OT - PGA vs PGA Tour branding

[Wayne_Kozun]

Why did the PGA Tour never rebrand to something like TGT (Tournament Golfers Tour) or something else after they split from the PGA of American in 1969?  This leads to endless confusion on a regular basis, including from the US Senate in a press release yesterday.   And in the last year as the media is talking about the proposed merger with LIV you get people confusing the two entities.

Does the PGA Tour like and encourage the confusion? 

[John Kavanaugh]

Tour players like to be associated with those who taught them the game. It’s was a win/win for both sides till the money got ugly.


I never mentioned my love for the LIV to a club pro. The subject felt too personal. Now I know why. It’s the PGA of America that deserves a name change.

[Tim Martin]

Wayne-That’s a good question and I wonder if a few members of the PGA of America could post as to their feelings on the matter.

[Wayne_Kozun]

Wayne-That’s a good question and I wonder if a few members of the PGA of America could post as to their feelings on the matter.

Often when you get situations like this the breakaway entity, in this instance the PGA Tour, would have a couple of years to change its name.  But then that should have happened in 1971 or so.

[John Kavanaugh]

In 71 playing on Tour wasn’t much more lucrative than being a club pro. Why would they want to disconnect?


This was most likely associated with the pension. The Tour pension is pretty cool.

[Erik J. Barzeski]

The PGA Tour still pays a licensing fee to the PGA (of America) for the use of "PGA" in their name.

Why would either party want to break that connection? At this point, everyone knows it as the "PGA Tour." And the PGA has had that name since 1916, so…

Yes, it's commonly confused. But it really shouldn't be - it's not that hard to understand the difference.

[Rob Marshall]

https://www.pga.com/pga-of-america/about


According to their website it’s not the PGA but the PGA of America.

[Wayne_Kozun]

https://www.pga.com/pga-of-america/about


According to their website it’s not the PGA but the PGA of America.

Then shouldn’t that web URL be https://www.pga-of-america.com/pga-of-america/about[/size]

[Rob Marshall]

https://www.pga.com/pga-of-america/about


According to their website it’s not the PGA but the PGA of America.

Then shouldn’t that web URL be https://www.pga-of-america.com/pga-of-america/about

Can't argue with that.

[Kalen Braley]

My experience tells me that most recreational golfers don't understand the difference between the PGA and PGATour, much less the average joe off the street.

But I don't think this is problematic, this is typical of every industry.  Spending 20+ years in tech, the stuff I see in the news in this area is often comical, much less watching a Senate Panel hopelessly fumble the issues.

I would hope the PGA of America isn't facing any fallout from recent activities.

[Steve_Lovett]

Tapping into my rusty memory - in the early 1980's, didn't the PGA Tour create an entity called the Tournament Players Association (TPA) that the TOUR was known by for a short time?

[jeffwarne]

Yes, it's commonly confused. But it really shouldn't be - it's not that hard to understand the difference.

LOL.very true.


The US Senate got something wrong? Shocker

[John_Cullum]

Tapping into my rusty memory - in the early 1980's, didn't the PGA Tour create an entity called the Tournament Players Association (TPA) that the TOUR was known by for a short time?

That's correct. It didn't catch on. If I recall, the PGA didn't like the idea of being viewed separately from the elite players of the game, and that sentiment ultimately prevailed.

[Charlie Goerges]

I suppose they might be regretting the split nowadays. The whole vertical-integration thing is coming back into fashion. That type of governing body exists in other areas, golf's governing bodies have been a little more separated than some.

I wonder if a fully vertically-integrated structure would be of any benefit e.g. people who make a living from the game? The other sport I follow more closely is F1 racing, whose governing body, the FIA, is like the international equivalent of the American Automobile Association (AAA), here in the states. They run F1 (and other FIA racing series) but also care about general road safety and training while also licensing race car drivers. It would be like if the USGA, PGA, and Tour were a single entity. It's more complex than that with a separate commercial rights holder, but that's the basic drift.

[Ian Cox]

Wayne-That’s a good question and I wonder if a few members of the PGA of America could post as to their feelings on the matter.

As a new member of GCA, but a nearly thirty year member (1995) of the PGA (UK), and having worked in the US for six years and registered with the PGA of America my take is that I, and my fellow Club Pros, are Golf Professionals, not Professional Golfers, perhaps it’s us that requires a rename! I say that in jest as I believe the branding helps to link/connect the two bodies that help to drive/develop the game, the connection and name share works for golf, yes?

[Anthony Butler]

Speaking of PGA Tour Branding, the new post-merger logo just dropped.

https://www.stltoday.com/opinion/editorial/editorial-blood-on-the-putting-green/article_36d5e8f2-055a-11ee-95ba-e374ae9053f0.html

[JohnVDB]

My experience tells me that most recreational golfers don't understand the difference between the PGA and PGATour, much less the average joe off the street.

But I don't think this is problematic, this is typical of every industry.  Spending 20+ years in tech, the stuff I see in the news in this area is often comical, much less watching a Senate Panel hopelessly fumble the issues.

I would hope the PGA of America isn't facing any fallout from recent activities.

Most of them don’t understand the difference with the PGA, PGA Tour and the USGA.  When I talk to people about my career at the USGA, they think we are out there running the week to week PGA Tour events.