroes go. Television networks will look for a new hero that they can use to boost their revenue. Whether they make as much revenue is not my concern.

Television revenue or advertising contracts are not to be mixed up with the game of golf. The game will endure & so will its popularity. If that were not so, the game would have ceased after Young & old Tom Morris, or Harry Vardon.