GolfSixes launched by European Tour

liamoreilly

http://www.skysports.com/golf/news/12230/10765118/inaugural-and-revolutionary-golfsixes-launched-by-european-tour

...This could be quite fun...I am hoping that Harrington is selected by other player, reckon he will...Would be tempted to head to the event itself, especially if Harrington was picked... Think it could be a good little golf trip...What are people's opinion of the event, will it take off and be a success?...

Zaph

It sounds like a fun event, but this bit confuses me:

We are also delighted to have brought a country versus country element to the fore. There is no question that the greatest atmosphere in golf comes every two years at The Ryder Cup and we are keen to try and emulate that national fervour in this format.

It's nothing like the Ryder Cup if there are 16 countries competing, it's more like the World Cup, and that's not exactly an event that gets pulses racing. I think that players should be allowed pick their own team mate, regardless of where they're from. You'll have some teams made up of players from the same country and some not, but at least they'd be more likely to have their closest European Tour friends on the team, which would make it even more fun for the players, rather than just picking someone because they were born in the same country as you.

Jawgap

Yeah, I think it'll be worth a look.

They seem to be honest and up front about it being an 'entertainment product' rather than the future of the sport......so who knows maybe it'll be the 'gateway drug' for getting more people hooked.

I'd say their main problem will be finding a spot for it in the schedule to allow the bigger names to participate. Plus finding a sponsor, but if it shows potential they shouldn't have much of a problem there.

Seve OB

liamoreilly wrote: »

http://www.skysports.com/golf/news/12230/10765118/inaugural-and-revolutionary-golfsixes-launched-by-european-tour

...This could be quite fun...I am hoping that Harrington is selected by other player, reckon he will...Would be tempted to head to the event itself, especially if Harrington was picked... Think it could be a good little golf trip...What are people's opinion of the event, will it take off and be a success?...

if Lowry actually goes, it would be hard to see him picking anyone else but Harrington. If Lowry doesn't go, well then he is in, so I can't see any reason why he won't be there cause he is not one to not play in a tourney like this.

redzerdrog

Sounds horrendous to be honest

Golfgorfield

I fully expect it to be a Chubby chandler, Clarke, Westwood affair....

Sigh...

bren2001

Seve OB wrote: »

if Lowry actually goes, it would be hard to see him picking anyone else but Harrington. If Lowry doesn't go, well then he is in, so I can't see any reason why he won't be there cause he is not one to not play in a tourney like this.

Keith Pelley was on Sky over the weekend and said he doesn't expect the big players to turn up. Seems to almost be a trial run with the smaller players to see if it works and then build from there.

Seve OB

redzerdrog wrote: »

Sounds horrendous to be honest

Golfgorfield wrote: »

I fully expect it to be a Chubby chandler, Clarke, Westwood affair....

Sigh...

Ah I don't know. I am a purist, and it wouldn't be my cup of tea, but lets look at it like this.

Cricket is boring as hell, and I haven't a clue how the test matches are run over 5 days and never watch them. But I would stick on a ODI or T20 and find they are actually good fun. So they bring a new dimension and new audience to Cricket without taking away from the main test matches. This could do something similar for golf.

It's a different idea, sounds like it could be a bit of craic, party atmosphere, mic's down with the players, talk to them as they go around, maybe limit their club to 7 or 8, put a time factor in, allow them to use GPS to speed it up a little. So what if it smells of Chubby etc it's something new, a trial, might work, might not. But no harm in giving it a go.

bren2001 wrote: »

Keith Pelley was on Sky over the weekend and said he doesn't expect the big players to turn up. Seems to almost be a trial run with the smaller players to see if it works and then build from there.

Yea, I would imagine that certainly would be the case. Still think our Harro would jump all over this though. I think it would be great if the top pro had to bring an amateur with them though.


Actually, kind of similar, did anyone watch the Nitro Athletics over the weekend. Some mad stuff in there, but totally different and looked like great fun. My missus was even gripped to it on Saturday afternoon. It was team athletics with a twist, mixed relays, run as far as you can within a time limit, elimination laps where last at the end of each lap was dropped. Crazy but good fun.

paulos53

With only 16 countries competing there is no guarantee that Ireland will be selected to play.
Anybody know how the 16 nations will be picked or if the top ranked player for each country is based on the Race to Dubai or the World Rankings?

martinkop

As per ET website

"each nation being represented by its leading ranked and available European Tour member from the 2017 Exemption Category List as at Monday March 13"

PH is currently above SL on this list, from his major wins which put him in Category 1.

Seve OB

You would imagine all the "home nations" would certainly be involved.
England
Rep Ireland
Scotland
Wales
Norn Iron

Then my guess would be
Spain
France
Germany
Italy
Belgium
Sweden
Denmark
Finland
Australia
South Africa
China/India/Korea/Japan/Thailand

Jawgap

Seve OB wrote: »

You would imagine all the "home nations" would certainly be involved.
England
Rep Ireland
Scotland
Wales
Norn Iron

Then my guess would be
Spain
France
Germany
Italy
Belgium
Sweden
Denmark
Finland
Australia
South Africa
China/India/Korea/Japan/Thailand

I think this will be like the Champions League - in that they'll structure it so the largest golf markets get a team in automatically.

Tom.D.BJJ

It should only be one team for Ireland (GUI) btw.

Seve OB

Tom.D.BJJ wrote: »

It should only be one team for Ireland (GUI) btw.

why?

Tom.D.BJJ

Seve OB wrote: »

why?

They govern golf in Ireland, similar to the IRFU and Rugby. Hockey also works the same. Soccer is one of the few split sports

Seve OB

Tom.D.BJJ wrote: »

They govern golf in Ireland, similar to the IRFU and Rugby. Hockey also works the same. Soccer is one of the few split sports

true, but the flag flying beside each of their names is for different countries so no reason why we can't send 2 teams

martinkop

Tom.D.BJJ wrote: »

They govern golf in Ireland, similar to the IRFU and Rugby. Hockey also works the same. Soccer is one of the few split sports

They govern amateur golf. Nothing to do with European Tour pro game. It will be business driven and going forward they will want as many major winners (big names as possible), so that is why there will be teams from both ROI & NI.

paulos53

Unfortunately there is no Irish team in this event

EDIT: Paul Dunne & Gareth Maybin are 3rd in line if a few teams drop out