Changes to Q-School for Next Year!

[Break68]

http://www.golf.com/ap-news/new-q-sc...ing-take-shape

This is the stupidest thing I have ever read when it comes to the PGA Tour, the rules committee has lost there minds. Please do not do this, the changes are insanely stupid.
Just leave it alone.
Q-School is great the way it is.

[Kilroy]

Absolutely ridiculous.

[Break68]

More stats from Q-School:

STAT OF THE WEEK: Junthima Gulyanamitta paid a total of $5,500 for entry fees at all three stages of LPGA Tour qualifying. She earned $5,000 for her two-shot victory in the final stage of Q-school.
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FYI: Brendon Todd earned $50,000 for his victory at PGA Q-School last week.
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This is so wrong in so many ways.

[mjf]

I'm not entirely sure I like with where the PGA Tour is going with this either, but I wouldn't call it stupid or ridiculous. As I understand it, they have seen that Nationwide Tour grads are better prepared to handle the stresses of being on the PGA Tour than the guys who have a hot week at Q-School.

The PGA Tour is in the business of selling their product... good golf. The system that they are proposing would seem to be a pretty good way to have the highest quality product available for our viewing pleasure.

If the only defense for Q-School is that we may be missing out on that one guy with the great story... does that really matter if he misses the cut every week on the big tour?

[mjf]

More stats from Q-School:

STAT OF THE WEEK: Junthima Gulyanamitta paid a total of $5,500 for entry fees at all three stages of LPGA Tour qualifying. She earned $5,000 for her two-shot victory in the final stage of Q-school.
-----
FYI: Brendon Todd earned $50,000 for his victory at PGA Q-School last week.
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This is so wrong in so many ways.

Why is this wrong? Was Junthima not aware what the ultimate prize would be when she signed up?

Anyway, I'm guessing she'd have paid the same amount of fees even if there was NO monetary compensation for winning the final stage... she gets to play on the LPGA Tour next year!

[Break68]

Why is this wrong? Was Junthima not aware what the ultimate prize would be when she signed up?

Anyway, I'm guessing she'd have paid the same amount of fees even if there was NO monetary compensation for winning the final stage... she gets to play on the LPGA Tour next year!

What century do you live in?
It's called Gender Equality.
The PGA Q-school winner shouldn't earn 10 times what the LPGA q-school winner earns.

[Kilroy]

Nationwide Tour grads are better prepared to handle the stresses of being on the PGA Tour than the guys who have a hot week at Q-School.

Finishing Q-School in the top 25 takes much more than a hot week.
Some of golf's great traditions seem to be crumbling in the face of commercialism.

[mjf]

What century do you live in?
It's called Gender Equality.
The PGA Q-school winner shouldn't earn 10 times what the LPGA q-school winner earns.

Should male professional football players earn more than female professional football players? Oh... wait... there ARE no female professional football players (lingerie league notwithstanding). Why are there no professional female football players? Because NOBODY WOULD PAY TO WATCH.

WAY WAY WAY WAY WAY more people are willing to pay to watch PGA Tour golf than LPGA Tour golf. It's called BUSINESS.

[mjf]

Finishing Q-School in the top 25 takes much more than a hot week.
Some of golf's great traditions seem to be crumbling in the face of commercialism.

You're right... it takes a hot 3 weeks (or so). Obviously, you've got to be a very skilled golfer to make it to the final stage of Q-School and then finish in the top 25.

My point is, as Steve Stricker alluded to in the article, the proposed system will benefit the better player. Don't we want to see the very best players make it to the PGA Tour? At the very least, isn't that what the PGA Tour should want?

[spackler]

What century do you live in?
It's called Gender Equality.
The PGA Q-school winner shouldn't earn 10 times what the LPGA q-school winner earns.

If a woman won PGA Tour School, they'd get $50K. You realize they're separate businesses right?

[jvincent]

The new system would be very bad for college / mini tour players.

They now have to rely on sponsors invites or Monday qualifying to even have a chance to earn qualifying money if I read the proposal correctly.

[Break68]

If a woman won PGA Tour School, they'd get $50K. You realize they're separate businesses right?

Thank you Spackler, I know they are separate businesses.

[mjf]

The new system would be very bad for college / mini tour players.

They now have to rely on sponsors invites or Monday qualifying to even have a chance to earn qualifying money if I read the proposal correctly.

How would it be any worse for them than the current system? (Aside from the fact that they wouldn't have a shot at getting to the PGA Tour via Q-School... which is pretty long odds for them anyway)

[jvincent]

In the current system any stud can pay his fees and enter the tournament. If they don't make the big tour they can still get Nationwide status. Now only the "name" players will get invites and a chance to qualify. The article didn't say anything about how to get onto the Nationwide.

[mjf]

Ah... good point. But, if they're a "stud" they can Monday qualify for a Nationwide tour event... win it, then the next two and PRESTO... PGA Tour member.

[sensfan63]

The proposed "new" QSchool would be strictly for the Nationwide Tour. Ergo, the Nationwide Tour would be the only way to advance to the PGA Tour - as of now there are 25 spots up for grabs, but the new system would make up to 50 available.
I'm torn on this. On the one hand, the Nationwide Tour has been proven to have their players keep their PGA Tour card a greater percentage of the time than Q School graduates. On the other, Q School is a tradition and that should carry some significance.

[sensfan63]

The new system would be very bad for college / mini tour players.

They now have to rely on sponsors invites or Monday qualifying to even have a chance to earn qualifying money if I read the proposal correctly.

Not really. They'd just have to advance from the Nationwide Tour, instead of relying on Monday qualifying or getting sponsor exemptions into PGA Tour events, and earning enough money to keep their cards. That rarely happens anyway. One guy this year did it, Bud Cauley. As good a stretch as Adam Hadwin had, he still didn't make enough to get his card, and the new proposal wouldn't change that.

[sensfan63]

Finishing Q-School in the top 25 takes much more than a hot week.
Some of golf's great traditions seem to be crumbling in the face of commercialism.

Depends on the person. Some are exempt to final stage, some to 2nd stage, and some start at either 1st stage or pre-qualifying. So, for some, it IS a hot week.

[Kilroy]

It takes a lot to get that far. It isn't just one week of success.