When Does the Golf Season Start and End?
When is golf season? For enthusiasts eager to hit the greens, the answer depends on your location. In this concise guide, we pinpoint exact golf season start and end dates across climates and top destinations. Discover when to plan your rounds in the U.S. or your ultimate golf getaway abroad, complete with key tournaments for the avid spectator.
Key Takeaways
- Golf seasons differ drastically across the US with 18 states having year-round play due to warmer climates, while other regions play from April/May to October/November.
- Globally, golf seasons vary with countries like Spain offering year-round play, while others have shorter periods due to climate, such as Norway and Finland.
- The PGA Tour and professional golf seasons are year-round, with significant changes coming in 2024, such as a transition to a calendar-year system and increased FedEx Cup champion prize money.
Golf Season Across the United States
As diverse as the landscapes across the United States, so are the golf seasons. The variance in seasons is mainly due to climatic and regional differences. Whether you aim to tee off in the chilly northern states or the sunny south, it’s beneficial to know the official dates for golfing seasons. This knowledge validates your score submissions and assists in adjusting your playing schedules.
Eighteen states, including Florida, California, and Arizona, offer year-round golfing due to their warmer climates. But not all states are as fortunate. The length of the golf season in the United States varies significantly across states, with the colder months often limiting play.
Curious about the golf season in various parts of the U.S? Allow us to guide you through. We’ll commence with the Northern states, traverse South, and conclude with states where golf is a year-round affair.
Northern States Golf Season
In the Northern states, the golf season usually stretches from April to October or November, with the golf season end typically occurring around this time. Take New York, for example, where the golf season start runs from April 15th to October 31st. It’s evident that the spring season, particularly for golf in the Northern US, is relatively brief, encompassing only April and May.
What about the fall season? From mid-September till November end, the cooler weather conditions favor golfing in the northern states. This period, termed the ‘shoulder season,’ presents golfers with the chance to indulge in the sport at reduced rates. Nevertheless, it’s typical for local golf courses in the northern states to shut during the winter months, known as the inactive season, because of snow.
Southern States Golf Season
Heading south, the golf season typically runs from February to November, primarily due to warmer climates allowing for a longer golfing period. South Carolina, along with the Carolinas and Georgia, for instance, have their optimal months for golfing during the spring, from March to June, and again in the fall, from October to mid-December.
However, it’s not always sunny skies for golfers in the south. July and August are the hottest and most humid months in the Carolinas and Georgia, which can make golfing conditions challenging.
On the brighter side, winter presents an economic advantage for golfers in the Southern states, with substantially lower rates for golfing and accommodations available from mid-November through February.
Year-Round Golf Destinations
If you’re looking to play golf regardless of the season, states like Florida, California, and Arizona are your best bet. These states are identified as popular year-round golf destinations, thanks to their favorable climates.
In Arizona, the high demand for golf peaks from January to March, while in Florida, it’s during the winter months. But don’t worry if you miss the peak season. Arizona offers warm temperatures and lower costs for golfers in the off-peak months of April to June and late November to December. So, whether it’s the peak or off-peak season, golfers in these states enjoy the advantage of playing golf any day of the year, with extended seasons compared to other locations.
Golf Season Around the World
Crossing borders, the golf season around the world varies as much as the sport’s popularity. Each country, with its unique climate and geographical location, offers a distinct golf season. Here are some examples:
- In Sweden, the south has a longer season from spring to autumn, while the north has a shorter period of play.
- Norwegian golf courses typically have a shorter season from late spring to early autumn due to the northern latitude and climate conditions.
- In South Africa, the golf season extends from September to May, providing options for golfers during the Northern Hemisphere’s winter months.
The prime season for golf travel in the northern US is from the end of April to early October, which coincides with the ideal travel season for golfing in the UK & Ireland. So, if you’re planning a golfing trip, it’s essential to consider the local golf seasons.
Now, allow us to extend our exploration of golf seasons to different corners of the globe – starting with Europe, then proceeding to Canada, and finally landing in Australia and New Zealand.
European Golf Season
Europe, rich in history and culture, also boasts a vibrant golf scene. The general golf season in European countries typically extends from March to October. The best months to play golf in Europe are usually from May to September, offering optimal playing conditions.
However, some countries stand out from the rest. Spain, for instance, offers the possibility to play golf year-round due to favorable weather conditions. On the other hand, countries like Finland have a shorter golf season lasting from May to September.
Canadian Golf Season
Venturing to our neighbors in the North, the typical golf season in Canada ranges from mid-April to October. The official dates for the golf season in Canada run from April 1st to November 30th. So, despite the country’s reputation for long, cold winters, Canadian golfers still enjoy a substantial golfing season.
Golf Season in Australia and New Zealand
Down under in Australia and New Zealand, the golf season generally runs from September to May. These countries offer a unique golfing experience with their diverse landscapes and wildlife.
In tropical regions of Australia, such as Queensland, golf can be played throughout the entire year. Similarly, New Zealand offers year-round golfing opportunities, especially in the northern regions where the climate is milder. So, whether it’s summer or winter in the Northern Hemisphere, golfers can always head south for a game or two.
Making the Most of Golf Season: Tips and Strategies
Whether you’re a seasoned golfer or a beginner, maximizing the golf season requires more than merely knowing when and where to play. It involves maintaining your strength and power, strategically scheduling your in-season workouts, and keeping tabs on your workout metrics and club head speeds. These strategies will help you maintain peak performance and avoid any slump in your game.
But how can you ascertain the ideal times to play golf? And what measures can you take during the off-season to hone your skills? Let’s delve into these queries in the ensuing subsections.
Best Times to Play Golf
The best times to play golf can vary based on the location and the season. For example, March through June and October through mid-December are ideal for golfing in the Carolinas and Georgia. However, in Arizona, the best times for golfing are January through March for peak season, and April, May, June, late November, and December for good conditions and reasonable rates.
To optimize your golfing experience, consider the following recommendations:
- Schedule tee times for early morning or late afternoon to avoid peak sun and heat.
- These times align with periods of improved mental and physical performance.
- Weekday golfing can offer lower rates and a less crowded environment compared to weekends.
- This can accommodate personal preferences, such as cooler weather or schedules that fit warm-up routines.
Off-Season Practice and Improvement
Even during the off-season, you can keep your golf game sharp. Focusing on strength training and flexibility exercises tailored to golf-specific movements can prevent injury and enhance your performance.
Practicing indoors and utilizing at-home exercises are effective ways to maintain your skills. Indoor putting greens and swing analysis technology can help refine your technique by providing feedback, even when outdoor courses aren’t accessible. Golfers can also set up a golf simulator at home with essential equipment like a TV, launch monitor, golf mat, and net.
Speed training is another method that can help golfers start shooting lower scores.
In conclusion, understanding the golf season across different regions and the professional PGA Tour can enhance your golfing experience. Whether you’re golfing in the Northern or Southern states of the U.S., Europe, Canada, Australia, or New Zealand, harnessing this knowledge can help you plan your games and trips better. Moreover, implementing the right strategies, such as scheduling in-season workouts, choosing the best times to play, and utilizing off-season practices, can significantly improve your performance. So, grab your clubs, and let’s make the most of this golf season!
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there an off season in golf.
Yes, there is an off season in golf, which allows professional golfers to take a break and recover from the physical demands of the game.
Is golf a spring or summer sport?
You can play golf year-round if you find the right locations and timing, so it’s not strictly a spring or summer sport. Check out resources like Golfbreaks by PGA TOUR for guidance.
What time of year do people start golfing?
The golf season in the United States typically starts in the spring when the weather gets warmer. Happy golfing!
Are there any year-round golf destinations in the U.S?
Absolutely, Florida, California, and Arizona are great options for year-round golfing in the U.S.
When does the PGA Tour season start and end?
The PGA Tour season starts in the fall, running through the summer, and ends approximately a year later with a total of 47 tournaments.
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The PGA Tour needs a legitimate off-season each year
By sean melia | sep 14, 2021.
The seemingly endless march of PGA Tour golf might scratch our itch as fans. There’s always a tournament to watch as we dose off on the couch on a Sunday afternoon or scroll through golf Twitter firing off pithy comments.
In the middle of the winter, PGA Tour events provide an escape to warmer climates – Kapalua warming our bones as snow piles up in the northern states. However, the golf could be better and more dynamic and entertaining if the PGA Tour took a true off-season.
If the PGA Tour did have an off-season, the game as a whole would have room to breathe, and we’d very likely find ourselves still watching golf, but it would look a lot different than 72 hole events.
Some sports have found a way to make the off-season relevant. The NFL has their draft extravaganza, and the NBA has their frantic free agency period with superstars moving teams and requesting trades.
International competition and summer leagues help stem the tide for those that need hoops in their life. Scroll through social media and pick-up hoops games in Los Angeles starring LeBron James, Kyrie Irving, Paul George, and James Harden (when he’s not at the club…) might fill your feed.
If there were a three month off-season on the PGA Tour (let’s say October-December), there would be time for golfers and agents and charities to produce events that aren’t 72 hole dart-throwing spectacles that we see basically 48 weeks a year.
Asking for an off-season isn’t the same as asking for no golf.
An off-season is more about providing time for different golf — challenge matches are the low-hanging fruit like Bryson vs. Brooks or Billy Horschel vs. Steve Stricker.
The entrepreneurial spirit of independent contractors could provide other awesome opportunities. Maybe we see a team event, a golf trip or a mixed event with PGA and LPGA players. Fans love to watch outstanding golf. There’s no doubt about it.
However, golf fans also love watching versions of the golf they play on the weekends: best ball match play or alternate shot with some trash talk and a touch of humanity. The possibilities are endless. If players had a little time, they’d fill the void if they wanted. Even if they didn’t want to, that PIP money would be beckoning.
The pandemic forced golf to have an off-season in 2020 from March to June. The break created charitable opportunities and crossover competition. It produced a few made-for-TV golf events, like giving us the Tom Brady ripped pants hole-out while Charles Barkley trash-talked him.
Those events were slapped together to give golf fans something to chew on in the heart of a horrible time when we were all cooped up in our houses waiting for the next episode of The Last Dance to air.
The golf hiatus also produced the Bryson DeChambeau transformation. Say what you will about DeChambeau, but if he didn’t have that period of time to focus 100% on his body’s transformation, it likely isn’t happening.
If it doesn’t happen, golf is in a very different place right now, both in the mainstream media and in the deep recesses of golf Twitter. What DeChambeau did is the same as a lot of athletes do in their off-season. He chose to develop a skill and showed up at the start of the season, ready to show it off.
The players, especially after the last 18 months, have also said they’re tired. Rory McIlroy has been the most vocal.
However, guys like Collin Morikawa, who looks flat out exhausted, or Matthew Wolff, who is dealing with some truly challenging mental health issues, make it clear a bit of time away, without the FOMO of missing out on massive purses, would do the game and its players some serious good.
No sport has a true off-season anymore. The news cycle moves too fast. However, if the PGA Tour stepped aside for a few months, the sport would have room for new stories to develop and create some anticipation for the PGA Tour season like other sports do.
The PGA Tour sometimes feels like the jealous boyfriend, planning and keeping his girlfriend busy with endless weekend plans and nights out to keep her occupied.
Next. Ryder Cup: Padraig Harrington Wise to Choose Ian Poulter. dark
With the Premier Golf League snooping around and promising huge payouts to small fields, it doesn’t seem like the PGA Tour is ready or willing to let its players have three months to explore the game in different ways. That’s too bad because, in the long run, it would make the game more interesting.
Shriners Children's Open
TPC Summerlin
Everything you need to know about the PGA Tour's re-engineered fall schedule
Orlando Ramirez
The PGA Tour revealed on Wednesday its plan for a re-imagined fall season that includes seven events already familiar to players/fans and will determine who keeps their PGA Tour cards for the following year.
Beginning this year, only the top 70 players off the FedEx Cup points list at the end of the regular season in August qualify for the PGA Tour FedEx Cup Playoffs (and guarantee their full playing status for the following season). The top 50 players on the points list after the first playoff event advance to the second event and are exempt into 2024’s "designated" events , a series of eight still-to-be determined tournaments with limited fields, no cuts and $20 million prize money payouts.
Those who finish outside the top 70 in the FedEx Cup points list will retain their points from the regular season as they compete in the autumn and try to stay inside the top 125 at the end of the newly named “FedEx Cup Fall” or play their way into the top 125 if they weren't inside at the end of the regular season. The seven events will offer a full allotment of FedEx Cup points with more than $56 million in prize money available as players try to lock in their status for the 2024 season.
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Winners of fall events will continue to see similar benefits to events during the regular season, including a two-year tour exemption and invites to the Masters, PGA Championship, the Players Championship and Sentry Tournament of Champions.
In addition, 10 players, not previously eligible, with the most season-long FedExCup points through the FedExCup Fall will earn exemptions into the first two designated events that follow the Sentry Tournament of Champions, thus providing a path for players outside the top 50 on the regular-season points list to get into these $20 million tournaments.
As for the fall schedule itself, it remains mostly the same from previous years. It begins in Napa, Calif., at the Fortinet Championship the week of Sept. 11-17, followed by two weeks off—one empty on the tour calendar, the other filled by the 2023 Ryder Cup in Rome. The tour returns in October with the Sanderson Farms Championship, Shriners Children’s Open and Zozo Championship. Following another week sabbatical, the tour’s final three full-field events are the World Wide Technologies Championship (which has moved to Los Cabos from Mayakoba), the Butterfield Bermuda Championship and the RSM Classic.
The tour ends with its “challenge” season, which are exhibitions at the Hero World Challenge, the Grant Thornton Invitational and the PNC Championship.
One notable change is the Houston Open, which was held the past few seasons in the fall. However, the tour announced that the event will be part of the regular season in 2024 with a date still to be announced. Also missing from past fall schedules is the CJ Cup, although its future status is unclear.
The World Golf Championships-HSBC Champions, which has not been contested since 2019, will not be played in 2023. Given the WGC-Match Play will not return, coupled with the advent of the designated-event series, it is likely that tournament will no longer be held, at least in its previous configuration.
The 2024 PGA Tour schedule is expected to be released sometime this summer.
2023 FedEx Cup Fall Schedule
Sept 11-17: Fortinet Championship, Silverado Resort, Napa,California Oct 2-8: Sanderson Farms Championship, C.C. of Jackson, Jackson, Mississippi Oct 9-15: Shriners Children’s Open, TPC Summerlin, Las Vegas, Nevada Oct 16-22: Zozo Championship, Accordia Golf Narashino, Chiba, Japan Oct 30-Nov 5: World Wide Technology Championship, El Cardonal, Los Cabos, Mexico Nov 6-12: Butterfield Bermuda Championship, Port Royal, Southampton, Bermuda Nov 13-19: RSM Classic, Sea Island Golf Club, St. Simons Island, Georgia
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2024 Bridges Cup: Live Leaderboard
Why this major champion thinks the PGA Tour needs an off-season
The PGA Tour’s 2021-22 season schedule features a whopping 48 events, meaning there’s rarely a time when golf isn’t being played somewhere around the world.
Most Tour players tee it up an average of 20 to 30 events each season, which can create a dearth of top names at a significant number of events each year. Players have to rest at some point, after all.
The emergence of competing tours like the Premier Golf League and the rumored Greg Norman-led league has brought scheduling to the forefront of the PGA Tour’s issues. And who can blame golf’s biggest names for perhaps finding a compact schedule with guaranteed money more appealing than the current model?
On this week’s episode of Off Course with Claude Harmon , 2016 PGA champion Jimmy Walker gave his take on the Tour’s ultra-packed schedule.
Here’s what it’s like to be in the zone, according to a major champion
“I think that they’ve just got so many moving parts right now, I think we need a break again. I think guys are ready for that,” Walker said. “And I can’t say that I have not benefitted from the wraparound season. I think I was the first guy to really like — I think it was the year that I won where they started all that stuff. I’ve benefitted from it. But I think that you need time off. Guys need it. Even the young guys. They’re playing their butts off, they practice hard. They’re putting themselves through the wringer. Having a two-and-a-half, three-month break at the end of the year is awesome.
“Football needs it, baseball needs it. All these sports need it,” Walker continued. “Go take the average guy and have him play five straight days in a row, and bang balls and practice like we do, they’re going to feel like they got hit by a truck.”
Walker said that thanks to his five-year exemption status, he’s one of the lucky ones who can choose to give himself an off-season.
“I don’t have to play in the fall,” he said. “I still play golf at home and I still and enjoy it, but it’s letting your mind take a break. You’re not out there having to compete. You can come home and enjoy a round of golf with your buddies. It’s refreshing and it just helps rejuvenate your body and rejuvenate your mind, about yeah, I’ve had a couple months off, I’m ready to go back out and start crushing it again, crushing people and getting after it. But having that break is nice.”
For more from Walker, including why he considers himself an underachiever and what it feels like to be in the zone , check out the full interview below.
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Golf's 11-day offseason is over, so it's time to look back on the longest season ever and ahead to what comes next
- Earned Evans Scholarship to attend Indiana University
Golf never really ends, it just takes a brief break. This year, it's a grand total of one week. The actual number of days between PGA Tour events will be 11.
Before the 2021-22 seasons begins on Thursday in Northern California, a look back at the 2020-21 "super season" that saw 50 official events and six major championships played in roughly a 12-month period, and a look ahead to what's coming now that the 11-day break between seasons is over.
Bryson's world
No player made more headlines than Bryson DeChambeau . From his six-shot U.S. Open victory in September 2020 to his spat with Brooks Koepka -- and that was just the beginning of the Bryson drama -- DeChambeau was an overwhelming story in the season just completed.
He won his first major at Winged Foot, had a stirring victory at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, wowed fans with long drives, contended at the 2021 U.S. Open, lost in a stirring playoff at the BMW Championship and continues to approach the game from a different place.
But after his March win at Bay Hill, the headlines were mostly for other things. The spat with Koepka that began at the PGA Championship was the biggest one and is still ongoing. That led to on-course heckling and some verbal, social-media sparring between he and Koepka.
The final-round back-nine 44 at Torrey Pines when he had the U.S. Open lead was a shock. So, too, was his breakup with longtime caddie Tim Tucker on the eve of the Rocket Mortgage Classic. He called out his equipment after an average first round at The Open, drawing a rebuke from sponsor Cobra. He tested positive for COVID-19, keeping him out of the Olympics -- then made some controversial statements about why he didn't take the vaccine at the WGC-FedEx St. Jude Invitational, where he contended.
On the first day of the Northern Trust, DeChambeau shot even-par 71 -- making just two pars. The next day he flirted with 59. And then he lost in a six-hole playoff at the BMW to Patrick Cantlay , hearing more catcalls on the course.
All the while, DeChambeau stopped talking to the media at the WGC event, due in part to the fallout from his COVID-19 comments. It was quite the year -- good and bad -- for DeChambeau.
Tiger's accident
He didn't hit a shot in 2021, and yet Tiger Woods still produced some of the biggest headlines -- all because of a horrific car accident in February.
Woods was going to get a late start to the year due to another back procedure, but the seriousness of the accident put any and all golf talk on hold. Woods' injuries to his right leg, ankle and foot were significant, and there have been no substantial updates in months. His long-term health is the more immediate concern compared to any competitive golf plans.
The Rahm-inator
Nobody dominated more and had less to show for it than No. 1-ranked Jon Rahm , who played as consistently well as anyone throughout 2021. His lone victory was a big one at the U.S. Open, where he birdied the last two holes to prevail.
That was just two weeks after a positive COVID-19 test following the third round of the Memorial Tournament. Rahm was forced to withdraw with a six-shot advantage.
Starting with the PGA Championship, where he tied for eighth, Rahm was not out of the top 10 the rest of the season except for the Memorial withdrawal. He also tied for third at The Open and tied for the lowest 72-hole score at the Tour Championship, where he is not given credit for a victory. He also had the lowest adjusted scoring average.
Hideki's history
Hideki Matsuyama was not on many people's list of potential champions at the Masters, mostly because he had not won on the PGA Tour for four years. But he forged ahead in the third round, built a big Sunday lead, then held on to win over Will Zalatoris . Matsuyama became the first Japanese male golfer to win a major championship.
Phil's epic win
Phil Mickelson didn't contend in a tournament for nearly a year before the PGA Championship. And he didn't contend in another after. But he picked a great time to put it all together at Kiawah Island, where he got into the lead on Friday and stayed there through a hectic, frantic weekend that saw him hold off Brooks Koepka and Louis Oosthuizen to win his sixth major title.
Mickelson, at age 50, became the oldest major champion in the game's history. The previous oldest was Julius Boros, who set the record at the 1968 PGA Championship. Mickelson won for the 45th time in his PGA Tour career.
Cantlay's emergence
Patrick Cantlay made a huge statement toward the end of the season after always seemingly being so quiet, showing flashes but never quite coming through to the level expected.
He won the Zozo Championship last fall, then didn't win again until the Memorial -- where Rahm's departure created a huge opportunity. He didn't contend in any of the major championships, but he was consistently good enough to hang close in the FedEx Cup points race.
His victory at the BMW over DeChambeau was one of sheer will, where he continually made putts to stay alive and then finally cashed in with a birdie on the sixth extra hole. That moved him to the top of the FedEx standings, gave him a cushion going to Atlanta. There he held off Rahm to win for the fourth time in the season. On Tuesday, Cantlay was named PGA Tour Player of the Year.
Jordan's resurgence
After some three years in golf's abyss, Jordan Spieth bounced back in a big way in 2021. After missing the cut at the Farmers Insurance Open, Spieth finished top four in three of his next four events and then won the Valero Texas Open the week before the Masters for his first win since the 2017 Open. He also contended at The Open and is 15th in the world. Spieth was an easy U.S. Ryder Cup pick for Steve Stricker .
Morikawa's brilliance
Just 24, Collin Morikawa has won two major championships in just eight starts. He added a second this year at The Open, holding off Spieth at Royal St. George's. He won the PGA Championship in 2020. He also added the WGC-Workday Championship early in the year and was No. 1 in FedEx points heading into the playoffs before cooling off.
DJ's Quiet 2021
When he won the Masters in November, Dustin Johnson looked like he might never be beat. He had an amazing run in the fall and into the early part of 2021. And then he went quiet. Johnson had some nice results recently, but he missed the cut in his Masters title defense and again at the PGA Championship. He rarely contended after that although he did post a couple of late top-10s.
What about JT?
Justin Thomas won the Players Championship, putting on a ball-striking display in the final round at TPC Sawgrass where he shot 64. But it was his only victory. And he was barely a factor in any of the major championships. Thomas struggled with the fallout from an anti-gay slur he made at the Sentry Tournament of Champions, which led to losing an endorsement deal. His grandfather also died. It all seemed behind him when he won the Players, but Thomas could not manage another victory.
Old guys rule
In addition to Mickelson winning the PGA at age 50, Stewart Cink captured two PGA Tour titles at age 47 -- his first since winning The Open in 2009. Cink also qualified for the Tour Championship for the first time since that year. Brian Gay , also 47, won the Bermuda Championship last November, his first win in seven years. Sergio Garcia also won at age 40.
Rory's woes
Despite winning the Wells Fargo Championship, Rory McIlroy saw his world ranking drop from fourth at the start of the year to as low as 16th. He missed the cut at both the Players Championship and the Masters after bringing on a new swing coach, Pete Cowen. After his victory at Quail Hollow, McIlroy's best finish was a tie for fourth at the Olympic Golf Tournament.
About the Olympics
The postponement of the Games and the subsequent restrictions that were put in place for the Olympics made for a good number of withdrawals and, unfortunately, a subdued atmosphere.
But those who took part said they were happy they went and glad for the experience. Americans Xander Schauffele and Nelly Korda won gold medals. On the men's side, there was a seven-way playoff for the bronze that included Matsuyama in his home country, McIlroy and Morikawa. Rory Sabbatini , who about five years ago became a citizen of Slovakia, was the surprising silver-medal winner after shooting a final-round 61.
Real-world problems were part of the golf landscape, too. Given the situation, it was inevitable that players and caddies might get the coronavirus. Several high-profile players did. COVID-19 kept Rahm from playing the final round of the Memorial and also knocked him out of the Olympics. DeChambeau's case took him out of the Olympics as well. Matsuyama tested positive at the Rocket Mortgage Classic and he decided not to travel to The Open in England because of quarantine issues. Garcia missed the fall 2020 Masters due to COVID-19.
But the tour nonetheless pushed on, slowly bringing back spectators earlier this year and changing testing protocols along the way. In 15 months of golf since the return in June 2020, the tour largely avoided big problems. There were no outbreaks associated with tournament events, and no events were canceled directly because of the coronavirus.
Premier Golf/Super League Golf
Rival golf leagues were again in the news, a subject that garnered considerable attention before the pandemic and came back in two different forms. The idea remains a big-money endeavor that would attract the top players with small fields, but likely meaning they'd have to renounce PGA Tour membership.
One way the PGA Tour has sought to strengthen its own position is by quietly instituting something called the Player Incentive Program (PIP). The idea is to reward players by engaging with the public and raising their profile through social media or other avenues. It is not directly tied to performance on the course. The program leaked earlier this year, and the pool of money is $40 million, with $8 million going to the leader based on a series of measurements. Commissioner Jay Monahan said those who would be enriched by the PIP would not be disclosed.
The PGA Tour's schedule begins this week with the Fortinet Championship, formerly known as the Safeway Championship. Cink is the defending champion but won't be there because his son is getting married. After next week's Ryder Cup, there will be eight straight tournaments leading to Thanksgiving, two unofficial events afterward, and then a short break before the schedule resumes again in January to run through the Tour Championship in early September.
Some things will be different. The WGC-HSBC Champions in China has been canceled for the second straight year, meaning the Bermuda Championship will be a full FedEx event. It also means there will be just one World Golf Championship event on the schedule, the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play in March. The Mexico Championship is slated to become a regular event; and the WGC-FedEx St Jude Invitational will become the first of three FedEx Cup playoff events, replacing the Northern Trust.
The PGA Tour's collaboration with the European Tour will see three co-sanctioned events -- the Scottish Open, which is the week before The Open at St. Andrews, as well as the Barbasol Championship and the Barracuda Championship, both of which will be played opposite the tournaments in Scotland.
Next year's PGA Championship will be played at Southern Hills in Tulsa, Oklahoma, with the U.S. Open at the Country Club in Brookline, Massachusetts.
Once the first event of the new season begins on Thursday, there will be just 199 days until the first tee shots at the Masters.
PGA TOUR releases full schedule for 2022-23 season
Reduced field sizes for FedExCup Playoffs adds additional importance to every week of the Regular Season and the Playoffs
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PONTE VEDRA BEACH, FLORIDA – The PGA TOUR today announced its 2022-23 FedExCup Season schedule of 47 tournaments, featuring 44 Regular Season events and three FedExCup Playoffs events, culminating with the crowning of the 2023 FedExCup champion at the TOUR Championship at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta, August 21- 27.
As announced on June 22, qualification criteria for the FedExCup Playoffs have been revised starting in 2023, with just 70 players earning a start in the first Playoffs event, the FedEx St. Jude Championship, followed by 50 players advancing to the BMW Championship, with the TOUR Championship field remaining at 30 players.
Next season’s schedule includes record prize money and eight invitationals spread throughout with players competing for elevated purses ranging from $15 to $25 million. The bonus pools totaling $145 million include $75 million for the FedExCup, $20 million for the Comcast Business TOUR TOP 10 and $50 million for the Player Impact Program.
“We’ve heard from our fans and the overwhelming sentiment was that they wanted more consequences for both the FedExCup Regular Season and the Playoffs, and to further strengthen events that traditionally feature top players competing head-to-head,” said PGA TOUR Commissioner Jay Monahan. “We feel strongly we’ve accomplished all of these objectives and more, creating a cadence of compelling drama for every tournament throughout the season. Each week has its own identity and purpose, and we’re set up for an exciting 2022-23 campaign as we transition into a calendar season in 2024 that will include a number of new and innovative competitive aspects in the fall.”
The 70 players who qualify for the first Playoffs event will be fully exempt for the following season as the TOUR transitions to a calendar-year season beginning in 2024 with the core portion of the FedExCup contested from January to August. Following the core FedExCup season, official PGA TOUR events will be conducted in the fall, where all players with status for the 2022-23 FedExCup Season will be eligible to compete. Those outside of the top-70 will compete for FedExCup points in a compelling, consequential final stretch to secure status for 2024.
Following the fall events, the TOUR will introduce a series of international events that include the top-50 players from the final FedExCup Points list, the top performers in the fall and additional eligibility as part of a limited-field, no-cut format. Further details on the fall events and the global series are expected to be announced later this year.
Highlights for the 2022-23 PGA TOUR Season:
The 17th edition of the FedExCup Playoffs features three events, all carried by network partner CBS in 2023.
• FedEx St. Jude Championship (August 7-13) at TPC Southwind in Memphis, Tennessee, with a 70- player field.
• BMW Championship (August 14-20) at Olympia Fields Country Club in Olympia Fields, Illinois, with a 50-player field. o The FedEx St. Jude Championship and the BMW Championship feature significant increases in prize money, from $15 million to $20 million
• Supported by Proud Partners Accenture, Coca-Cola and Southern Company, the TOUR Championship (August 21-27) at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta will feature the top-30 players in the FedExCup standings.
• With only 70 players earning a spot in the first FedExCup Playoffs event, the Wyndham Championship (July 31-August 6) will take on an even more significant role in determining who qualifies for the Playoffs. The Wyndham Championship will also be the final event in the Comcast Business TOUR TOP 10, where the top-10 performers earn bonus money for performance in the Regular Season.
In addition to the two Playoffs events, six invitationals will see significant increases in purse sizes in 2023:
• Kicking off the 2023 portion of the season, the Sentry Tournament of Champions (January 2-8) will have a purse of $15 million, up from $8.2 million in 2022. The winners-only event will lead off 2024 when the TOUR transitions into a calendar season.
• Three player-hosted invitationals, The Genesis Invitational (February 13-19) hosted by Tiger Woods, the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard (February 27-March 5) and the Memorial Tournament presented by Workday (May 29-June 4) hosted by Jack Nicklaus will see purses increase from $12 million to $20 million.
• With support from Proud Partners Grant Thornton, Morgan Stanley and Optum, the TOUR’s flagship event, THE PLAYERS Championship (March 6-12), includes a PGA TOUR-record purse of $25 million, up from $20 million in 2022.
• The World Golf Championships-Dell Technologies Match Play (March 20-26) will once again feature 64 of the world’s top players competing for $20 million up from $12 million.
• After a successful debut as a co-sanctioned event, the Genesis Scottish Open (July 10-16) will be featured on both the PGA TOUR and the DP World Tour schedule ahead of The Open Championship (July 17-23) at Royal Liverpool. Additionally, the PGA TOUR’s Barbasol Championship (July 10-16) and Barracuda Championship (July 17-23) will offer access to DP World Tour members for the second straight year.
• The 2022-23 season will once again kick off with the Fortinet Championship (September 12-18) in Napa, California, one of nine official FedExCup events to be played across the fall.
• Following the Fortinet Championship will be the 14th playing of the Presidents Cup (September 19-25) at Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte, North Carolina. The three Global partners of the Presidents Cup are Citi, Cognizant and Rolex.
• Announced earlier this summer, THE CJ CUP has relocated from Korea to Congaree Golf Club in Ridgeland, South Carolina, and has been renamed THE CJ CUP in South Carolina (October 17-23).
• Also, with the cancellation of the WGC-HSBC Champions, the Butterfield Bermuda Championship (October 24-30) has a standalone date with full FedExCup points awarded.
• Additional 2022 dates include the Sanderson Farms Championship (September 26-October 2), Shriners Children’s Open (October 3-9), ZOZO CHAMPIONSHIP (October 10-16) in Japan, World Wide Technology • Championship at Mayakoba (October 31-November 6), Cadence Bank Houston Open (November 7-13) and The RSM Classic (November 14-20) to conclude the fall calendar.
• After the Sentry Tournament of Champions (January 2-8) and the Sony Open in Hawaii (January 9-15) – celebrating its 25th year with Sony as title sponsor – launch the 2023 calendar year, the TOUR heads to California for The American Express (January 16-22) with its pro-am format in La Quinta.
• With a crowded weekend sports calendar, the Farmers Insurance Open (January 23-29) in San Diego will feature a Saturday finish (January 28) for the second consecutive year.
• The TOUR then heads up the coast to the Monterey Peninsula for the celebrity-laden AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am (January 30-February 5) followed by the WM Phoenix Open (February 6-12) at TPC Scottsdale. The WM Phoenix Open will be played the same week as the NFL’s Super Bowl, which will also be contested in the Phoenix area.
• The Florida Swing includes five events, with four events in Florida and the Puerto Rico Open (February 27- March 5) which is played alongside the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard. The Honda Classic (February 20-26), THE PLAYERS Championship (March 6-12) and the Valspar Championship (March 13-19) round out the Florida events.
• Now in its second season as an official event on the PGA TOUR schedule, the Mexico Open at Vidanta (April 24-30) is preceded by the two-player team format of the Zurich Classic of New Orleans (April 17-23) and followed by the Wells Fargo Championship (May 1-7), which returns to North Carolina and Quail Hollow Club.
• There are five official FedExCup events in Texas throughout the 2022-23 PGA TOUR Season: the Cadence Bank Houston Open (November 7-13), played for the third consecutive year at Memorial Park Golf Course; the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play (March 20-26) in Austin played concurrently with the Corales Puntacana Championship in the Dominican Republic; the Valero Texas Open (March 27-April 2) in San Antonio prior to the Masters Tournament; and the AT&T Byron Nelson (May 8-14) and the Charles Schwab Challenge (May 22-28) to bookend the PGA Championship (May 15-21), which will be played at Oak Hill Country Club in Rochester, New York, one of two events held in the northeast alongside the Travelers Championship (June 19-25) in Cromwell, Connecticut.
• RBC serves as title sponsor for two events, the RBC Heritage (April 10-16), held the week after the Masters Tournament, and the RBC Canadian Open (June 5-11), to be played for the first time at Oakdale Golf & Country Club in Toronto, the week prior to the U.S. Open (June 12-18) in Los Angeles.
• Notable date changes include the Rocket Mortgage Classic (June 26-July 2) which moves from late July to late June, and the 3M Open (July 24-30) which will slide one week later in the calendar as the penultimate event in the FedExCup Regular Season. The TOUR’s long-running Midwest event, the John Deere Classic (July 3-9), will once again precede the Genesis Scottish Open (July 10-16).
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Purse Totals in Millions - ( ) = 2022 Purse
IMAGES
COMMENTS
“I don’t really need to play the PGA Tour again until January.” Thanks to the newest PGA Tour schedule, the formation of signature events and a January through August calendar, Fleetwood is ...
When does the PGA Tour season start and end? The PGA Tour season starts in the fall, running through the summer, and ends approximately a year later with a total of 47 tournaments.
Those who don’t advance to next week’s first playoff event will have five weeks off before Fortinet Championship and the official beginning of the PGA Tour’s new fall series.
For the top players, it means it’s possible to take September through November off, depending on a player’s eligibility for the Ryder Cup and various sponsor commitments.
Those players finishing 126-150 on the final FedExCup Fall standings will have conditional status for the 2025 PGA TOUR Season.
No sport has a true off-season anymore. The news cycle moves too fast. However, if the PGA Tour stepped aside for a few months, the sport would have room for new stories to develop...
It begins in Napa, Calif., at the Fortinet Championship the week of Sept. 11-17, followed by two weeks off—one empty on the tour calendar, the other filled by the 2023 Ryder Cup in Rome.
By: Jessica Marksbury November 22, 2021. Off Course with Claude Harmon: Why the PGA Tour needs an off-season. How temperature changes affect your golf ball | Fully Equipped. The PGA Tour’s 2021-22...
Golf never really ends, it just takes a brief break. This year, it's a grand total of one week. The actual number of days between PGA Tour events will be 11.
PONTE VEDRA BEACH, FLORIDA – The PGA TOUR today announced its 2022-23 FedExCup Season schedule of 47 tournaments, featuring 44 Regular Season events and three FedExCup Playoffs events,...