What really makes the Bob Hope unique is that amateurs pay money for charity to play with the pros. The format gets up close access to tour pros and celebrities.
Prime examples: "Dr. J" Julius Erving walked within feet of me on the way to the 12th green; and I was about runoff the road by Rays 3rd baseman Evan Longoria crusin' in his golf cart.
My favorite moments from the day, watching actor Kurt Russell skip a tee-shot off the water and give the cliche that sometimes it's "better to be lucky than good."
And getting a mini-show from comedian Tom Dreesen, who told several jokes including ... in 1870s baseball players were mandated to wear cups. In 1970s, players were mandated to wear helmets. "It took men 100 years to figure out the brain is important too."
Despite walking around the most scenic golf course in the Coachella Valley and seeing a family of bighorn sheep grazing on a fairway, the PGA Tour event felt antiquated.
I guess that's partly the point. Golf is a game of tradition and dates back long before cell phones and cameras where even dreamt up. But I hardly saw anyone under the age of 30 at today's event. That spells trouble.
I don't have any ideas right now, but the PGA clearly needs to start developing the next generation of fans.
1 comment:
The sport needs much more than a Tiger craze to build a younger fan base, but it's always been followed by an older audience anyway. I think it's going to be OK. In the new gilded age, a white collar sport like golf will always hold a special place in (at least part of) America's heart. Jim Nantz at the 18th...shhhhhh.
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