How a TOUR Player Chooses their Schedule

29 15 Nov 2013

This week let’s walk you through how a PGA TOUR player establishes his schedule for the coming year.

First, a couple of key facts:

  • There are 45 events on the PGA TOUR now running from October 2013 to September 2014.
  • Most players compete in 20-30 events per year.
  • The PGA TOUR requires each player to compete in at least 15 events per year.

Click here to see the schedule for the 2013-2014 season. 

The top players will set their schedules by starting with the “must plays”

  • The Major Championships (4)
  • The World Golf Events (4)
  • The Players Championship (1)
  • The FedExCup Playoffs and the TOUR Championship (4)
  • Winners play the Hyundai Tournament of Champions (1)

Now, count up these “must plays” and their schedule already has 14 events.

Finally, if a player has won or finished quite well in an event in the past he may be inclined to return there and hope to repeat his past success. A player could have 4 or more of these events.

So, where is he?  He has 14 “must plays” and 4 or 5 events where he performs well. That makes 18 or 19 and he may have decided to play in only 25 this year. He has a few more events to choose from and there are 26 left on the schedule. Now he goes by the calendar.

Let’s breakdown the PGA TOUR 2013-2014:

Fall Series                    6 weeks            2 in the U.S. / 2 overseas / 2 in the U.S.

Fall break                     6 weeks            Holiday break / silly season (optional)

Jan. 3 to March 23      12 weeks           2 in Hawaii, 4 in California, 2 in Arizona, 4 in Florida

March 24 to July 27    18 weeks           Events in 14 different states including 3 Majors

July 28 to Sept. 14       7 weeks            1 Major, 1 World event, 3 FedEx Playoffs & TOUR Championship

Just like me and you, the PGA TOUR Players are human.  They get tired of traveling and living out of a suitcase. They get tired of hotels and restaurant food. Being on the road for three or four weeks straight may be their physical limit. They will naturally feel the need to go home to rest and rejuvenate ever few weeks.

Lastly, let’s look at one particular stretch from May 1st to June 15th – just seven weeks.

Wells Fargo – Players Championship – HP Byron Nelson – Colonial – Memorial – St. Jude – US Open

Very few players will play 7 straight.  They must pick and choose.

… which one’s do they play and which one’s do they skip?

sciconTim Gamso
Member
Salesmanship Club of Dallas