Worst case scenario
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- July
- 18
A few years ago I wrote a fairly long magazine piece on the business of golf pro-ams, and how essential they are to most tournaments’ financial well-being. The thinking is that pro-ams are not only where businesses and individuals plunk down thousands to play 18 holes with their favorite PGA or LPGA star, but it’s also how tournaments lure businesses into buying larger sponsorship packages (i.e. buy this corporate tent and sign and we’ll give you 8 pro-am spots).
With that in mind, ask most tournament directors which day they absolutely CAN NOT afford for it to rain, and the answer is not Saturday or Sunday, but the Wednesday of pro-ams.
The reason I mention this, of course, is that it’s pouring rain outside the media tent at the HSBC Women’s World Match Play Championship, and the morning portion of the pro-am has been canceled.
Again, for many fans, this doesn’t make too much of a difference, although it does deprive them the chance to see their favorite players in a more informal setting. But it is costly to the tournament, and of course, to the pro-am participants who have spent two weeks honing their games in hopes of showing Natalie Gulbis and Annika Sorenstam a thing or two, only to have to spend the morning picking at the buffet line in the clubhouse.
And the answer to your question is no, they don’t get their money back….
This entry was posted
on Wednesday, July 18th, 2007 at 10:01 am by Sam Weinman.
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Hey Sam, any thoughts on the steroids in golf story that is starting to unfold? Has it reached the point of scandal yet?
Sam, you’ve got commentary on women’s pro-ams but no predictions or word on Carnoustie? Odd…
Reality, Chris. See my latest post…