Tuesday morningRory McILroy Opened the press conferences Before the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. But the first question did not concern the next tournament, which ends later during the day. Instead, a journalist asked questions about the Monday evening golfer calendar at this special moment, almost 11 a.m.
DAVE FARIES HEREThe bracing of what on the surface seems to be a banal response. After all, boarding hours stamped on a ticket are probably the least exciting part of a trip.
“So I probably got out of the arena around 9:30 am last night, I returned at 9:35 am. This is not really a journey, “McILroy told the assembled media. “Was in bed at 10 am, woke up this morning at 5 am, took off at 7, landed here at 9:30 am – and I’m there.”
The arena mentioned by the veteran of the 17 -year -old PGA Tour is the Sofi Center in Palm Beach Gardens, in Florida. It houses a new television golf show known as TGL, a league has not played on routes, but in a stadium. Teams of professional golfers have struck the ball in digital screens that use speed and loft data, and others to determine where the shooting lands. They align themselves with plates simulating real fairway herbs, rough or sand. The implementation is a wonder of technology.
Mcilroy played McILroy played in a TGL event on Monday evening. Tuesday morning, he was in Pebble Beach to start practicing rounds for the real thing. And this is where an interesting situation resides that developed in the golf game.
“I think there is a news factor at this stage”, “ McILroy said TGL, which launched a few weeks ago. “I think the good thing we have seen at least at least at least the first three weeks … The demography is very young.”
According to McILroyThe average person who looks at PGA Tour on television events is in the early 1960s, as the age. “We were able to drop this about 13 years at around 50,” he adds. “He does what we wanted to do, which is to try to attract a younger demography to watch the golf course in a way that is perhaps more manageable for them.”
TGL is a two -hour show. A series of traditional golf courses by a group takes place over five hours. Non -professional YouTube videos – average golfers with a selection of photos – draw great attention.
Worrying people involved in sport are sets of numbers that seem to be offset. The data followed by the National Golf Foundation reveal regular growth. More than 45 million Americans played on or off course in 2023. There have been 10 consecutive years with more than 2 million new arrivals that took the current match. At the junior level, girls represent 37% of those who participated, against 15% in 2000.
On the other hand,, Journal of Sports Affairs Reports that the television audience plunged 17% on Saturday and 19% on Sunday – not to count the four major tournaments – between 2023 and last year. The live tour adapted to Arabia, who caused A harmful flaw in the golf worldAttracted only 89,000 viewers for its individual championship round (the PGA Tour is on average 2.2 million viewers on Sunday).
There are some warnings to survey numbers.
First of all, there is a cost to participate in traditional golf course. People tend to take sport when they are young, but have stopped playing while college, career and family take over. The percentage of those who play rounds increase again for the 45 years and over.
The second is the way people consume golf on television. Nielsen Data does not follow those who prefer to broadcast television on their schedule. The PGA Tour recorded 113.1 million social video views in 2024, up 6%. The public of “Golf Product” – The criteria of complete rounds – on ESPN + increased by 15% in terms of minutes viewed.
McILroy appreciates that some want to consume sport as entertainmentthat they find television of traditional game lacking excitement. But he also wonders about the wisdom to tinker with the game.
“There are a lot about golf that are very different from other sportsBut I think that’s what makes him unique, ”he says. “Golf is the golf course at the end of the day. This has been so for hundreds of years. Above all, we are professional golfers; We want to go there and get the best possible score that we can and try to fight. You know, I hope people find it entertaining. And if not, then I don’t know what to say to them.
This week’s cover stories functionality A spectacular round of traditional golf course, as well as Renovations planned in a 100 year old lodge It prospered on the game. I hope you enjoy one or both.
For updates on the tournament itself, visit montereycountynow.com.