does the pga tour have an off season

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.

FedEx St. Jude Championship

TPC Southwind

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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Icymi: plenty of changes will make the pga tour's fall season look very different, share this article.

With an abundance of off-the-course storylines over the past 18 months, many golf fans missed or forgot about some of the changes the PGA Tour instituted last year, some of which will dramatically impact the upcoming fall golf season.

Esteemed golf writer Larry Bohannan of the Palm Springs Desert Sun (part of the USA Today Network) recently wrote about the changes that will take effect after the 2022-23 season closes at the FedEx Cup playoffs.

Here are a few of them:

Fewer players

As Bohannan mentioned …

The first of the FedEx Cup playoff events, the FedEx St. Jude Championship, will feature just 70 players this year. In the past there were 125 players in that field after taking the playoffs down from four events to three. Now, it is just 70 players to start, making the next two regular-season tournaments far more important for players than in the past.

And even fewer players at other events

The BMW Championship, the season’s penultimate event, will be down from a field of 70 to a field of just 50.

The result will still be a 30-player field in the Tour Championship, but golfers will have to play better in the first two playoff events to have a shot at the Tour Championship.

No wraparound season

Although fans never took to the wraparound season, there really wasn’t much of an answer for how to handle the issue.

Again, from Bohannan.

There will still be tournaments in September, October and November, and they will still count as official PGA Tour victories for the winners. But the fall events will no longer be part of the chase for the FedEx Cup. Instead, golfers trying to improve their status for the 2024 season will use the fall to chase status.

Some stars, but not many

Although the fields will be weaker than the regular season, occasionally some big names find their way into the field.

From time to time in the past several years some of the Tour’s biggest names have not only shown up in the fall but won some events as well, like Rory McIlroy at the CJ Cup last October. So we should still get a sprinkling of big names in the coming months after the playoffs and the Ryder Cup.

Houston moves to spring

With the WGC-Dell Match Play in Austin off the schedule, Houston has slid back into the spring portion of the PGA Tour schedule. And with the movement, Bohannan wonders if others will try to follow suit.

You wonder how many other events that are now in the fall will be angling to get back into the FedEx Cup points chase.

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Scottie Scheffler's PGA Tour postseason amounts to a Super Bowl at East Lake

Scottie Scheffler starts the final leg of his remarkable year in the PGA Tour’s FedEx Cup playoffs

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Scottie Scheffler goes into the PGA Tour’s postseason as the No. 1 seed and it’s not even close. Winning the FedEx Cup and its $25 million bonus still feels far away.

The FedEx Cup playoffs begin Thursday at the St. Jude Championship for the top 70 from the season standings. The leading 50 players after this week move on to the BMW Championship, and from there it’s the top 30 who reach the season finale at the Tour Championship.

Scheffler doesn’t see this as a chance to put an exclamation point on his remarkable season of winning the Masters, an Olympic gold medal , The Players Championship and four signature events against the strongest fields.

The FedEx Cup playoffs are so fickle that no matter what he has done since January, and no matter what he does the next two weeks, the best he can do is start the Tour Championship at East Lake with a two-shot lead.

Scheffler was the No. 1 seed going into the Tour Championship each of the last two years. He lost a six-shot lead on the final day in 2022 , and last year shot 73 in the third round to fall out of contention. East Lake has gone through a renovation, so maybe that will help.

“At the end of the day, it really comes down to East Lake,” he said Wednesday. “I didn’t have my best stuff at East Lake the last couple years. I’m kind of excited that they changed the course a little bit. It may give me some new vibes around there.”

For the PGA Tour, it was a choice between bringing some excitement to its version of a Super Bowl by having all 30 players with a mathematical chance, or rewarding someone with a dominant year that Scheffler has produced.

Since the PGA Tour moved to this format in 2019 — two playoff events with quadruple the points, and then the top seed starting the Tour Championship at 10-under par with a two-shot lead — none of the top seeds going into the postseason has won the big prize.

“You’ve got to figure out a way to strike a balance between it being a good TV product and it still being a season-long race,” Scheffler said. “Right now ... I know for a fact you can’t really quite call it the season-long race when it comes down to one stroke-play tournament on the same golf course each year.”

If it were a true season-long race, this would be something akin to a ceremonial three weeks before crowning Scheffler.

“That’s not good, either,” he said. “It would be great for me. But those aren’t the rules.”

The system now is great for Rory McIlroy, the only three-time FedEx Cup champion. He won the titles in 2016, 2019 and 2022, never as the top seed to start the postseason or even going into the Tour Championship.

“I love this format because if it wasn’t this format, then none of us would have a chance against Scottie because he’s so far ahead,” McIlroy said.

“Is it the fairest reflection of who’s been the best player of the year? Probably not,” McIlroy said. “But I think at this point we’re not in for totally fair. We’re in for entertainment and for trying to put on the best product we possibly can.”

The more compelling part of the FedEx St. Jude Championship is toward the bottom. Top 50 is the golden ticket in this era of $20 million signature events. The players who make it to the second playoff tournament — the top 50 — are guaranteed the eight signature events that have big money and elevated FedEx Cup points.

Even that advantage is no guarantee, however. Seven players — including Lucas Glover, the defending champion at the TPC Southwind — didn’t make it to the postseason.

Among those on the outside of the top 50 going into this week are Jordan Spieth at No. 63.

Scheffler does not have the stage to himself in the postseason. Xander Schauffele is No. 2 from not only winning the PGA Championship and the British Open , but ripping off nine top 10s in his last 12 starts.

In his favor is East Lake, a course he dominates. He has broken par in 25 of his 28 rounds at the Tour Championship — the other three were at even-par 70. He had the low 72-hole score in 2020 and matched the low score in 2023. Both times, he started too far back in the staggered start, and the FedEx Cup went to someone else.

Only twice has he gone to East Lake among the top 10 seeds, so these next two weeks will be critical for Schauffele to at least hold his position. Of course, he’s going to a new East Lake that has gone through a tee-to-green restoration project by architect Andrew Green.

“I’m looking at it like I’m going to be there for the first time,” Schauffele said.

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PGA Tour schedule 2025: Minimal changes to slate around Masters, PGA Championship, U.S. Open, The Open

The quail hollow event is moving, but other than that this schedule looks familiar.

The PGA Tour's 2025 schedule has dropped, and it looks fairly similar to the layout from a year ago. Following sweeping changes over the last few years that included the introduction of signature events and increased purses, next season's biggest adjustments mostly include new sponsors for some of the more notable events.

The same eight tournaments that were signature events in 2024 will retain that label again in 2025. The Farmers Insurance Open will continue to end on Saturday to avoid NFL conference championship weekend. The FedEx Cup Playoff will proceed as usual, too.

There have been some tweaks, though. Let's take a look at those changes for 2025.

• The season technically starts in December 2024 as the first two days of The Sentry week are Dec. 30-31.
• Truist replaces Wells Fargo as a sponsor, and that May tournament -- regularly held at Quail Hollow -- moves to Philadelphia Cricket Club for 2025. This is being done to accommodate the PGA Championship, which will be played at Quail Hollow that month.
• The Memorial and Canadian Open switch spots. The Canadian Open is the week before the U.S. Open.
• The BMW Championship, which always changes courses, goes back to Caves Valley in Maryland.
• The season will end a week earlier because there is no Olympic competition in 2025.

2025 PGA Tour schedule

Majors in bold | Signature events^, The Players, FedEx Cup Playoffs* in italics

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Guide to the 2024 FedEx Cup Playoffs

"Playoffs? You kidding me? Playoffs?"

That's right, Jim Mora! It's playoff time!

The PGA TOUR's lengthy regular season has come to a close. Now, it's a sprint to determine the FedEx Cup champion. The three-week postseason starts Thursday in Memphis, moves to Colorado for the second leg, and then returns to the Southeast for the TOUR Championship at East Lake Golf Club in Georgia.

Only 70 players remain with a chance to hoist the FedEx Cup and be crowned the season-long champion.

Here's all you need to know for this year's FedEx Cup Playoffs.

Current points list

1st: Scottie Scheffler 2nd: Xander Schauffele 3rd: Rory McIlroy 4th: Collin Morikawa 5th: Wyndham Clark 6th: Ludvig Aberg 7th: Sahith Theegala 8th: Hideki Matsuyama 9th: Sungjae Im 10th: Shane Lowry

See full standings here .

FedEx St. Jude Championship

When: Aug. 15-18 Where: TPC Southwind, Memphis Field: Top 70 in FedEx Cup Defending champion: Lucas Glover

The TOUR's annual trip to Memphis is the playoff opener. Last year's tournament may be remembered more for winner Lucas Glover's sweat-soaked slacks than anything that happened on the course, even though his playoff victory over Patrick Cantlay was his second straight after he won the regular-season finale in Greensboro, North Carolina. Aaron Rai will attempt to pull off the Glover double this year.

Betting odds for this week's tournament are out, and, to know one's surprise, Scottie Scheffler is the heavy favorite, followed by Xander Schauffele and Rory McIlroy. The full set of odds can be found here .

BMW Championship

When: Aug. 22-25 Where: Castle Pines Golf Club, Colorado Field: Top 50 in FedEx Cup Defending champion: Viktor Hovland

After the FedEx St. Jude Championship, the top 50 in the FedEx Cup standings will head to Colorado - a state the PGA TOUR rarely visits - for the BMW Championship, formerly known as the Western Open.

Castle Pines Golf Club is a Jack Nicklaus design stretching to a whopping 8,130 yards. The elevation in Colorado will help players tackle the extreme length of the course, which should present TOUR pros with an interesting challenge as they'll have to navigate a new venue with unique playing conditions.

Viktor Hovland won last year's event at Olympia Fields, the first step to eventually winning the FedEx Cup. He clipped Scheffler and Matt Fitzpatrick by two shots.

TOUR Championship

When: Aug. 29-Sept. 1 Where: East Lake Golf Club, Atlanta Field: Top 30 in FedEx Cup Defending champion: Viktor Hovland

The FedEx Cup Playoffs will be decided at East Lake, the home of the TOUR Championship since 2004.

The format remains unchanged, meaning the staggered-start leaderboard is back for another year. Whoever ranks first in the FedEx Cup standings after the BMW Championship will start the tournament at 10-under, a two-shot head start over second place.

Hovland entered the week last year two shots behind Scheffler but pulled away from the field, eventually winning by five. Hovland started the playoffs seventh in the standings, but wins in the final two events vaulted him to the top spot and a massive $18-million payday. That prize has increased to $25 million for 2024.

2024 FedEx Cup payouts

1st - $25 million 2nd - $12.5 million 3rd - $7.5 million 4th - $6 million 5th - $5 million 6th - $3.5 million 7th - $2.75 million 8th - $2.25 million 9th - $2 million 10th - $1.75 million

Past FedEx Cup winners

2023: Viktor Hovland 2022: Rory McIlroy 2021: Patrick Cantlay 2020: Dustin Johnson 2019: Rory McIlroy 2018: Justin Rose 2017: Justin Thomas 2016: Rory McIlroy 2015: Jordan Spieth 2014: Billy Horschel 2013: Henrik Stenson 2012: Brandt Snedeker

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2024 FedEx Cup playoffs format: How it works, field sizes, tournaments

The 2024 FedEx Cup playoffs format has changed several times since the concept was introduced in 2007, and the current FedEx Cup playoffs format is in its second year for the 2024 PGA Tour season.

Explaining the FedEx Cup playoffs format means detailing how players earn FedEx Cup points, qualify for playoff events to the Tour Championship and then convert position to strokes for the Tour Championship, which decides who wins the $25 million first-place prize .

2024 FedEx Cup playoff format

How to qualify.

As has been the case since the start of the FedEx Cup, the entire PGA Tour regular season leads to the FedEx Cup playoffs, with each official PGA Tour event offering points to players who made the 36-hole cut based on a standardized system. For each regular PGA Tour event, the winner earns 500 FedEx Cup points. At the four majors and The Players, the winner earns 750 FedEx Cup points. At the Signature events, the winner earns 700 points. At opposite-field PGA Tour events -- that is, those played opposite the WGCs and majors -- the winner gets 300 FedEx Cup points.

All of the points from regular season events are tallied together at the conclusion of the regular season, which comes at the Wyndham Championship. The top 70 eligible players in the FedEx Cup standings at the end of that tournament qualify for the FedEx Cup playoffs. Those 70 players also lock up their PGA Tour cards for the next season, with entry now guaranteed to every non-Signature, non-major event on the schedule.

The top 10 finishers in the regular season FedEx Cup points list also earn money from the $20 million Comcast Business Tour Top 10 bonus pool , with the regular-season winner earning $48million.

FedEx Cup playoff events and cuts

Three FedEx Cup playoff events will be played (instead of what had been four). The FedEx Cup playoff events whittle a field of 70 down to 30 for the final event at the Tour Championship. The points are increased by a factor of four from the regular season events, with a winner picking up 2,000 FedEx Cup points in the first two playoff events. Points earned in each of the first two legs of the playoffs are added to a player's regular season tally, with the field for subsequent playoff events determined on the combined points.

• The FedEx St. Jude Championship has a field of 70 players (with no cut), with the top 50 in combined FedEx Cup points from the regular season and FedEx St. Jude Championship moving to the next leg.
• The BMW Championship has a field of the top 50 in combined points (and has no cut), with the top 30 in combined points moving on to the Tour Championship in Atlanta.

Tour Championship format

Starting in 2019, the Tour Championship format in Atlanta will represent a wiping of the slate of FedEx Cup points. However, starting position in the FedEx Cup standings will be key, as the Tour Championship will essentially become a handicap tournament, with each player in the field starting at a certain position against par before a shot is ever hit.

The top seed will start at 10 under par, giving them a big edge over the players ranked Nos. 26-30, who begin at even par.

A 72-hole Tour Championship will then be played, and the best total score from the tournament and with handicaps included will be declared the FedEx Cup champion.

The FedEx Cup bonus pool has been increased to $75 million from $60 million, meaning the FedEx Cup champion will now earn $18 million. However, the top 150 players -- all of which are assured at least conditional status on the PGA Tour for the next season -- earn at least a piece of the bonus pool money.

About the author

Ryan Ballengee

Ryan Ballengee is founder and editor of Golf News Net. He has been writing and broadcasting about golf for nearly 20 years. Ballengee lives in the Washington, D.C. area with his family. He is currently a +2.6 USGA handicap, and he has covered dozens of major championships and professional golf tournaments. He likes writing about golf and making it more accessible by answering the complex questions fans have about the pro game or who want to understand how to play golf better.

Ryan talks about golf on various social platforms:

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Jordan Spieth Hints at Offseason Wrist Surgery: ‘Going to Have to Do Something’

Bob harig | aug 6, 2024.

 A wrist issue that has bothered Jordan Spieth for more than a year is something he admitted Tuesday will likely needed to be addressed after the PGA Tour season concludes.

Spieth, 31, who is playing in this week’s Wyndham Championship , said he doesn’t have any pain when he swings the club but is concerned the injury is affecting him anyway. His stats for approach to the green are among the worst of his career.

“It's been a frustrating year because it's been maybe my best driving year ever, and then the clubs that I make the most impact into the ground with, which normally are my bread and butter, have been pretty off,” Spieth told reporters in Greensboro, N.C., in advance of the tournament. “It's not hurting, but subconsciously it's hard not to look at the numbers and think this isn't a coincidence.

“I've been taking trips out as well as being in contact with a lot of doctors, getting it scanned again and trying to figure out what the next move is. Probably going to have to do something about it this offseason.”

Spieth’s ECU (extensor carpi ulnaris), a tendon in his left wrist, regularly pops out. It started last spring during the Wells Fargo Championship but Spieth managed it mostly for the rest of the year before it flared up again in the fall.

After a fast start to this year, Spieth has mostly struggled, with no top-10 finishes in his last 17 events. He did not contend in any of the majors.

At 63rd in the FedEx Cup standings, he is safe for the events that begin next week for the top 70 but has some work to do to get to the BMW Championship and assure that he is top 50—which would get him in all the signature events next year.

“I'm going to pretend nothing's happening, fully trust it given that I'll be able to get it fixed, and I know there's a lot of golfers that have had similar situations and come back better than ever,” he said. “I like to think hopefully I have 10 to 15 years of prime and some of my best golf left, so I'll be optimistic about the process.

“But I'm not quite sure exactly what I'll do and where I'll do it, but unfortunately something kind of has to get done. And I've never experienced anything like this before. Just trying to take my time making sure things are done right at the right time.”

Spieth said what is strange about the condition is that he is generally pain-free—until the tendon pops out.

“I'm not in any pain playing, that's what's confusing,” he said. “If I was, I wouldn't have played anymore. It's all off the golf course weird little things where my tendon will kind of pop out, sublux or dislocate out of the groove and then I've got to get it back in or else I wouldn't be able to grip a club.

“If it's a problem at all, I'm not withdrawing from an event. It's a very weird scenario and one that's been a little frustrating because I would have liked to have known this is the answer or this is the answer and just have to figure it out.”

Asked how long he’s been pain-free, Spieth said: “Well, the whole time. I mean, I’m pain-free until it subluxes and then I’m very much in pain until I get it back.”

Spieth said he believes it is not something that will heal on its own, nor is he doing any further damage.

“When I'm hitting balls I'm not thinking about it, I'm not worried about it, but I just don't know subconsciously, it's too tough to measure if or if it's not making a difference,” he said. “I have no pain excuses or there's no reason to play if you feel like you're going to play through pain or not be at your best.”

Bob Harig is a senior writer covering golf for Sports Illustrated. He has more than 25 years experience on the beat, including 15 at ESPN. Harig is a regular guest on Sirius XM PGA Tour Radio and has written two books, "DRIVE: The Lasting Legacy of Tiger Woods" and "Tiger and Phil: Golf's Most Fascinating Rivalry." He graduated from Indiana University where he earned an Evans Scholarship, named in honor of the great amateur golfer Charles (Chick) Evans Jr. Harig, a former president of the Golf Writers Association of America, lives in Clearwater, Fla.

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PGA Tour Unveils 2025 Schedule Featuring 36 Events and 3 Playoffs

The PGA Tour has unveiled its 2025 regular-season schedule, mirroring the previous year's framework. Kicking off in Hawaii and concluding in Atlanta, the schedule encompasses 36 regular-season events alongside three playoff events. Commissioner Jay Monahan highlighted the successful changes initiated in 2024 that enhanced both the schedule and player engagement. Key highlights include the Truist Championship's debut in Philadelphia, venue changes for the Canadian Open, and a new hosting arrangement for TPC courses. Overall, this year’s adjustments are part of the Tour's ongoing evolution to improve fan experience and player competitiveness.

• 36 regular-season events, 3 playoff events planned.
• 10 TPC courses designated as hosts for Tour events in 2025.

While the schedule remains familiar, some critics argue that ongoing changes may lack the innovative impact hoped for by fans eager for new engagements. The reliance on signature events has faced scrutiny for potentially overshadowing smaller tournaments.

• Truist Championship debuts, replacing Wells Fargo as the lead sponsor.
• U.S. Open scheduled at Oakmont Country Club following its history of hosting major championships.

As the Tour progresses into 2025, anticipation will build around how these scheduling shifts affect player performances and fan attendance, especially with heightened competition among signature events.

The 2025 PGA Tour schedule represents continuity and slight adaptation. Fans should expect intense competition as established venues renew their significance, while the Tour seeks to balance tradition with innovative sponsorships and experiences.

Read more at Golfweek

The summary of the linked article was generated with the assistance of artificial intelligence technology from OpenAI

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How Does The PGA Tour Work? [Season Explained]

Not to be confused with the USGA and the PGA , the PGA Tour is the biggest professional golf tour in the world, with the best golfers competing each week for iconic trophies and huge prize money.

So how does it actually work? In this article, we’ll walk you through the PGA Tour season and how it works.

How Does The PGA Tour Work?

Table of Contents

How Does The PGA Tour Season Work?

The PGA Tour season runs from September until August the following year and features a total of 47 FedEx Cup events.

44 of the scheduled events are part of the regular season and include the four major events, as well as The Players Championship.

The final 3 events of the season are known as the FedEx Cup Playoffs, where the PGA Tour golfer with the highest number of FedEx Cup points will be crowned the FedEx Cup champion.

The season starts in September and each week the number of golfers competing varies between 144 and 156 . Not every week is a full PGA Tour event, with FedEx Cup points available, however, most weeks will have a golf tournament.

Each PGA Tour event, as part of the regular FedEx Cup season, is worth points. These points go towards the final standings and help players rise or fall in the rankings.

Most official PGA Tour events are worth 500 points to the winner, with points decreasing depending on the player’s finishing position for the tournament. This also includes a co-sanctioned event on the DP World Tour (European Tour), the Scottish Open, which is worth 500 points.

Points are given out to any player that makes the cut, with 2nd place gaining 300 points, and 3rd place picking up 190 points, reducing all the way down to the bottom of the field who made the cut.

There’s also a few PGA Tour events where the 1st place receives 550 points. The following events are 550-point events:

• World Golf Championships events
• Sentry Tournament of Champions (which includes the longest par 5 on the tour )
• The Genesis Invitational
• Arnold Palmer Invitational
• Memorial Tournament

Other golf tournaments which aren’t seen as full PGA Tour events on the schedule are only worth 300 points for the winner and are part of the strategic alliance between both the PGA Tour and DP World Tour. These events include:

• Barbasol Championship
• Barracuda Championship

The most amount of points available to the winner in the regular season is at the majors and The Players Championship.

The Open Championship, US Open Championship , PGA Championship and The Masters tournament are all worth 600 FedEx Cup points, as well as the “5th” major and flagship event on the PGA Tour, The Players Championship.

Each week professional golfers will compete to try and gain as many FedEx Cup points as possible. After the final event in the regular season, the PGA Tour will then go into the FedEx Cup Playoffs in early August.

Although the top 125 players in the rankings will keep their tour cards for the next season, only the top 70 will progress to the first of 3 events in the Playoffs. Those outside the top 125 for the season will lose their full playing rights on the PGA Tour for next season.

The points system for the Playoffs is different to the regular season, with far more on offer and a greater emphasis on good scoring late on the season.

The winner of the first Playoff event will gain 2000 points (4 times as many as a regular season event). The top 50 players in the rankings after this tournament played will move on to the second event which is also worth 2000 points to the winner.

Finally, the top 30 players in the standings will progress to the Tour Championship for the FedEx Cup Playoffs Finale. The Tour Championship is different to the other season-ending golf events, in that it starts with a staggered start using Starting Strokes.

Starting Strokes means that players will start round 1 on a score based on how they’re sitting in the final top 30 rankings. The leading player in the FedEx Cup rankings will start at 10 under for the Tour Championship before even hitting a shot. Number 2 in the standings at 8 under, and so on, all the way down to the bottom 5 players who’ll start on even par.

Like other professional tournaments, after four rounds , the golfer who comes out top of the rankings will be crowned the FedEx Cup Champion, which includes a huge prize bonus.

What Are The PGA Tour Standings?

The PGA Tour has a rankings system which runs throughout the season and is known as the FedEx Cup Standings.

These rankings are used to keep track of which professional golfers are playing well and having a good season, compared to others who might be struggling to get good results.

Each week, players will earn points based on how well they did in tournaments played, with better results earning more points.

At the end of the season, the number of FedEx Cup points a player has, will determine whether or not they keep their playing rights for next season and whether they’ll be eligible for the end-of-season Playoff events.

Those players ranked in the top 125 of the rankings will be guaranteed a PGA Tour card for next season. Those outside the top 125, will most likely end up playing on the Korn Ferry Tour (the 2nd tier tour to the PGA Tour) or they will need to go through PGA Tour qualifying.

Those within the top 70 in the rankings will be eligible to progress to the final Playoff events.

Final Thoughts

The PGA Tour is the place every single golfer dreams of reaching. It’s the biggest and best tour in the world, with the best golfers competing week in and week out in some of the most prestigious tournaments.

The FedEx Cup is the main element of the PGA Tour and with that comes very lucrative returns, but as a result, PGA Tour cards are very difficult to come by.

The PGA Tour is set up to provide drama all year long but puts an emphasis on having a great finish to the season. With so many points on offer at the final PGA tournaments, as long as a player qualifies in the top 70, they can very easily have a run and end up becoming FedEx Cup champion.

Is the Masters part of the PGA Tour?

The Masters is an official PGA Tour event during the regular season with full FedEx Cup points available, however, it is organised by Augusta National Golf Club and not the PGA Tour.

Are the majors part of the PGA Tour?

All four of the major championships are part of the PGA Tour and all have 600 points on the offer to the winners. Each major is organised by a separate organisation, but the events are still included in the PGA Tour season.

Founder, Editor

Ed is the founder and editor at EEE Golf. He’s been playing golf for over 20 years, competing in many top amateur events. He’s played courses all over the world and played with some of the best players in the game. His aim is to help educate people about the game of golf and give insights into the sport he loves most.

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WRX Forum Buzzz

Forum thread of the day: “does the pga tour need an off-season”.

Today’s Forum Thread of the Day comes from Hellstorm , who wonders whether the PGA Tour could benefit from having an off-season. With the new wraparound season beginning at last week’s Safeway Open, just two weeks after the 2017/18 season finale in Atlanta and four days after the Ryder Cup, some of our members here at GolfWRX feel the new season has arrived too soon. Others, however, are pleased with the quick turnaround, while also stressing just how important the beginning of the season is for the fringe players on Tour.

Here’s what some of our members have posted regarding the matter, but make sure to check out the entire thread and have your say at the link below.

• MarkFromTheUk: “ It seems a bit silly that the 2019 season starts in October of the preceding year, and that the results count towards the FedEx. I think there should be tournaments, but they certainly shouldn’t count towards the FedEx .”
• IVM: “ I don’t think the tour needs an off season . These events give the players with lesser status a chance to earn money and Fed Ex points . If these events did not exist these guys would have no chance of keeping their cards . “
• Superbrit: “ I think its good, you actually get to see some players that normally wouldn’t get one minutes broadcast time. “
• JonnyKrasnodar: “ I think they should acknowledge this period between September and January for what it is, a pre-season. The only big names involved will be recovering from injury, a poor season or working on new swing thoughts without getting skelped by big names. Stakes are low for them. “

Full Thread: “Does the PGA Tour need an off-season?”

Forum Thread of the Day: “New Callaway Driver – Epic Flash”

Forum Thread of the Day: Ping “Sigma2” putters

Gianni is the Managing Editor at GolfWRX. He can be contacted at [email protected] .

Oct 10, 2018 at 8:40 am

Time to add a 5th Major. Its should take place a month after the first event of the new season, which would put it right around the first week of November. And it should be like the Evian for the ladies, always at a fixed location. US players need a place where there is a chance of inclement weather, so that future Ryder Cuppers are more prepared to face the Europeans in similar poor weather conditions.

eGolfGadgets

Oct 9, 2018 at 11:07 pm

It’s definitely a year around endeavor now if you want it to be. Maybe lower the points given for events in the ‘off season’?

Oct 9, 2018 at 6:28 pm

SKELPED – (verb) To help someone while skipping near or past them; The little girl skelped an old woman who had dropped her coin purse in the the street.

A. Commoner

Oct 9, 2018 at 2:57 pm

Bring back silly season!!

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3-wood vs. mini-driver vs. 2nd driver – golfwrxers discuss.

In our forums, our members have been having an interesting discussion on bag setups. WRXer ‘Ghostdunc27’ has been unable to replace the 3-wood he loved and is currently “toying around with the idea of a mini driver or even a higher lofted regular driver with a shorter shaft” to his bag, and reaches out to fellow members on their thoughts.

Here are a few posts from the thread, but make sure to check out the entire discussion and have your say at the link below.

• tjwilliams31: “I am tinkering with this now. I currently play an SLDR S 14 degree driver at 42.75 as my secondary tee club and it works great. My issue with a lower lofted driver at that length was the tendency for the ball to drop out of the air with a lack of spin. Again this could just be an issue in my delivery at the ball. Everyone in the forum references the Marty Jertson WITB on Youtube with PING and he plays a secondary driver around that length in lieu of 3 wood.”
• adamwon84: “I switch between a mini driver and a normal 3 wood (15 degrees, crank down to 14) depending on the course. The mini driver is the newest Taylormade mini driver, set at 13.5 degrees and the 3 wood is the Callaway Smoke AI 15 degree set to 14. Both are great, but I am finding that the mini driver is more and more impressive as I use it (especially off the tee box). I did have a mini 300 model that had a 42.5 inch shaft that was fun on the deck and off the tee, really really solid. My current one is with the stock length shaft, but I am looking at ordering a shorter shaft to experiment with.”
• agree1977: “Have a TSR2 driver and the 13.5 TM BRNR, I use both about the same amount of times a round, it just changes throughout the year, depending on weather, form, course i’m playing, etc. I just found that my 3-wood and 5-wood were pretty much overlaying in a few areas, so set the 5 wood to 18 degrees and it does all i need for a fairway.”

Entire Thread: “ 3-Wood vs. Mini-Driver vs. 2nd Driver – GolfWRXers discuss”

What’s the most forgiving and longest driver you’ve played in past 5 years? – GolfWRXers discuss

In our forums, our members have been discussing the most forgiving and longest driver they’ve played over the past 5 years. WRXer ‘bogeykibg’ poses the question and also asks “does forgiveness mean shorter?”,  and our members have been sharing their thoughts on the subject in our forum.

• Kai Slater: “The Callaway Rogue ST Max driver is the most forgiving/long driver that I’ve personally tried.  It’s my current driver and, although, I see no reason to change, I’m very curious about trading up to the AI Smoke when the prices drop later this year.”
• Ger21: “Srixon ZX5 LS MK II. Remarkably forgiving.”
• scooterhd2: “If we are talking about average on course distance, and not max distance, or good hits on a sim, then its G400MAX. Theres no rollout in the woods or the lake. Hit em straight.”

Entire Thread: “What’s the most forgiving and longest driver you’ve played in past five years? – GolfWRXers discuss”

What club purchase has more impact on overall game: Driver or putter? – GolfWRXers discuss

In our forums, our members have been discussing whether a driver or putter purchase has more impact on the game of a player who regularly shoots in the 70s.

• hammergolf: “It’s always baffled me that guys will spend $500 at the drop of a hat to hit it 8 yds further, but will balk at spending that same $500 on a putter that could improve their score much more.”
• WipeyFade: “I think with both it’s more about forgiveness than anything. I guess it would depend on which you mishit the most. In my opinion the only difference between a 10 year old driver and a new driver is going to be the forgiveness level. Same with putters.”
• rooski: “The technology of a newer driver will do much more in forgiveness than any putter technology that has come out since they were shafted with wood (other than maybe L.A.B, that’s some real stuff). That being said, if you currently don’t like your putter, I would upgrade it first given that you seem to enjoy your current driver. If your current driver/putter are roughly equal, I’d go driver first.”
• sheepdawg: “I’m a whole lot more finicky with drivers. I can putt pretty decent with most anything. Driver has to suit me just so.”

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PGA TOUR unveils 2024 FedExCup Season, including eight Signature Events

10 Min Read

Calendar-year schedule, interconnected events heighten drama and consequence for players and fans

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PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Florida – The PGA TOUR today released its 2024 FedExCup Regular Season and FedExCup Playoffs schedule, with events interconnected like never before to deliver maximum drama and consequence, as the TOUR returns to a calendar-year schedule for the first time since 2012. The FedExCup Fall portion of the 2024 FedExCup Season, which will finalize the top 125 for the 2025 season, will be announced at a later date.

The 2024 FedExCup Regular Season, consisting of 36 events, begins in January with the “Opening Drive” at The Sentry and Sony Open in Hawaii – where all players start with zero FedExCup points and look to get off to a strong start in the race for the FedExCup. The Wyndham Championship once again serves as the culmination of the Regular Season, with only 70 players advancing to the FedExCup Playoffs. The Regular Season schedule includes the 50th playing of THE PLAYERS Championship and the four Major Championships, eight Signature Events (referred to as “Designated events” in 2023), 18 Full-Field Events and five Additional Events.

“We are excited about the roll-out of the PGA TOUR’s reimagined schedule and what the season will offer to our fans: a January start with stars competing head-to-head more often, alongside the weekly drama of life-altering moments and the emergence of new stars,” said PGA TOUR Commissioner Jay Monahan. “While winning on the PGA TOUR continues to be the ultimate – and most difficult – challenge, we have further connected every tournament, with more at stake each week. From The Sentry through the FedExCup Playoffs and into the soon-to-be-announced FedExCup Fall, this new, cadence will create consistent excitement for our fans and reward players like never before. We are grateful to the membership – especially the Player Directors and Player Advisory Council – as well as our tournaments and partners for the collaboration that has set us up for an exciting 2024.”

New to the list of Signature Events in 2024 is the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, to be played at Pebble Beach Golf Links and Spyglass Hill Golf Course. The reimagined event will see a significant adjustment to its traditional Pro-Am format. Amateurs will now compete alongside professionals (80 players) over the first two rounds, with the competition limited to professionals only for the final two rounds at Pebble Beach Golf Links.

The eight Signature Events, which are limited-field tournaments with increased prize money and FedExCup points (700 points to the winner), are as follows:

• The Sentry (January 1-7) • AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am (January 29-February 4) • The Genesis Invitational (February 12-18) • Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard (March 4-10) • RBC Heritage (April 15-21) • Wells Fargo Championship (May 6-12) • the Memorial Tournament presented by Workday (June 3-9) • Travelers Championship (June 17-23)

The three player-hosted invitationals (The Genesis Invitational, Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard and the Memorial Tournament presented by Workday) will feature a 36-hole cut to the top 50 and ties and any player within 10 shots of the lead, and a redistribution of prize money that allocates 20 percent to the winner ($4 million), up from 18 percent. The remaining five Signature Events will not have a cut and will continue to allocate 18 percent to the winner.

The 2024 schedule cadence connects events through several new eligibility paths, allowing trending players to earn Signature Event starts and ensuring every member the opportunity to compete alongside the game’s best.

The Sentry is the season’s first Signature Event and includes PGA TOUR winners from the previous calendar year as well as the top 50 members from the 2022-23 FedExCup standings (i.e., those who qualify for the BMW Championship, the second FedExCup Playoffs event).

Eligibility for the remaining seven Signature Events (field sizes anticipated to be between 70-80 players) includes the top 50 members from the 2022-23 FedExCup standings and 15 members who can play their way in through The Next 10 and The Swing 5.

The Next 10 represents the top 10 members, not otherwise exempt, from the FedExCup standings. The Swing 5 includes the top five FedExCup points earners, not otherwise exempt, from the swing of Full-Field and Additional events preceding each Signature Event.

Below is an overview of timing for The Next 10 and The Swing 5 for the seven Signature Events, outside The Sentry.

• AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am (January 29-February 4) - The Next 10 – from the final FedExCup Fall standings - The Swing 5 – top FedExCup points earners from Sony Open in Hawaii, The American Express and Farmers Insurance Open

• The Genesis Invitational (February 12-18) - The Next 10 – from the final FedExCup Fall standings - The Swing 5 – top FedExCup points earners from Sony Open in Hawaii, The American Express, Farmers Insurance Open and WM Phoenix Open

• Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard (March 4-10) - The Next 10 – from the current FedExCup standings through The Classic in The Palm Beaches - The Swing 5 – top FedExCup points earners from Mexico Open at Vidanta and The Classic in The Palm Beaches

• RBC Heritage (April 15-21) - The Next 10 – from the current FedExCup standings through the Masters Tournament - The Swing 5 – top FedExCup points earners from Puerto Rico Open, Valspar Championship, Texas Children’s Houston Open and Valero Texas Open

• Wells Fargo Championship (May 6-12) - The Next 10 – from the current FedExCup standings through AT&T Byron Nelson - The Swing 5 – top FedExCup points earners from Corales Puntacana Championship, Zurich Classic of New Orleans and AT&T Byron Nelson

• the Memorial Tournament presented by Workday (June 3-9) - The Next 10 – from the current FedExCup standings through RBC Canadian Open - The Swing 5 – top FedExCup points earners from Myrtle Beach Classic, Charles Schwab Challenge and RBC Canadian Open

• Travelers Championship (June 17-23) - The Next 10 – from the current FedExCup standings through U.S. Open - The Swing 5 – top FedExCup points earners from Myrtle Beach Classic, Charles Schwab Challenge and RBC Canadian Open

Signature Event eligibility will also include current season tournament winners (excluding Additional Events), PGA TOUR members inside the top 30 in the Official World Golf Ranking (through the preceding week) and four sponsor exemptions earmarked for PGA TOUR members. The three player-hosted invitationals will also have one tournament host exemption, which is not restricted to PGA TOUR members: the Charlie Sifford Memorial Exemption (The Genesis Invitational), the Arnold Palmer Cup Exemption (Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard) and the Jack Nicklaus Award for NCAA Division I National Player of the Year (the Memorial Tournament presented by Workday).

The Wyndham Championship (August 5-11) concludes the FedExCup Regular Season and finalizes the Comcast Business TOUR TOP 10, which will award a doubled prize pool of $40 million, with $8 million going to the winner. Following the conclusion of the Wyndham Championship is the 18th edition of the FedExCup Playoffs.

• The top 70 players in the FedExCup standings qualify for the first FedExCup Playoffs event, the FedEx St. Jude Championship (August 12-18) at TPC Southwind in Memphis, Tennessee, and are exempt for Full-Field Events and THE PLAYERS in 2025.

• From there, the top 50 players in the FedExCup standings advance to the BMW Championship (August 19-25), contested for the first time at Castle Pines Golf Club in Castle Rock, Colorado. Castle Pines Golf Club hosted a TOUR event, The International, from 1986-2006. Those 50 players are fully exempt for the following season and earn the additional distinction of qualifying for Signature Events in 2025, as well as THE PLAYERS.

• After the BMW Championship, the top 30 will move on to the season-ending TOUR Championship (August 26-September 1) at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta where the FedExCup champion will be crowned and awarded a record $25 million bonus.

As with the upcoming 2023 FedExCup Fall, the 2024 FedExCup Fall will finalize top 125 eligibility for the next season, providing exempt status for Full-Field Events, as well as a spot in THE PLAYERS. While players in the top 50 will continue to be eligible for FedExCup Fall events, players ranked No. 51 and beyond carry over their FedExCup Points from the Regular Season and FedEx St. Jude Championship and will continue to accumulate points through the FedExCup Fall toward their eligibility status for 2025. Additionally, the top 10 players in the FedExCup standings, not otherwise exempt, from the FedExCup Fall are eligible for two Signature Events in 2025 as outlined above – the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am and The Genesis Invitational. This allows for trending players to emerge from the FedExCup Fall.

In addition to 500 FedExCup points, benefits of winning during the FedExCup Fall include a two-year PGA TOUR exemption, entry to the season-opening The Sentry and THE PLAYERS, as well as eligibility into those Major Championships that invite PGA TOUR winners.

Some additional items to note for 2024:

• The 2024 FedExCup Regular Season and Playoffs include events contested in the United States (33), Mexico, Scotland (2), Canada, the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico.

• The Sony Open in Hawaii (January 8-14), a Full-Field event, will mark the debut of the PGA TOUR’s new members from the DP World Tour, Korn Ferry Tour and PGA TOUR Q-School presented by Korn Ferry.

• Due to a crowded sports calendar, the Farmers Insurance Open (January 22-27) played in San Diego will feature a Saturday primetime finish on CBS/Paramount+ for the third consecutive season. The fifth annual APGA Tour Farmers Insurance Invitational will be played January 27-28.

• Mexico’s national open, the Mexico Open at Vidanta (February 19-25), moves to February after being contested in April 2023.

• The TOUR will return to South Florida for the 52nd playing of The Classic in The Palm Beaches (February 26-March 3) at PGA National Resort. The TOUR expects to announce a new title sponsor in the near future.

• With support from Proud Partners Comcast Business, Optum and Morgan Stanley, THE PLAYERS Championship (March 11-17), the TOUR’s flagship event at THE PLAYERS Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass, will be contested for the 50th time in 2024.

• With a new five-year title sponsor, the Texas Children’s Houston Open (March 25-31) moves from the fall portion of the schedule to March.

• The Myrtle Beach Classic (May 6-12), a 300-FedExCup point event played additionally the week of the Wells Fargo Championship, debuts at Dunes Golf & Beach Club. Other Additional Events in 2024 include the Puerto Rico Open (March 4-10), Corales Puntacana Championship (April 15-21), TBA event (July 8-14) and Barracuda Championship (July 15-21). The TOUR expects to make an announcement soon on the July 8-14 TBA event.

• For the third consecutive season, three tournaments will be part of both the FedExCup and the DP World Tour’s Race to Dubai: Genesis Scottish Open (July 8-14), which is co-sanctioned by both Tours; the TBA event scheduled for July 8-14; and the Barracuda Championship (July 15-21), which allow access to DP World Tour members.

• The RBC Canadian Open (May 27-June 2) returns to Hamilton Golf & Country Club in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada for the first time since 2019.

• The PGA TOUR will not hold an event the week of July 29-August 4, when the Olympic Men's Golf Competition will be contested at Le Golf National in Paris. The 2024 FedExCup Regular Season concludes the following week at the Wyndham Championship (August 5-11).

• The 15th Presidents Cup (September 24-29) heads to The Royal Montreal Golf Club in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, where the International Team, captained by Mike Weir, will face off against the U.S. Team, captained by Jim Furyk. The three Global Partners of the Presidents Cup are Citi, Cognizant and Rolex.

Domestically, the PGA TOUR season will be televised on CBS/Paramount+, NBC/Golf Channel/Peacock and PGA TOUR LIVE on ESPN+.

When Does Golf Season Start in the U.S.? Breakdown of Every State

Golf is a game that depends heavily on outdoor weather conditions, and for that reason, there are times in the year when the sport is inactive. So when does the golf season start in the U.S.?

Ideally, by April 1st, golf should be in season all over the United States. However, the beginning of the golf season will vary from one state to another, depending on the climate conditions of every state.

This means that some states can start their golf season as early as March while other states, especially in the south, have a year round golf season.

If you want to find out more about the golf season in different states, you’ve come to the right place. In this article, we’ll walk you through the golf season schedule in all American states and territories!

Table of Contents

Is Golf Seasonal in the United States?

When it comes to geography, the United States is huge, and therefore, different states have different climates, affecting the seasonality of golf within its jurisdiction.

For that reason, the United States Golf Association allows each state to declare the beginning and end of the golf season depending on climate conditions and golf associations within its borders.

As a result, most states in the Northern US will start their season as early as March or April and end their season in October or November.

On the other hand, there are several states in the south where you can enjoy golfing in season all every day of the year!

When Does the Golf Season Start in All American States and Territories?

In the following table, you’ll find all the information regarding the beginning and end of golf season in all American states and territories.

Keep in mind that some states have multiple golf associations within their borders, which may have different season schedules:

Are Golf Seasons Similar in Other Parts of the World?

Similar to the United States, golf in other countries around the world may also be seasonal or all year round.

For example, in Canada, the season usually starts in early or mid April and ends in mid or late October.

Golf seasonality is also popular in Europe where countries in Northern Europe start and end their season at times similar to Canada and Northern US while countries in the south can have a year round golf season.

When Does the PGA Tour Begin?

While golf season in the United States will vary from one state to another, the PGA Tour is available almost all year round, with the Tour season beginning in September of every year.

For example, the 2021/2022 PGA Tour starts on September 13, 2021, and ends on August 28, 2022.

The PGA Tour 21/22 season features 48 events and is scheduled so that tours are held in southern states in cold months when golf is off-season in the North.

Are Golf Courses Closed During Off-Season Times?

Just because golf is off-season in a state doesn’t mean that golf courses are necessarily closed. In fact, many golf courses will open earlier than the season begins and close well after it ends.

However, this highly depends on the weather in the region. In the coldest regions where snow covers the course, some courses will hold informal or formal side activities, such as skiing or ice skating.

With that said, you now know more about golf season in the United States. As you can see, each state has its own guidelines and rules regarding the beginning and end of the golf season within its jurisdiction.

The golf season is heavily dependent on weather conditions, which is why the golf season is relatively shorter in northern states while some southern states have an all year round golf season.

However, regardless of where you are in the United States, you should be in the golf season in months between April to October. In addition to year round states, some may start as early as March and others may extend the season to November or December.

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