Discussion
It's not like the PGA Tour is anywhere near morally perfect, e.g.
https://www.local10.com/sports/2017/04/24/allianz-...
It was only in 2017 that Allianz stopped sponsoring an event:
"For the past seven years, I have echoed the concerns of Holocaust survivors who have rightly protested against this sponsorship," Ros-Lehtinen said Monday in a statement.
Holocaust survivors believe the end of Allianz's sponsorship might boost their efforts to collect about $2.5 billion in World War II-era Jewish policies."
The PGA were happy to give players a release when the Saudi Invitational started, provided those players commit to play at Pebble Beach the following year.
Or how about Ralph Lauren, who dropped Justin Thomas for a bit of swearing, but continue to make clothing in countries where homosexuality is illegal?
I wish it wasn't like this and that morals were still a thing, but they aren't, so here we are.
https://www.local10.com/sports/2017/04/24/allianz-...
It was only in 2017 that Allianz stopped sponsoring an event:
"For the past seven years, I have echoed the concerns of Holocaust survivors who have rightly protested against this sponsorship," Ros-Lehtinen said Monday in a statement.
Holocaust survivors believe the end of Allianz's sponsorship might boost their efforts to collect about $2.5 billion in World War II-era Jewish policies."
The PGA were happy to give players a release when the Saudi Invitational started, provided those players commit to play at Pebble Beach the following year.
Or how about Ralph Lauren, who dropped Justin Thomas for a bit of swearing, but continue to make clothing in countries where homosexuality is illegal?
I wish it wasn't like this and that morals were still a thing, but they aren't, so here we are.
We have been today and thought it was really good mostly, compared to a standard European tour event (even the more marque ones scottish open, BMW pga etc). Few things need tweaking but it will come in time.
Few issues, the free tickets (did anyone actually pay?) has meant an 'interesting' crowd, who's behavior wasnt great at times, with the players noticeably peed off and vocal about it at times. 75% of the crowd would not be there today and 30% probably dont know what golf is, had it not been freebies. Part of that is the nature of the area where centurion is located i guess, chav central seemingly, never seen so many tattoes and orange colourations at golf, or even at a vegas pool party for that matter!!! The hope is it grows the game but i really dont think it will given the high ticket prices (well should have been!), and the general lack of interest or respect given to the players, with vast majority simply following Phil and DJ, and staying in the fan village slowly getting p*ssed in the sun waiting for craig david et al. Would be interesting had the weather not been so sunny, think a bit of weather about would have put a lot off.
Its a fantastic course though in major championship comparable condition this week imho and in 15 years the 'outer' holes will be even better as it has time to mature and the plantings grow. Despite the expense would seriously consider a membership there if i bother to take up the game seriously again such is the quality and interest of the course, that is, if it were not for what i saw in the members area, i'm not a snob ( i have zero reason to be, contrary to the what may come across above re the 'interesting crowd' point above) but jeez the state of a lot of what was there...mutton dressed as pork, cross between benidorm/towie at the golf it seemed like, but again suppose thats the locale ( i had delusions that St albans and hemel hempstead were a bit like surrey) but they are just like the central/ southern parts my own dear county!
The concert and other entertainment is a boon and brings and adds to the variety on offer and makes it attractive to those who are not so keen on golf, which is good, was amusing to see local youth pouring in all dolled up around 6.30 as if going out out, who had obviously got free tickets but only bothered for the concert. The gimmicky stuff, players being dropped of at the hole by taxis for London (well DJ and sam walked up and only phil of the 3 ball we saw the opening for did the taxi thing) and the band and people dressed up as guards (or whatever they will be for different locales) is tacky and will be dropped in time but gets attention at the moment.
The lack of jeopardy is an issue as there's no edge in the golf, its basically an exhibition (mostly badly today apart from DJ and Louis Oost), something needs to be done about that, but not sure how as it then impinges on the concept players abandoning their tour for the cash...if they actually have to perform then how does that work what incentive is there? a tricky one. Likewise what will happen to all the no marks who have signed up as and when more stars and better players come over, i assume larger fields (which will help with my issue of shotgun stats below), as they cannot abandon those lesser players even after the first season, if the established tours maintain bans on them.
The money spent by Liv has been good for the fan - tv screens on most holes keeping you informed of the scores (something often lacking on the European tour), but no one really cares given the lack of jeopardy, the team scoring also no one cares and will be dropped in time i think once the circuit is more established, it will normalize some of its more gimmicky ideas once it has its feet in the door. The music playing on the range, most of the players have earpods in anyway so pointless but makes it more of an event atmosphere for me.
The fans village area and entertaining asides on offer was very good, and the variety and apparent quality (lebanese, vietnamese etc) of the food really good not the usual crap burger and chips or terrible hog roast, actual decent on trend 'street food' mostly that was not surprisingly a rip off (£8 quid for a passable takeaway valencia paella, of good size, is very fair considering what you would typically pay at a 'street food' stall or food festival, and with a captive audience i thought the gouging of prices would be high) Decent alcohol options at various points on the course, cans of good craft beer and cider, wines an spirit etc not crap lager in a plastic glass (at least not on the course, may have been in the 'exclusive' marquee bits that you had to pay extra for.
The shotgun start i don't like as part of the enjoyment of golf tournies for me is dipping in and out, here you miss a lot if you do and you cant really follow more than a couple of groups, and ts almost as if too much is happening at once, but then one of the liv slogans is dont blink...so its a key aspect i guess. Its good for tv (although is anyone watching it)
There was also a flypast before and after which was nice touch.
5 more freebies for tomorrow so fair weather we will be back again!
Liv have clearly chucked a ton of money at not just the players and i think with more stars moving over they are hear to stay based on what i have seen. The key is how it goes in the states but the more raucous events there get the biggest crowds so suspect it will be similar i think. Its really the antithesis of saudi arabia though, so thats an interesting paradox. I think they have made a mistake in not having another UK event, but suppose they will next time. If they price the tickets right (70quid which is what it should have been, and no ones goes today), and once the hype dies down (which will also have boosted attendance) it will be very interesting to see how it goes. Its a good start imo.
Few issues, the free tickets (did anyone actually pay?) has meant an 'interesting' crowd, who's behavior wasnt great at times, with the players noticeably peed off and vocal about it at times. 75% of the crowd would not be there today and 30% probably dont know what golf is, had it not been freebies. Part of that is the nature of the area where centurion is located i guess, chav central seemingly, never seen so many tattoes and orange colourations at golf, or even at a vegas pool party for that matter!!! The hope is it grows the game but i really dont think it will given the high ticket prices (well should have been!), and the general lack of interest or respect given to the players, with vast majority simply following Phil and DJ, and staying in the fan village slowly getting p*ssed in the sun waiting for craig david et al. Would be interesting had the weather not been so sunny, think a bit of weather about would have put a lot off.
Its a fantastic course though in major championship comparable condition this week imho and in 15 years the 'outer' holes will be even better as it has time to mature and the plantings grow. Despite the expense would seriously consider a membership there if i bother to take up the game seriously again such is the quality and interest of the course, that is, if it were not for what i saw in the members area, i'm not a snob ( i have zero reason to be, contrary to the what may come across above re the 'interesting crowd' point above) but jeez the state of a lot of what was there...mutton dressed as pork, cross between benidorm/towie at the golf it seemed like, but again suppose thats the locale ( i had delusions that St albans and hemel hempstead were a bit like surrey) but they are just like the central/ southern parts my own dear county!
The concert and other entertainment is a boon and brings and adds to the variety on offer and makes it attractive to those who are not so keen on golf, which is good, was amusing to see local youth pouring in all dolled up around 6.30 as if going out out, who had obviously got free tickets but only bothered for the concert. The gimmicky stuff, players being dropped of at the hole by taxis for London (well DJ and sam walked up and only phil of the 3 ball we saw the opening for did the taxi thing) and the band and people dressed up as guards (or whatever they will be for different locales) is tacky and will be dropped in time but gets attention at the moment.
The lack of jeopardy is an issue as there's no edge in the golf, its basically an exhibition (mostly badly today apart from DJ and Louis Oost), something needs to be done about that, but not sure how as it then impinges on the concept players abandoning their tour for the cash...if they actually have to perform then how does that work what incentive is there? a tricky one. Likewise what will happen to all the no marks who have signed up as and when more stars and better players come over, i assume larger fields (which will help with my issue of shotgun stats below), as they cannot abandon those lesser players even after the first season, if the established tours maintain bans on them.
The money spent by Liv has been good for the fan - tv screens on most holes keeping you informed of the scores (something often lacking on the European tour), but no one really cares given the lack of jeopardy, the team scoring also no one cares and will be dropped in time i think once the circuit is more established, it will normalize some of its more gimmicky ideas once it has its feet in the door. The music playing on the range, most of the players have earpods in anyway so pointless but makes it more of an event atmosphere for me.
The fans village area and entertaining asides on offer was very good, and the variety and apparent quality (lebanese, vietnamese etc) of the food really good not the usual crap burger and chips or terrible hog roast, actual decent on trend 'street food' mostly that was not surprisingly a rip off (£8 quid for a passable takeaway valencia paella, of good size, is very fair considering what you would typically pay at a 'street food' stall or food festival, and with a captive audience i thought the gouging of prices would be high) Decent alcohol options at various points on the course, cans of good craft beer and cider, wines an spirit etc not crap lager in a plastic glass (at least not on the course, may have been in the 'exclusive' marquee bits that you had to pay extra for.
The shotgun start i don't like as part of the enjoyment of golf tournies for me is dipping in and out, here you miss a lot if you do and you cant really follow more than a couple of groups, and ts almost as if too much is happening at once, but then one of the liv slogans is dont blink...so its a key aspect i guess. Its good for tv (although is anyone watching it)
There was also a flypast before and after which was nice touch.
5 more freebies for tomorrow so fair weather we will be back again!
Liv have clearly chucked a ton of money at not just the players and i think with more stars moving over they are hear to stay based on what i have seen. The key is how it goes in the states but the more raucous events there get the biggest crowds so suspect it will be similar i think. Its really the antithesis of saudi arabia though, so thats an interesting paradox. I think they have made a mistake in not having another UK event, but suppose they will next time. If they price the tickets right (70quid which is what it should have been, and no ones goes today), and once the hype dies down (which will also have boosted attendance) it will be very interesting to see how it goes. Its a good start imo.
Great report there, thanks. Did try to get interested in the LIV online and obviously it's early days yet but I found it strangely uninvolving. You wonder how much motivation there is for players who have already been paid up front. Not sure about the IPL-style 'teams' either. With the obvious exception of the Ryder Cup golf is essentially a sport for individuals. I can't see the LIV guys getting the slightest bit excited about team results, and if they don't then I certainly won't.
In other news it looks like there's no more free Canadian Open streaming.
In other news it looks like there's no more free Canadian Open streaming.
We moved into a new house earlier in the year, and looking at the garden there's a small piece of lawn about 8 foot by 5 foot that doesn't get much sun and isn't much use so we've been thinking about what to do with it. I suggested to the wife it was perfect for a putting green, and he'll must have frozen over, because she agreed!
So now on the lookout for quotes - anyone know anyone in North Midlands who can put such a thing together?
So now on the lookout for quotes - anyone know anyone in North Midlands who can put such a thing together?
Blackpuddin said:
In other news it looks like there's no more free Canadian Open streaming.
Ooh no hang on it's back! 
I thinkhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7HXhff-9aEI
bodhi said:
We moved into a new house earlier in the year, and looking at the garden there's a small piece of lawn about 8 foot by 5 foot that doesn't get much sun and isn't much use so we've been thinking about what to do with it. I suggested to the wife it was perfect for a putting green, and he'll must have frozen over, because she agreed!
So now on the lookout for quotes - anyone know anyone in North Midlands who can put such a thing together?
There was a guy on DHG (Dan Hendrikson Golf on youtube) who built his own 9 hole golf course which was somewhere in that sort of area (Midlands /mid wales)So now on the lookout for quotes - anyone know anyone in North Midlands who can put such a thing together?
They showed the contracters who had made it for him. This was about a year ago.
Well today was a bit crap to be fair! The outer reaches of the course were dead and there was no excitement of a final day at a normal tournament something that I struggle with seeing how they can ever fix felt way more like an exhibitionnow thr novelty of yesterdaywore off. Due to drop outs I went as Billy no m8s today so wasted 4 tickets but got talking to a very pleasant Canadian chap who i spent most of the day with who should have been in the corporates having lunch with scottie scheffler at the RBC...instead his son took that onerous task on as he was here on short notice business. He was not at all impressed with a lot of it compared to a PGA tour normal tournament and thinks it will be a struggle. Also mu or annoyances were more profound today.
Blackpuddin said:
Did try to get interested in the LIV online and obviously it's early days yet but I found it strangely uninvolving.
Snap. I suppose the silly team thing is to try to inject some sense of competition, but didn’t manage it for me. Whatever else their failings, the PGA and the DP World tournaments do at least give the feeling that the players want to win, LIV somehow didn’t. If you’ve already cashed your $xx million cheque, why sweat it?Given the issue of the Saudi regime’s brutality and the discussion of “sportswashing”, I thought the question “If Putin was willing to pay you bucket loads would you be happy to play in his tournament too?” was pertinent. Still, if our own governments are willing to hold their moral noses and deal with the Saudis then why should sports personalities hesitate?
Blackpuddin said:
Anybody know what's going on with the free live stream? There was a 1hr 52 min chunk of it until about 15 mins ago at which point it says it's 'finished'. Is this to get me to pay for further coverage? Blackpuddin said:
Blackpuddin said:
Anybody know what's going on with the free live stream? There was a 1hr 52 min chunk of it until about 15 mins ago at which point it says it's 'finished'. Is this to get me to pay for further coverage? 
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