The head of the European Tour says that there are too many 72-hole golf tournaments worldwide and that something new is needed to engage a new generation of fans.
The European Tour are currently experimenting with their GolfSixes format, which sees teams of two face off in six-hole, knock-out matchplay over the weekend.
And tour CEO Keith Pelley says other innovations will be tried in future with fewer 72-hole, four-day tournaments as golf attempts to address the alarming slide in participation and viewing figures.
"I love the game and, quite honestly, if 72-hole tournaments worked every weekend I’d be totally fine with it," said Pelley, who took charge to the European Tour 2015 following a career in the business of sports and entertainment.
"The reality is, I don’t believe that’s the future. I believe that 72-hole tournaments will remain a key part of what we do - it is who are and the majors will continue to flourish, the Rolex Series will be 72-hole tournaments, the national opens will be 72-hole tournaments.
"But there is a need and a willingness to experience something completely different. I can tell you that I believe there are too many 72-hole tournaments out there."
Pelley was speaking to Greg Allen as part of an extensive, wide-ranging interview that will be broadcast on RTÉ Radio 1’s Saturday Sport this weekend.
"Between the six major tours there are over 150 72-hole tournaments and the question is, is that sustainable? My feeling is that it’s not.
"My opinion is the 72-hole tournaments will always be there, but there is a desperate need for something else that can attract a different demographic, that can attract a new energy, a different time commitment to the game and that, I believe, is something like GolfSixes.
"I do think that if you catapult ahead ten or 15 years that there will be less 72-hole tournaments, but there will be a new format that will allow people to embrace and engage with our game like never before."
Research has shown that golf’s average fan continues to get older while fewer young people are taking up the game as television viewing figures continue to drop.
With his in mind, Pelley believes golf needs to do something to innovate in order to make the Thursday and Friday of tournaments more interesting.
"There is so much content out there, it’s reached saturation point - and that’s not just in sport, it’s in everything.
"The way Millennials and Generation Z are consuming content and the overwhelming choice that they have… people will come to events and people will watch events, consume it on any platform, if it is deemed important.
"Thursdays and Fridays are set-ups for the weekend and we need to find a way to deem them more important in the eye of the consumer."
Listen to Greg Allen’s full interview with Keith Pelley on Saturday Sport, starting at 2.0pm on Saturday on RTÉ Radio 1.
