Why PGA Tour History Matters

If you don't know where you've been, you can't tell where you're going. Just ask Phil.

I recently made a trip to the Bay Area to promote my book, Uncorked, The Life and Times of Champagne Tony Lema. I posted a book signing event on Facebook. The posting attracted a comment that read:

“I'm trying to figure out how someone who wrote about a golfer from the 1960s is in any way relevant today.”

As a golf historian that specializes in the 1960s and 1970s, this comment broke my heart. Not because the poster thought I might be irrelevant today, but because the comment represents an opinion that golf history from this period is irrelevant, writ large. And of course, this couldn’t be further from the truth.

With the controversy surrounding the possible formation of a rival tour, Saudi backed LIV Golf, that will pay guaranteed appearance money, the history of the PGA TOUR is even more important. As players speak out about defecting from the PGA TOUR, one opinion is being expressed by some of the top players such as Justin Thomas, Jon Rahm and even, Tiger Woods. That opinion is that …