Senior Tour popularity takes dive

Dean Juipe

Tuesday, Dec. 9, 1997 | 11:46 a.m.

Pro golf has slipped into its holiday mode, its "silly season" of high-stakes exhibitions concocted and financed by TV.

If nothing else it demonstrates the rich do, indeed, get richer.

Yet in the back rooms of the mainstream PGA Senior Tour offices they're using this time for reflection. And not all the reflections are positive.

"Senior golf has some work to be done," said Charlie Baron, the tournament director for the Las Vegas Senior Classic, held annually every spring at the TPC. "There's no real panic but we've been talking about marketing and how to better position our product."

Baron was among the tournament directors who attended a recent meeting in Myrtle Beach, S.C., in which PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem moderated a wide-ranging discussion that included an update on television contracts and the burgeoning World Golf Tour. Yet the critical item on the agenda was the PGA Senior Tour, the 50-and-over circuit that is coming off arguably its least interesting season in its 17-year existence.

"The tour has changed from what it originally was," Baron said. "When it started it was an outing-type of event for some big stars. But most of those guys have moved along now and the tour has become real competitive."

The Senior Tour is competitive in that the players are deadly serious. Yet two players -- Hale Irwin and Gil Morgan -- mopped the floor with their competition in 1997, with Irwin winning nine times and Morgan six.

As a result of those redundancies, as well as the fact neither Irwin nor Morgan is especially charismatic, TV ratings were down. Of the 25 Senior Tour events televised by the same network in 1996 and '97, 21 saw their ratings decline for the final-round broadcast.

The situation may remain unchanged next year due to a lack of marquee players turning 50. This year Johnny Miller and Larry Nelson turned 50, although Miller played only twice on the Senior Tour and Nelson is less charismatic than even Irwin and Morgan.

No golfer of note -- unless one generously includes John Mahaffey, Gary McCord and Bruce Fleisher -- will turn 50 in 1998, putting the Senior Tour in something of a holding pattern as it awaits Tom Watson and Tom Kite in 1999.

"In the old days we had Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus carrying the tour," Baron said. "They're pretty much gone now and we've got to do something to keep their replacements' names in front of the sport's fans. I think we all agreed the tour has to do a better job in bringing out the personality of some of those players."

Las Vegas' place on the Senior Tour is secure, and, in fact, the prize money for next year's event will be raised from 1997's $1 million to $1.4 million. Baron said the amateur field also will be expanded from 160 to at least 200.

But some stops on the tour aren't as fortunate. Some communities are struggling to finance a Senior Tour stop and one event, the Bank One Classic in Lexington, Ky., appears to have fallen by the wayside and won't be included on the 1998 schedule.

"We're a lot different in Las Vegas," Baron said. "We have the golf tournament to promote the city and its hospitality industry, and to donate to charity.

"Some of the smaller markets are concerned. Just like Tiger Woods can't play every week on the PGA Tour, Hale Irwin can't play every week on the Senior Tour; when he doesn't, it's a loss for that community."

Finchem assured the tournament directors he would speak to the players who are approaching 50 and attempt to gauge their interest in extending their careers on the Senior Tour. He said he'll try a little subtle persuasion if need be.

"It would be nice if Miller played a little bit more," Baron said, although the 24-time winner on the PGA Tour kept the Senior Tour at arm's length after turning 50 last April. Citing his poor putting and a general lack of interest in competitive golf, Miller became the first big-name player to all but totally shun the Senior Tour upon turning 50.

Add in that Nicklaus is 57 and playing a reduced schedule, plus he, Lee Trevino and Ray Floyd were winless on the Senior Tour this year for the first time this decade. The result is a rather bland tour, one that is being dominated by two men and one that is awaiting an infusion of talent that may not arrive until 1999.

"The Senior Tour still puts on a good show," Baron said. "But maybe we need to work on a few things. Maybe we need to make sure people don't forget about us."