The Future of the Game of Golf!

In Baseball they have minor league—in hockey they have the Juniors and Minor Hockey—in Football they basically have the SEC (just kidding) and in Golf they have the Web.com Tour Championship at Craig Ranch in McKinney, Texas.

This used to be called the Nationwide Tour, but Web.Com took it over shortly after August the announcement of the field that was going to participate in this tournament.

Its late October, in North Texas, the weather could be anything from warm and sunny to cool and bright—to the most awful of storms.

The Golf Gods are smiling on the tournament—great weather so far- just a bit cool, and the winds have died down from earlier in the tournament.

Names that you need to keep an eye on for the future of Golf, this are the guys that will be chasing people like Vijay Sihng, and Tiger Woods, along with Phil Mickelson.

This tour has gone through their growing pains over the years, starting out as the Ben Hogan Tour, to the Nike Tour, Buy.Com tour, then Nationwide Insurance took the naming rights—and then in Web.com took the naming rights earlier this summer and will be the title sponsor for the next 10 years.

In North Texas, where golf is pretty prevalent, having high school stars and in some cases College athletes go on and become stars on the big PGA Stage. Such as the Late Payne Stuart, or Case Knolt (both out of SMU), what about Scott Verplank, growing up in North Dallas, being a volunteer at the Byron Nelson Golf Championship when he was younger—and then headed off to Oklahoma State winning on the NCAA stage and then on the PGA Tour, including winning the Nelson in 2007 nine months after Lord Byron passed away!

This “under” tour, is a great showcase for the younger players to make their Tour Card, without having to go through the grind of the “Q” Schools! Though they are still around, this tour provides a way for the players to earn money, and the top 25 who finish in the money get their tour cards.

The course in McKinney works to the advantage of the long hitter, it’s a long course, not so much a shot makers course, such as Colonial is in Fort Worth, but more like the TPC course in Las Colinas, but don’t take that one lightly or this one for that fact. Craig Ranch TPC is a tough par 71 course, and when the wind does howl down from the north or in the summer months from the south—it changes how you chose your clubs and what type of shot you have to make, to get the score!

Long hitters are great—but if you play the game of golf, the old adage of, HIT FOR SHOW, PUTT FOR DOUGH!

These young men out on the course today are finding out just what it means to make the short game work for you. 250 to 300 yard drives look great on TV but that is not what is going to win tournaments. You have to put the ball into that little round hole on the shortest of grass on the course! Yes that’s obvious but it is still the name of the game!

The other thing about golfers that some might have noticed, they are the nicest guys out there in the sports industry! They take the time to talk with reporters, as well as fans, they don’t mind signing the autographs, they don’t mind chit chatting with youngsters standing in the gallery, they have fun, they have a smile on their faces, and they enjoy the life of the tour!

Refreshing at best to see someone who has the opportunity to make a pretty good living, and not really have to flaunt it!

Oh yeah well there is still Tiger Woods, who make a pretty good living and at times has been surly, but after a bit, I would probably be the same way as well.

However, golfers are still better dressers, and they have a better attitude when they are in public!

The Web.com tour will be here in North Texas, and with the help of the Salsemanship Club of Dallas, this tournament will be able to funnel more players into the fold of the new generation of golfers and maybe another superstar will emerge and bring the game another bright star!

Just a thought!