What is the deal with the Champions Tour?

[Tiger_Bernhardt]

There are so many great courses in the Twin Cities, why oh why are they playing at the TPC? I keep seeing them play lesser courses week after week. Of course the PGA Tour is only a little better.

[Paul Payne]

I don't know for a fact but from what I understand they cut deals with courses for development purposes, not necessarily that they are the best venue.

One case in point, the Tournament Course of Iowa near Saylorville. It is a new Palmer course with a contract for an event for the next five years. I have played the course and it is OK but not even close to one of the top in the area. Harvester, Wakonda, Des Moines CC, and even the humble Legacy are better tracks. What's more, considering the terrain I don't know how they would expect to jam the gallery in, it is full of steep ridges. I also think the seniors are going to get a real workout with the up and down climbs out there. I have heard they are already complaining.

That being said, most of the really good tounament courses in Minneapolis are private. I just wonder, do you think there is enough cache in an everyday seniors event to convinice a club to give up their course for several weeks of prep and play during the ever-so-short summer?

[Tiger_Bernhardt]

I would like to think there is still a sense of civic mindedness that would create the desire for a private club to open its doors to assist in the success of the venture.

[Jerry Kluger]

It seems that the PGA tour is strictly a money operation - look at the regular tour and how many courses they play that are from the cream of the crop.

[Wayne Freeman]

Jerry-  I think you've got it.  It's all about the money.  But how many private clubs want to hold an annual pro tournament?  When I played Westchester, the member there was pissed about that-  he said they take the course away from them for two prime weeks in their season, and that for a month afterwards the course is in poor condition.

[Jason Topp]

There are so many great courses in the Twin Cities, why oh why are they playing at the TPC? I keep seeing them play lesser courses week after week. Of course the PGA Tour is only a little better.

I'm sure the Palmer tie is the big factor.  Palmer even came to the tournament this year to play in some ceremonial event.  He played in the event proper every year until either this year or last.

A friend and I were given tickets one year.  We watched Palmer play one hole and then went and played golf.

[Brad Klein]

This in contrast to the PGA Tour, which, when in such cities as Phoenix, Chicago, Boston, Washington D.C., Atlanta, Hartford and Dallas, plays on the very best courses in town and doesn't let money or business considerations compromise its venue selection.

That, after all, is why they built the TPC Network, to stage their own events without having to pay a facility use fee.

[Wayne_Kozun]

But how many private clubs want to hold an annual pro tournament?  When I played Westchester, the member there was pissed about that-  he said they take the course away from them for two prime weeks in their season, and that for a month afterwards the course is in poor condition.

This would be especially true of a Champions Tour event which is significantly less prestigious than a regular tour event.  There are private clubs that don't even want to hold US Opens.

[Dan Kelly]

I would like to think there is still a sense of civic mindedness that would create the desire for a private club to open its doors to assist in the success of the venture.

By all appearances, the venture is succeeding nicely at the TPC.

[Adam Clayman]

Why does it take two weeks to prep the course? Grandstand and tents take longer than that to put up, and shouldn't effect member play (other than the hammering).

 Is the preperation all maintenance related?

If it is...Maybe the word, pamper, would be better?

 These guys should have to play less pampered courses, if they really want to relate to their customer base. Or, is that a percieved customer base?
No one buys a buick because Tiger drives one, do they?

Don't forget, the drive to a billion was off the backs of the volunteers. Not the PGATour, who stole the credit.

I wish they were a publicly traded co. I'd short'em with both hands. Gonniffs, hazzars, always get what they deserve. In abundance.