The Price of Globehopping Tours

Jiyai Shin The Constructivist just did a post over at Mostly Harmless about Jiyai Shin's decision to focus on the JLPGA in 2014. Like Tony Jesselli (who posted in the comments) I was a bit surprised to hear it... at first.

On reflection, it appears to be part of a extra trend.

Several LPGA and LET gamers have left their respective tours, mentioning wants to have a circle of relatives or pursue different pastimes or just finding out that it is too much work for his or her "return on investment." And I'm not simply talking Annika and Lorena here, you know.

Remember the thrill when Steve Stricker introduced his reduced schedule in early 2013? Steve no longer handiest supposed to reduce his globe-trotting -- he did not even play the Open Championship -- however he also cut his domestic schedule as well. He said he needed to be more energizing for the final occasions he performed. Ironically, it worked better than maximum humans anticipated and left players joking that possibly they should "semi-retire" as properly.

In truth, Phil Mickelson has already stated that he intends to do the equal, and we might also soon see other gamers -- each male and lady -- following his lead.

For those of us who play maximum of our golfing in a single county -- or at worst a single country -- the concept that golfing might be so tiring appears silly. We consider how thrilling it'd be to play in Hawaii one week, California the next, take a quick excursion via Florida, then forestall over in Mexico on our manner to Scotland.

But ANYTHING can come to be a task after a while, no matter how tons you adore it. Just ask the mother and father of any 3-yr-old!

As golfing turns into greater global, will careers begin to shorten as players surely tire of all the travel? It's actual that non-public jets are an option for the pinnacle gamers -- and "network jets" like NetJet for the next level down -- however time catches as much as us all. And as you become older, spending more and more time faraway from home isn't always so attractive. Not every participant is as driven as Gary Player!

Jiyai Shin noted fatigue and accidents as factors in her decision. The YonhapNews tale that TC referenced additionally mentions that her primary company sponsor might not be renewing in 2014, possibly including another purpose. Unlike the PGA Tour, in which wins pay so much extra than some other excursion, it could be that she desires that money to make all of the travel worthwhile. (I do not know, I'm simply speculating.)

But it is becoming clean that the brand new worldwide nature of golfing -- something that we have all applauded -- might also have an surprising darkish side. What different surprises might this new paradigm have in shop for us? Will even more execs trim their schedules? Will the businesses that run occasions need to make adjustments to draw them... Or should this spark off a new decline within the wide variety of tournaments played? This new twist to the sport bears watching over the following few years.

The photograph got here from this page at titleist.Com.

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