Open letter to the powers that be at TGCT and members

[djdavefl]

To all the staff at TGCT you have done something incredible with this tour, and I am writing merely to make a few of suggestions for moving forward into the 2015-16 season.

These suggestions are meant to bring a consistency to the tours, as well as maintain a competitive balance.


This may become a little complicated in the way I write it, but it is actually quite simple.
Perhaps other members may be able to chime in their thoughts as well.

For the sake of this discussion, unless a tour is specified, let us refer to PGA and Euro tours as the "ELITE" tours.

For the 2015-2016 season:

For PGA TOUR Membership (175 cards available)

• Top 125 from previous years PGA TOUR money list (minimum 12 PGA TOUR events) this may not necessarily equal 125
• Top 25 from previous years web.com tour money list (before finals)
• Remainder from those not otherwise eligible from Web.com Finals money list (to bring total to 175)

For EURO TOUR Membership (175 cards available)

• Top 125 from previous years EURO TOUR money list (minimum 12 EURO TOUR events) this may not necessarily equal 125
  
• Remainder from those not otherwise eligible from Web.com Finals money list (to bring total to 175

For WEB.COM TOUR Membership (175 cards available)

• Remainder of web.com finals money list
• Players from the regular season web.com money list to bring the total to 175)

For CHALLENGE TOUR membership (maximum 100 cards per tour) 

• Each tour would have the next 100 players not eligible above based on the end of season WGR

Players on the ELITE TOURS may play a maximum of 25 events on their home tours (not counting WGC or MAJORS) with a maximum of 15 crossover events (including majors and WGC)

On the ELITE TOURS and WEB.COM tour a maximum field of 156 players per event using the following registration requirements

• Only those members of the particular tours, and those granted sponsor's exemptions may register until 72 hours prior to the event (to a maximum of 156)
• Members of the other ELITE tour may register for crossover starting 72 hours prior to event (should the field not be filled to the maximum)
• 24 hours prior to the event, all TGCT players may register should the field have spots remaining

Players who register MUST complete and return scorecards for the first two rounds.  Those players who register for an event and do not complete and return scorecards for the first two rounds will be ineligible to register for the following weeks events.

SPONSORS EXEMPTIONS and DEMOTIONS
Players can earn exemptions to 1 level up in the following ways

• Players finishing in the top 10 of a Web.com event will be eligible to register for the next available ELITE TOUR event during the initial registration period.
• Should an exempt player finish in the top 10 of the ELITE event, the player earns an exemption for the following week.  

• Players finishing in the top 10 of a CHALLENGE event will be eligible to register for the next available Web.com event during the initial registration period.
  
• Same continuing exemption policy as above

DEMOTIONS can be handled on a by request basis, using the following criteria.
Players may request a demotion one level down should they fail to make the cut for their event 5 consecutive weeks.

BATTLEFIELD PROMOTIONS
Players may earn a battlefield promotion in one of two ways

• Win 3 times on their own tour
• Win an event using a sponsors exemption

Q-SCHOOL
Players coming out of the monthly Q-School can be assigned to tours as follows
Top 3 (or 10% whichever is smaller) into choice of ELITE TOUR
Next 3(or 10% whichever is smaller) into WEB.COM
Divide the remainder into 15% increments into the CHALLENGE TOURS

Determining WGC Points
Points should be determined based on the strength of field (as in real life)
Determine the total ranking of the highest 10 players in the field (#1 = 1pt, #2 = 2pts, ect)
100% of the WGC Value = less than 66 total points
95% of the WGC Value = 67 to 125 points
90% of the WGC Value = 126 to 175 points
80% of the WGC Value = 176 to 250 points
70% of the WGC Value = 251 to 350 points
60% of the WGC Value = 351 to 500 points
50% of the WGC Value = 501 to 1000 points
40% of the WGC Value = 1001 to 2000 points
30% of the WGC Value = 2001 to 10000 points
20% of the WGC Value = greater than 10000 points

ELIGIBILITY FOR SEASON ENDING EVENTS
(this can revert the tour schedule to real life)

PGA TOUR
Top 125 in Fed Ex Cup points who have played a minimum of 12 events or have won an event on PGA TOUR are eligible to compete in 1st round of playoffs

EURO TOUR
Top 78 in Order of Merit with a minimum of 12 events or have won an event on EURO Tour

For easy in determining perhaps we can create an ORDER of MERIT list.  

The FEDEX and ORDER of MERIT lists could list crossover players who have not yet achieved the minimum number of events "below the line", similar to one the leaderboards players who have yet to tee off are listed separately.

I think these are some pretty comprehensive suggestions, that would maintain the competitive balance of the tours, and allow for movement up and down, as well as making room for new blood.

Thanks for reading

[djdavefl]

A quick edit to above:

ELITE TOUR players who are locked out due to a full field, can register for the web.com event (if spots remain) at the 72 hour prior to start registration.

Web.com Tour players locked out due to full field may register for CC-A with 72 hours prior to event)

CC Events have no maximum number of entries.

[Deleted]

Dave,
Most impressive and extensively thought out. Bravo.

[Deleted]

And if this is meant to be suggestions to the TGCT leaders, it was posted in public vs. privately sent why?

[Deleted]

100 cards max for each CC flight is way off. There are 1700-1800 players in those flights and your plan would only include 600.

[Airik3333]

Sept 3, 2015 17:07:59 GMT -5 @swaeromotion said:

100 cards max for each CC flight is way off. There are 1700-1800 players in those flights and your plan would only include 600.

He is probably suggesting they have more flights since there are plenty of letters in the alphabet to be used.. We still have F,G,H,I,J,K,L,M,N,O... well, you get the point..

[djdavefl]

Sept 3, 2015 16:11:50 GMT -5 Irving R. Levine said:

And if this is meant to be suggestions to the TGCT leaders, it was posted in public vs. privately sent why?

I posted it in public because others may  have imput as  well.  I don't pretend to have all the answers, merely making suggestions. The leadership , whom I believe are doing an excellent job, can accept any, all, or none of them, and I will still enjoy being  part of the community .                                                                                                                                             As for the numbers for the CC tours. Those numbers could be adjusted upwards . I was using the assumption of around 1100 ACTIVE members, my apologies.

[dh-nufc]

Yeah, number on CC needs to be higher. I would think more flights would be more work for the TGTC gods.
I would rather keep the 3 strike system for CC demotion. I think that works well. I would also keep the exemption rules for now although I would slightly tweak the rules. At the moment it's within 15 shots of the winner of the flight above. I would change this to 10 from the 3rd place player from the flight above. This should give a more consistent number gaining exemptions. Once you have an exemption I would change the rules for promotion. At the moment it is top 3 exemption players or within 10 shots of the top exemption. I think promotion should go on your position in the field and not against others going for promotion. I think their scores are pretty irrelevant. I would instead make it simple and say finish in the top 30 or 40 to gain promotion.

I think what we really need to think about is new members. We've seem so many people come in way down and then move up though the ranks winning everything on their way.
The only ways I see to help with this would be to either make it easier to go higher in Q-School and/or allow an exemption when already on exemption as suggested by others.

[AFCTUJacko]

Don't know about the rest of it but I've always liked the idea of limiting schedules/crossovers (I know this was originally the plan but the work involved was a lot)

It would be good for the Pro Tours if the lesser events featured less top players (as IRL) and the guys usually around the cutline had a bit more of a chance to be closer to the front - it helps maintain interest more than anything

[Deleted]

Yeah with people playing every week unlike real life the middle of the road guys don't get too much of a chance to shine. Don't think limiting schedules is a good idea as we all want to play right? So whats the answer?

Making PGA a clear number 1 to the Euros number 2 maybe? That way if a PGA player is getting annoyed at merely fighting for cuts he could move to Euro where the slightly lesser competition could see him make a run for it? I'm unsure.

Or maybe a lesser 2nd minor tournament running along side the main tournament that week, kind of like when a major is happening. Nowhere near as much money, fed ex points and WGR available but it'll give the middle of the road guy the chance of winning. But couldn't this just be the Euro tour instead, as stated in the above paragraph?

Limiting crossovers should probably be enforced. Although now as seasons end at the same time I reckon there wouldn't be as much. For instance, why would a Euro player now want to play in the Players Championship? He'd be missing out on his race to Dubai points.

[djdavefl]

Actually, the limits I suggested for number of events played would not require players to miss any weeks.

From my OP
"Players on the ELITE TOURS may play a maximum of 25 events on their home tours (not counting WGC or MAJORS) with a maximum of 15 crossover events (including majors and WGC)"

This would be a total of 40 events. The first season had a total of 38 weeks, so I don't think that would be a problem.

My suggestions, were geared towards three purposes.
1) To provide continuity to each tour. Playing on an elite tour is something that is a goal that needs to be worked towards, not a god given right, and I sort of feel at times it was too easy to get promoted. If you have demonstrated consistently that you are placed below your skill, you WILL be promoted.
2) To maintain a competitive balance, and allow for new players to be absorbed into the tours in an orderly fashion.
3) By placing a hard limit on the number of entrants in each event, and a specific punishment for registering, and not posting scores, which takes away a spot that could have been used by someone might help eliminate the practice of registering for any event, and not posting because you didn't play well.

Most of the things I suggested were part of the original plans that were laid out at the creation of the TOUR, but because it grew very fast after the release, many of the original plans were modified to accommodate those who came to the party late.

I just think that heading into season 2 it would be a good idea to go back to the original intentions of the tour founders to make things as close to the real world tours as possible.

Don't get me wrong, I am not complaining at all, my intent was only to offer suggestions. I see people on the forums all the time complaining about one thing or another, with very few suggestions for potential solutions, so I simply volunteered some.

[Deleted]

Dave, my comments yesterday were mostly a "devil's advocate" type of thing. I felt your analysis for the CC tours was inadequate. I now realize you were taking into account only weekly actives. There are semi-actives. I think the CC promotion/demotion rules are fine for now, and will be beneficial after the CC Championship.

Down the road into season two I see a tightening of promotions to Web.com and possibly a moderate to small modification to CC promotions. Right now they have laid groundwork to allow for the Web.com Finals and the demotion of inactive on the PGa/Euro tours.

[Deleted]

I believe for next season you shouldn't be able to come straight out of the monthly Q-School (soon to be re-named TGCT Qualifier) and into the 'elite' PGA/Euro Tours. There's a solid base of players now, all who have earned their way into the top tours. Plus, in real life Web.com is the best place they can qualify for. So maybe for season 2...

TGCT Qualifier

Web.com Card: -20 or better
CC-A: Evens to -19
CC-B: +1 to +20
CC-C: +21 to +40
CC-D: +41 to +60
CC-E: +60 and worse

[BMann1976]

More than half of the players who are in the "elite tours (PGA/Euro) are not "elite". I am far from it and pretty much have no business playing on the PGA yet there I am, missing the cut in 50% of the events and somehow making it to the 2nd Fed Ex Playoff event. I would prefer to make every cut and compete every week, but it just won't happen for a lot of players like myself. Even if I were in the Web.com, I would be at best a middle of the road guy.
Maybe the PGA/Euro/Web Tours should have less competitors and there needs to be more CC Flights.

[Jared]

Sept 4, 2015 13:20:51 GMT -5 oswinner said:

I believe for next season you shouldn't be able to come straight out of the monthly Q-School (soon to be re-named TGCT Qualifier) and into the 'elite' PGA/Euro Tours. There's a solid base of players now, all who have earned their way into the top tours. Plus, in real life Web.com is the best place they can qualify for. So maybe for season 2...

TGCT Qualifier

Web.com Card: -20 or better
CC-A: Evens to -19
CC-B: +1 to +20
CC-C: +21 to +40
CC-D: +41 to +60
CC-E: +60 and worse

I agree with not being able to go from "Q-School" to the PGA/Euro. One thing I have to say I don't like about the idea is the way exemptions/promotions work. It's one thing to try and mimic in some way real life, but I don't think it's reasonable to do in a video game setting. Improving between levels in golf is something that does take years of hard work and practice. Improving in TGCT does not take anywhere near that long, and I don't think there's enough of a time development gap between the tours (really talking about being middle of pack in the higher tour vs. being at the top of tour below it) where one should have to win on an exemption to earn a promotion (or a top 10 to keep being on exemption). Maybe I'm wrong about that? I guess I haven't been here long enough to really say. I feel like the schedule behind promotions will end up making it nearly impossible to get out of your current level, even if you are better than a large portion of the tour above you.

The other thing I'd keep in mind is that your registration in addition to entry cap doesn't make too much sense with the TGCT format. You want to give tour members + exemptions a 72 hour window before cross-overs, but exemptions have no idea that they are exempt until after registration closes and the next tournament begins. This is obviously due to the fact that tournaments do not run a Thursday-Sunday schedule, but rather there is a cross-over time between the ending of one tournament and the beginning of the next tournament. I wouldn't want to see it changed to a Thurs-Sun schedule either, since that ends up putting a tighter window on when we need to be available to play. It works in real life because those people are competing for a livelihood and competing is one of their top priorities. This is just a thing to do on the side for most of us I would believe.