Weekly | Capitalizing on the Augusta Masters’ Momentum: The Most-Watched in Six Years
Spike in Early TV Ratings Highlights Golf's Urgency for Resolution. How Will This Shape the Remainder of the Season? Plus, Unveiling the Path to Dreaming of Experiencing the 2025 Masters On-Site
Our dedicated team of writers has meticulously combed through over 40 industry publications, in excess of 35 general news sites, a dozen newsletters, and a selection of podcasts. We’ve consolidated everything right here, enabling you to catch up on the past week’s events in just 12 minutes. Without further ado, let’s dive straight into the heart of the matter.
Influencer Marketing in the Golf Industry: Friend or Foe? Unlock the Secrets (For Paying Subscribers Only!)
Tired of the same old marketing strategies? This week, we delve deep into the world of influencer marketing, separating fact from fiction. Can we afford to ignore it any longer? Or is it all just hype? We'll cut through the noise and reveal the truth: Can influencer marketing actually benefit your brand?
This exclusive insider report is for our GBR Pro subscribers. But before you get your hands on that premium content, let's rewind to Augusta week's biggest headlines.
First of all, the facts (especially for those who might have just returned from an Artemis mission and need to catch up):
Scottie Scheffler’s $3.6M Masters Triumph
Scottie Scheffler secured a four-shot victory over Ludvig Aberg in the 88th Masters tournament, with a final round score of 68. This win earned him $3.6 million, a $360,000 increase from the previous year.
Scheffler’s victory solidified his status as the world’s top golfer. He currently ranks first in the Official World Golf Rankings and has won three out of his last four events, earning a total of $12.6 million.
The tournament’s prize money reached a record $20 million, a significant increase from the previous years.
Ludvig Aberg of Sweden, participating in his first major tournament, earned $2.16 million. Tommy Fleetwood, Max Homa, and Collin Morikawa tied for third place, each earning $1.04 million.
Tiger Woods made the cut for a record 24th time, surpassing Fred Couples and Gary Player. Despite struggling over the weekend, he received enthusiastic cheers from the crowd. He finished last among the 60 players that made the cut.
Despite being banned from the PGA Tour, LIV golfers participated in the Masters. Eight of the 13 LIV golfers made the cut. Cameron Smith and Bryson DeChambeau tied for sixth place, each earning $695,000. Phil Mickelson finished tied for 43rd, adding $72,000 to his Masters earnings, the highest of all time.
The LIV and PGA golfers will return to their respective tours and meet again at the PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Ky., next month, all vying to outperform Scheffler.
What does this victory mean and how will it impact the rest of the season? We´ve loved the insightful analysis by Mark Schlabach and Paolo Uggetti on ESPN.
A Surge in Early TV Ratings Suggest a Strong Desire for Golf War Resolution
ESPN reported that its Thursday broadcast of the Masters garnered the highest opening-round ratings since 2015. The network stated that the broadcast averaged 3.2 million viewers during its coverage window from 3 p.m. to 8:06 p.m. ET, marking a 28 percent increase from 2023. The peak audience reached 3.8 million, compared to the previous year’s first-round average of 2.5 million.
ESPN later reported that the second-round average on Friday was 3.6 million, a 69 percent increase from 2023. The audience peaked at 3.9 million viewers around 5:30 p.m., coinciding with the end of Tiger Woods’ Round 2. The combined two-day average viewership of 3.4 million was the highest for the Masters since 2018.
That’s the largest two-day average viewership for those telecasts since 2018.
Our Interpretation of The Data
The impressive figures from this weekend demonstrate that golf enthusiasts are indeed present and, in fact, playing more and more on the courses.
Nonetheless, these statistics also serve as a clear indicator that the persistent discord between the PGA Tour and the emerging LIV circuit is leading to a growing number of occasional viewers disengaging.
The viewing figures underscore the urgent need for resolution and unity in the world of professional golf to maintain and grow its viewer base.
The Pursuit of Luxury and Exclusivity in Sports: A Story of Deep-Pocketed Fans
A captivating report by Alan Blinder and Kevin Draper in The New York Times titled "$17,000 to Watch the Masters? How Sports Entice Deep-Pocketed Fans" caught our attention due to its spotlight on the escalating trend of luxury and exclusivity in sports.
The Map & Flag, an exclusive venue named after the Masters logo, offers a week-long experience during the tournament for $17,000 per person.
Todd Lindenbaum, founder of SuiteHop, states, “Sports teams are always looking for new ways to drive incremental revenue, and the prices they can charge for elevated experiences far outweigh the cost of building them.”
The sports experience is evolving, with fans now seeking private suites and VIP clubs over traditional bleacher seats.
Venues are adapting, introducing premium hospitality options and redesigning their structures, such as the New England Patriots’ Celebration Beer Hall and the San Francisco 49ers’ upgraded luxury suites.
The industry’s evolution is driven by the prevalence of high-quality home entertainment and the desire for unique live experiences, especially post-pandemic.
Complete story:
$17,000 to watch the Masters? How sports entice deep-pocketed fans.
Augusta National’s Par-3 12th or Mona Lisa?
At his annual address, Chairman Fred Ridley emphasized that extending the famous par-3 12th won’t happen during his tenure. Ridley likened such a change to retouching the Mona Lisa. Our game analyst, Neil Hay, dissects Ridley’s annual address in an exclusive content for our GBR Pro subscribers, focusing on its implications for the future of the game and the sustainability of golf courses.
DeChambeau’s Bold Iron Switch
Bryson DeChambeau grabbed the early lead of the Masters with a scintillating first-round 65.
While the focus was on his play in that first round, the eagle-eyed might have spotted that DeChambeau had new irons in the bag. It's not uncommon for golfers to alter their bag setup for the year’s first major by adding a more lofted wood/hybrid or new wedges, but to make such a drastic change as DeChambeau’s is bold.
DeChambeau had been playing Ping i230s, which Ping had made to his one-length specification. However, for this week, he switched to a prototype set from a little-known manufacturer, Avoda Golf.
The Avoda prototypes are cut to DeChambeau’s favored one-length and fitted with LAB graphite shafts, familiar to his previous sets of irons.
There is little information on the prototypes at this stage. However, we know that the irons have a two-piece hollow design with the center of gravity positioned to optimize ball flight throughout the irons. Pictures also reveal a screw in the toe section of the head likely to serve two purposes:
Hold in place whatever material is situated in the cavity
Customise the weighting to DeChambeau’s requirements
The Avoda irons also feature bulge and roll across the face, which was a facet more often seen in older persimmon woods. Modern engineering can utilice bulge and roll more effectively to straighten out shots hit in the heel or toe, and this seems to have been a critical factor in DeChambeau putting the irons in his bag this week.
DeChambeau told the Golf Channel: “When I mishit on the toe or the heel, it seems to fly a lot straighter for me, and that’s what has allowed me to be more comfortable over the ball.”
DeChambeau is utilising the prototypes from 5-iron down to pitching wedge for this week.
Avoda Golf is a direct-to-consumer brand specialising in irons and wedges cut to traditional or one length as per customer request.
More info:
Footjoy Launches FJ Pro/SLX, Its “Most Comfortable Shoe Ever!”
When Footjoy says it has developed its “most comfortable shoe ever”, the new FJ Quantum shoe must be something really special.
Footjoy’s new shoe boasts “golf-specific” technology, following on from their successful PRO/SLX and HyperFlex shoes. These shoes provide golfers unparalleled support during their swing and reduce fatigue for golfers who want to walk the golf course.
Footjoy has created a new ultrasoft midsole called SofFOAM, which it claims is the softest it has ever made and will leave golfers experiencing “cloud-like comfort” from wearing a pair of Quantums.
To help golfers create more stability in their swings, Footjoy has constructed firmer directional fins on the outsole via a new serpentine design. New, softer rubber traction cones on the sole help create better grip and comfort when walking on and off the golf course.
Further all-round comfort is added via OrthoLite Impressions Fitbed insole which moulds to the shape of your foot over time.
The Quantum shoe also features lightweight, breathable mesh giving all round support for your foot.
The Footjoy Quantum sits at the “sportier” end of Footjoy’s lineup and comes in a range of striking color combinations adding to the trainer-like quality of the shoe.
Guy Smith, Senior Product Manager at Footjoy EMEA quoted:
"As we continue to listen to the needs of discerning golfers, it's incredibly exciting to launch a shoe which takes comfort to a whole new level coupled with a fresh, athletic aesthetic. The combination of an all-new SofFOAM midsole plus proven traction technologies inspired by ProSLX and HyperFlex delivers supreme performance both on and around the course."
The Footjoy Quantum shoe will be available from 19th April retailing at $186 (€175, £149.99)
Rolex Celebrates 25 Years as Masters Partner
This week, Rolex celebrated its 25th anniversary as a sponsor of the Masters. Rolex has long supported golf, going back to the “Big 3” of Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, and Gary Player, who became the Swiss manufacturer's first brand ambassadors in 1967.
Rolex ambassadors have continued the story of success at Augusta, with Tiger Woods claiming five titles and Adam Scott, Jordan Speith, Hideki Matsuyama, Scottie Scheffler, and Jon Rahm all donning the famous green jacket after victory since 2010.
Rolex is an official partner of all four men’s majors and the five ladies' professional majors. It also has significant sponsorship deals and acts as the official timekeeper for the PGA Tour, LPGA, Ladies European Tour (LET), Asian Tour, Solheim Cup, and President’s Cup.
In 2013, Rolex signed an extension to its existing deal with the then European Tour (now DP World Tour) worth $192.95 million to continue as the official timekeeper for the DP World Tour and the European Ryder Cup team.
Rolex’s links with the ladies' game also extend to the official world rankings and LPGA awards.
More About The Masters, the Players and Their Sponsorships:
Jeff Ma, a seasoned Silicon Valley entrepreneur, recently launched “Rewards by Troon,” a tee time rewards service in collaboration with Troon, the leading golf course management company.
The service offered members points for playing at Troon courses, which could be redeemed for free or discounted rounds at other Troon locations. A premium subscription was planned for the summer, potentially including discounts on last-minute tee times, concierge booking at premium properties, access to play in events, and merchandise discounts.Wyndham Clark, ranked 4th in the OWGR, played in the Masters with new sponsors SoFi and T-Mobile.
Clark’s rapid rise in the rankings was due to his victories at the Wells Fargo Championship, U.S. Open, and AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, all within the last 11 months. SoFi’s logo was placed on Clark’s left chest, while T-Mobile was his front-of-hat sponsor. Titleist, which had previously been on the front of Clark’s cap, was moved to a spot on the right side of his headwear. Clark also had deals with St. Petersburg-based building contractor Power Design and Municipal, the clothing brand founded by Mark Wahlberg.Justin Rose debuted a new logo on his bag at Augusta, in collaboration with Mustard Golf, a tech instruction app that was expanding into golf.
Mustard already had training products in both baseball and football, and Rose helped the company’s beta launch in golf at Augusta National.Tom Watson, a two-time Masters winner, signed an endorsement deal with Generational Group. Watson, who has long-standing sponsorships with Mastercard and Polo Ralph Lauren, participated in the tournament’s ceremonial first tee shot while boasting two of the longest-running sponsorships in golf. Watson was represented by Barry Hyde at Wasserman.
The 2024 Augusta Queen has died, long live the 2025 Augusta Queen! Your Ultimate Ticket Tips to Golf Paradise
Who declared January 15th as the gloomiest day of the year? Not at all! Today takes the crown for the most melancholic day! But hold on, we have some uplifting news: The Queen Augusta 24 is dead, long live the Augusta 25 Queen!
Fancy experiencing the world’s premier golf course firsthand? (Our apologies to St Andrews). Indeed, you can be a part of the Masters next year. Do you aspire to be at the Amen Corner on the decisive Sunday next year? Here are some tips:
Augusta National Golf Club conducts a selection process every year for The Masters, ANWA, and DCP.
Applications for tickets to all three events typically open around the first week of June. The first step is as simple as creating an account on every website (it’s one account, but you’ll need to visit each individual site and log in to apply for tickets to each event).
Hopeful attendees can apply for multiple days at each event but are only eligible to secure tickets for one day. Applications are also limited to one per household.
The 2024 ticket cost was: $100 for practice rounds and $140 for tournament rounds. For the final round of the ANWA, it was $100; the DCP National Finals tickets were $25.
The only way to pay for tickets is through the website. Augusta National will inform those who have been selected in late July.
Plan B? Tickets for the 2024 Presidents Cup are now on sale.
The event will take place from September 24-29, 2024, at The Royal Montreal Golf Club in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Tickets can be purchased here.
Golf and Geopolitics: Unraveling the Links in a Shifting World Order
Coinciding with Augusta’s week, Mike O’Sullivan has penned an article in Forbes summarizing his book “The Levelling” and elucidating the connection between the world of golf and the fusion of various nations into geopolitical clubs. These are the main ideas:
A recent instance of this is the convergence of the “Quad” (India, Japan, US, and Australia) with AUKUS (Australia, UK, US). O’Sullivan observes that all these countries harbor a passion for golf. Golf, with its strong ties to Anglo-Saxon and bourgeois traditions, could potentially serve as a geopolitical identifier.
O’Sullivan also underscores the link between golf and speculation/excess. Luxury golf club membership fees in Florida have skyrocketed into the millions, indicating a thriving local economy and a potential wealth “peak” in the US. Similarly, Japan witnessed a surge in golf club membership fees in the 1980s, with fees increasing by 400% from 1982 to 1989. This trend led to the creation of an index to monitor golf club membership values. However, this excessive bubble eventually burst, leading to a market collapse.
Drawing parallels, O’Sullivan proposes that the extravagant spending on golf in Saudi Arabia, marked by inflated prize money and appearance fees, could be a warning sign.
PGA Tour’s Strategic Move: Fee Implementation for Purse Augmentation
Last Monday, the PGA Tour officially announced some “crucial adjustments to each tournament’s finances.”
Signature events are now required to pay a fee of $1M each year.
Full-field events, like the Valero Texas Open that took place the previous weekend, will have a fee of $500,000.
Opposite-field event fees will be $250,000 annually.
The memo also showed a requirement of 2% of each tournament’s hospitality sales. This is to offset the increased purses as the Tour attempts to ward off challenges from LIV Golf.
What else Have We Been Reading?
⚔️ Golf Wars, by Iain Carter. Following Alan Shipnuck’s LIV and Let Die, respected BBC journalist joins the fray with his new, available in hardcopy and E-Book and priced at $25 (€23, £20).
🧑🏿👦🏾👧🏾 "The Most Famous Golfer at the Masters Is Black. Why Aren’t There More Players Like Him?" As the Masters tournament kicked off with 89 participants, Peter May, NYT, noted that there was "exactly one Black golfer in the field: the one we all know, Tiger Woods."The composition of the 88th Masters field didn’t look all that different from the previous 87."
🌼 USGA CEO Mike Whan on Sustainability, Growth, and the Future | Wall Street Journal.
🌼 When did skipping ball across water in Masters practice start? Gary Cowan says he was first in 1972. By Doug Stutsman, from Augusta Chronicle.
📷 All the cute kids at the Masters 2024 Par 3 Contest at Augusta National. Heartwarming collection of photos by Golf Week.
GBR Pro | Understanding the 2024 influencer marketing landscape and its application in the golf industry
Unlock this in-depth guide EARLY! Just for reading this far, you get exclusive access before GBR Pro subscribers.
No matter the size of your golf business, the guide tackles:
The scope of influencer marketing in 2024.
How these new marketing techniques apply to the golf industry.
Who the major influencers are and an estimated cost to hire them.
Is influencer marketing for you? We explore its relevance for both major corporations and smaller businesses like greenkeepers at local clubs.
Plus, you'll get:
A list of 10 essential tips to get started, including:
How to detect local micro or even nano-influencers.
How to turn your customers into brand influencers.
That´s all, friends.
Have a lovely week!!!!!