Golf's Greatest Hope

This generation if players seem different than past. I don't know any of them personally, but I don't get a sense that many of them are driven to win. There's SOOOO much money acquired at a very young age, I get the feeling that a lot of these youngsters are content to keep their cards, get rich, live the life and take a win when it comes. Nobody comes to mind when I ponder your question.

Toulon I've never been a huge Jordan Speith fan, but I find myself enjoying watching him try to put his swing and his game back together. I root for Ricky Fowler, knowing that he's probably NOT going to ever win big.
I like it when I see a veteran golfer threaten the lead and have a good tournament, even though he probably will fade by Sunday (think Steve Stricker last week!). Sometimes I watch because of the golf course they're playing....Pebble Beach, Torrey Pines, Riviera come to mind.

Of course, when the majors roll around, the best players and familiar names rise to the top, and I enjoy that. But almost every week there is something that interests me about the tournament, esp. this time of year when we're snowed in up north and can't get out to play on our own. Is there an Arnie, Jack, or Tiger out there who is compelling to watch b/c he's a super star....? No, probably not. But I still watch, esp. in the winter, because I love the game and enjoy watching the best in the world do what they do.

It was never about just winning, it was always about being "cool". Jack won more and was probably a better player than Arnold but to this day a " who do you think you are, Arnold Palmer" comment is probably what you will hear. Arnold, like Freddy Couples, Sean Connery, Joe Namath, Mickey Mantle, was cool. Unfortunately you can’t buy, rent or practice being cool, you either are or your not. I tell my friends one of the most relevant movies of our time( not that I like it) was Revenge Of The Nerds, because it turned out to really come true. Snead and Norman could wear a cool hat that others just couldn’t pull off. Payne Stewart looked cool, Bryson looks like his clothes don’t fit. There was a day you cold pick a rock star out in a crowded airport, they just had a look you couldn’t duplicate . These guys today are cookie cutter both in look and personality.

fatshot because I love the game and enjoy watching the best in the world do what they do.

This. Hard to find another prodigy on the radar at this point or even a 'cool' dude who makes you tune in.

I definitely think Bryson fits the mold of "different" and is about as intriguing as a player can get based on how he goes about his business. I'll watch him anytime. Bubba Watson is definitely different but he doesn't seem to be around much or at least not contending. Not a fan. Koepka is another guy I'll watch. Ricky of course has style if not the game to back it up.
There were tons of cookie cutter golfers in the old days too. Tiger will never happen again. Besides being so good he was also the first really great black golfer and the whole media world jumped on that bandwagon. White Tiger doesn't make any noise outside the golf world. Plus you have to add in today's cancel culture and nobody is going to say something that might hurt their brand. There's a reason they're robots in interviews. Look at JT and one stupid mistake. His sponsors dropped him like a rock.

The interesting guys aren't winning. I think Wesley Bryan is interesting. Tommy Gainey was interesting. I like to watch Finau, and he has enough talent to actually win something, but he is a little too laid back to generate that much interest.

Eguller fatshot because I love the game and enjoy watching the best in the world do what they do.

This. Hard to find another prodigy on the radar at this point or even a 'cool' dude who makes you tune in.

Oooops... there is the Champions Tour that has the ''characters'.

Eguller Yeah, I know....but for some reason, the Champions Tour hasn't appealed to me since
Arnie retired. Jack never embraced it much, neither did Greg Norman, it remains to be seen whether Phil
will. I seldom watch, unless I know one of the "cool guys" is near the lead. I'd rather watch the LPGA.

I don't think there is player able to hold that title - or will be one, based on dominance - which is, obviously, a huge factor, as it gets your face on TV. No one will care if you have swagger - and you're missing the cut.
I think the Pro game's greatest hope lies with "roll-back". Popularity would benefit, long-term, after the amateurs grumblings subsided (which it would). While being "on" and/or "hot with a putter" any particular week has always been a winning formula ... it's even more so now, to the detriment of overall skill being the primary factor. Equipment improvements have condensed the playing field. Tour rookies are getting younger and younger, and are able to win earlier. The 1960's had first time winners at a 16.82% clip ... the 2010's had it at 28.43% (you would think they would run out of new players!). Tournament scoring during that time also dropped from 275 to 269.8. Even look at the number of sub 60 rounds ... never before 1977, then a second in 1991, and then ten more since 1999.
It would be a scary state for the tour if improvements completely levelled the playing field - and each weeks winner played out like rock-paper-scissors - with luck becoming the primary determinant.

Stu1961 It would be a scary state for the tour if improvements completely levelled the playing field - and each weeks winner played out like rock-paper-scissors - with luck becoming the primary determinant.

We're closer than not with parity and luck playing a larger & larger role.
Hole out here, long putts there. Jordan has holed out several times this week and
the long putts are starting to fall. Luck & Skill combined are hard to beat.

fatshot I'd rather watch the LPGA.

fatshot has it!

The PGA is just a boring watch. At this point it is little more than background noise on the TV. Nothing relatable. Watching the same guys hit the same shots over and over.

I still like the Majors, especially The Open.

Subsonic The PGA is just a boring watch.

I want to see them play a few courses they've never played. And, with no practice rounds. Why should that be anyway? If I were to travel a few 100 miles for a tournament, I would be blind on the 1st tee, and contrary to popular beliefs, I'm no Pro. Let them play some of these 120+ yr. old country club courses around the country, set up as they are daily.

imo, no one will ever dominate the PGA again. There will only be weekly/monthly 'stars', which all will proclaim as 'the next TW'. Not. Gonna. Happen.

Par4QC imo, no one will ever dominate the PGA again.

I think there will still be dominant players, but they only come along every generation or so. They will also have to be lucky enough to have 1 or 2 rivals as good as they are to compete against. Jones had Walter Hagen and Gene Sarazen. Hogan had Snead and Nelson. Jack had Arnold, then Miller, Weiskopf, Trevino, and Watson. Tiger had Phil, among others. Unfortunately right now, we seem to be in a lull. But I think another super star will come along....it's just a question of "who" and "how long" we'll have to wait to see him emerge.

fatshot but they only come along every generation or so.

TW is in his mid 40's. Time has passed for 'that guy' to show his face. Everyone is jumping on DJ's wagon, but this will pass. I do give him the credit of being 'closest' to the throne, but he'll never be able to keep it up.

From the very beginning of his career, I said Rickie was wayyy over hyped. I've been proven correct a helluva a lot more than not. Even Cobra sees it now; he's no longer 'the face'.

Take away their greens topographical maps and see how good of putters they would be? Shouldn't be allowed to use them.

If DJ had a personality more interesting than plain oatmeal, he'd have a shot imo.

Hoss7504
He comes across to me as "Dumb as a box of rocks." He likely isn't but that's the way I see him.

mulegolf

I get the same impression