October 29, 2009

Golf Season "Over?" It's Never Really Over!

When a top golfer like Phil Mickelson declared that golf season was over when Tiger Woods hoisted the FedEx Cup a few weeks ago, people listened. Actually Phil didn't say that exactly. What he did say was that "[the] season in the US has been shortened and that allows many of the top players to play internationally and allows me to come here [to Singapore] and compete." That's because for Phil Mickelson, Tiger Woods and other elite golfers, once the last putt rolls into the cup at the Tour Championship, they are done for the year. For them, their PGA Tour year is over. They can then go and chase the big bucks abroad.

For the guys who are on the edge of losing their exempt status with the PGA Tour, however, the most crucial part of their season is just beginning. That's the Fall Swing, or the Chase for the Card if you will, but basically it boils down to avoiding the Q-School of Hard Knocks. A win in those final events means two guaranteed years on Tour, and a solid showing that puts a player inside the Top 125 on the money list means that they will live to fight in 2010...where they will have to perform well or once again face next year's Fall Series and another fight for another year.

So golf season is not over. It's just not going to have the top names out on the course swinging in the limelight. Except that it will. Phil Mickelson, Paul Casey and Padraig Harrington are in playing this week in European Tour stops, and next week, there's a World Golf Championship event in Singapore featuring those names and Tiger Woods as well. Woods will then head to Australia and finally back to California for his own tournament, the Chevron World Challenge, which runs from December 3rd through the 6th.

Add in the Silly Season - the Skins Game and the Shark Shootout and it becomes clear that golf fans will have a plateful of holiday season goodies to watch until just before Christmas. As for 2010, you may not even have your tree back in the attic by the time the SBC Championship kicks off the Hawai'i swing January 4th.

All that said, you can clearly see that it's not over till it's over and then it's not over because it's about to start once more.


6 comments:

  1. "NOTHING is over until WE say it's over ! Did we quit when the German's bombed Pearl Harbor ? NO !" :-D

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  2. Over? Did you say "over"? Nothing is over until we decide it is! Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor? Hell no!

    Thanks, CG, you remembered much more of the famous Belushi, "Animal House" quote than I did. I had to look it up. That's the difference between my 60-year-old brain and your young brain. Now, I'm going on YouTube to see if they have any great video clips...

    Do you know what I call the Fall Series? The European Tour.

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  3. Glad you looked it up - I couldn't remember all of it - classic scene.

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  4. SOO not over. Thank goodness I can at least watch golf when I can't play golf.

    My new rule this year is that I will play in upper 40's, IF sunny and not windy. I'm hoping that will extend MY golf season. BTW who are these fellows you call "Mickelson" and "Harrington?" ;o)

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  5. Come on Heather - no wind ? Gotta play in the wind ! That's when you practice your knockdown shots. (ducking) :-D

    Nay rain - nay wind - nay gawf !

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  6. Yeah Court, I'd love to show you my knockdown shot!

    I'll play in wind, I just need more than 48* to add wind to the mix. How many chicks do you know that go out in 40* weather to play golf? (careful here ;o)

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