Top 10 Golf Headlines to Watch for in 2024
By Bill Hobson
Editor’s Note: We invited Michigan Golf Live’s Bill Hobson to share his insight and wit by coming up with his Top 10 Golf Headlines to Watch for in 2024. In some cases he is serious, in others he writes tongue in cheek. Either way we hope you enjoy his observations and opinions, which are his own…
SHORT COURSES, LONG TERM VISION – When the concept of short, walkable, fun courses first popped up in discussion there was a bit of skepticism from the “18 holes or it doesn’t matter” crowd. Now, a few years later, each region of the state finds itself celebrating the opening of these little gems. They’re a blast to play, great for short game development, a perfect way to allow the “distance challenged” to compete, while providing additional revenue for the venues offering the experience. Watch for more short course development in tighter spaces as the popularity continues to grow.
MUTUAL ASSURED DESTRUCTION – THE CALAMITY OF MEN’S PRO GOLF – What do you get when greed, personal animus and lack of leadership collide? You end up with the mess that is men’s professional golf. At a time when the game’s popularity is at an all-time high among amateurs, the lure of bloody money from the Saudis is running headfirst into the PGA Tour Commissioner’s deceptive tactics.
The result (as of Dec. 20) is two parties that appear to deserve each other, while alienating the vast majority of fans both parties rely on to sell their (sponsored) products. With big names betraying their own words and taking the LIV Golf plunge and the PGA Tour scrambling in vain to locate enough money to match the Saudis (an impossible journey), the professional game has morphed into the very thing that we see in other sports – a sordid money grab. Here’s hoping our great event in Detroit, the Rocket Mortgage Classic, is able to thrive in the face of all the controversy.
USGA RESCINDS ROLLBACK RULING UNDER PRESSURE FROM EVERY GOLFER EVERYWHERE – It has long been a dream of mine for someone in the upper echelon of golf policy discussions to watch one of my tee shot video clips and instantly reach for pearls to clutch, stunned at how far I hit the ball. That blue blazered USGA officer would then turn to his colleagues and proclaim that “this – THIS – is why we must dial back the distance a golf ball can travel!” Alas, that dream will forever remain an act of fiction as there isn’t an amateur golfer on the planet guilty of ruining the game due to the distance he or she hits the ball.
At a time when the game’s popularity is soaring, there is zero reason for the USGA/R&A to insert itself into the distance debate and there is zero reason for any golf ball manufacturer to be forced to retool their factories in order to comply. Don’t start hoarding your favorite ball just yet. I still believe the court of public opinion will carry the day and a USGA “tournament ball” will end up being the route taken once the dust settles.
GOLF DECLARED “FAR TOO EASY” BY YOUR ENTIRE THURSDAY LEAGUE – Connected directly to the aforementioned USGA silliness, amateur golfers around the world have a “light bulb moment,” realizing that because they’ve been hitting the ball sooo far, the game has become incredibly easy. Scores have been consistently plummeting, handicaps are mostly all in the single digits, and many have begun playing from the tips just to make things moderately interesting. Said one prominent Thursday league runner up, “I’ve begun breaking 110 consistently and am trending to be under 100 by 2034. Something needs to be done about the golf ball before I lose interest in this game entirely.”
RESEARCH PROVES THE DRIVER YOU BOUGHT LAST YEAR STILL WORKS – This just in from the Michigan Golf Live Common Sense Institute (MGL CSI) – You spent $600 on a driver last year. It was specifically fitted to your swing, body type, and strengths. Your tee game was never better. That driver is still good. Take the dough you’re tempted to spend on this year’s model and invest in lessons from a PGA Professional so the other clubs in your bag can help your game. That driver is perfectly fine.
PGA TOUR COMMISSIONER HIRED AS NEW PISTONS GM – In a surprising announcement from Detroit Piston owner Tom Gores, PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan has been named the new GM for the Pistons. Said Gores, “we were looking for someone who has presided over a once great franchise only to see it melt completely down. No one fits that bill more perfectly than Jay and we can’t wait to see how long it takes him to lead us to complete extinction.”
YOUR GOLF BUDDIES STOP MYSTERIOUSLY “FINDING” EVERY WAYWARD SHOT 40 YARDS DEEP IN THE WOODS – Just kidding. We all know this will never happen.
MICHIGAN LPGA TOUR STOPS UNANIMOUSLY DECLARED BEST TOURNAMENTS OF THE YEAR – Without a doubt, the combination of the Meijer LPGA Classic and Dow Great Lakes Bay Invitational is the strongest pairing of tournaments this state has ever seen. Both events draw not only the strongest non-major fields of the entire year, but the community support from Grand Rapids and the Great Lakes Bay Region is the envy of tournaments everywhere. Tremendously accessible players, fantastic fan experiences, and the ultimate entertainment value for the family, we’re blessed to have this pair of events as a summer highlight once again. (Both will be in June this year, as will the Rocket Mortgage.)
GOLFERS THROUGHOUT THE NATION COMMIT TO PLAY MORE, WATCH LESS – In the “silver lining” search as golf fans become more irritated with the avarice (greed) on display in the men’s pro game, we arrive at a source of optimism – more of you will be playing the game instead of sitting around watching the game. Sure, we’ll all fire up the big screen for the majors and be there in person for the Rocket...but the rest of our passion for the game will be displayed in the form of getting out to play more.
MICHIGAN GOLF LIVE CELEBRATES 25TH ANNIVERSARY SEASON WITH THE DEBUT OF NEW VIDEO AND SIM STUDIO – We can’t wait to debut our new studio and invite you into the MGL 25th Anniversary celebration throughout the season, including a special “25 for 25” series of contests with prizes that are a step above what we’ve done in the past. We’re blessed to have you as part of the MGL family and grateful for the partnerships and support over all these years. Your passion for the game is what makes Michigan the golf capital of America and this year is going to be an epic time of participation and celebration with you all. Happy New Year and thank you for being part of 25 years of Michigan Golf Live!
