Hey, Nobilo, you and the Tour got it wrong about Q-school! We need it.
Yesterday the Tour officially
ended what had become over decades the most excruciating week in golf: Q-school. Henceforth, the Nationwide "developmental" Tour will be the path to the big time. Golf Channel commentator
Frank Nobilo defended the decision in a recent issue of Golf World.
Nobilo took on those who argued that Q-school graduate John Huh's victory in the Mayakoba Classic this year proved the value of the old system:
I can't argue what Huh did wasn't a wonderful story, but I can argue Q school doesn't always serve the game's best interests. We in golf measure a body of work over a year, and yet our entry exam is one week. Currently Q-school is the equivalent of winning the lottery. Seems a little weird to me.
Neither the Tour's decision nor Nobilo's column sat well with some Golf World readers, who see a huge loss--in both fairness and great stories--in the change.
Dear Golf World:
Concerning Frank Nobilo's article [in support of] the changes to PGA's Q-school....I strongly have to disagree with his rational. All the PGA is trying to do is make the last quarter of the year alittle more watchable for golf fans...period. The Fed X Cup is laughable, but they do try and make you think ALL the players care. It's dialing for $$$$...
The new changes almost certainly will lead to a "Closed Shop" with the same names on and off the tour from the 100--175 money leaders. You will always have a couple of young or foreign stars that will shine but alot of the same names will linger even more than now. And remember, for every Keegan Bradley there was a Mike Weir or Rich Beem...who attended Q School. And they won majors also.
Hal Wright, Shreveport, LA
Dear Golf World:
Frank Nobilo, you're a great color commentator, but your are completely offbase regarding the proposed changes to Q-school. John Huh "wasn't just a wonderful story," he is a pure example of someone who was ready to play the tour, got his card at Q-school, and proved his medal by winning a tour event. Why would you deny this to the J.
Huhs of the future? Why remove the Walter Mitty aspect of qualifying and do this forever?
By my count, there were only 5 golfers who got their cards at Q-school who hadn't played full seasons on the Nationwide or regular tour, and two of them, Harris English and Brian Harman, have already proven their tour readiness very early in the
season and are clearly future stars of the game. In fact, there were many more veterans on that qualifying list getting a well earned "reprieve" than "one tournament wonders" slipping by and getting a card.
Call a spade a spade Frank: It isn't that Q-school doesn't
"always serve the games best interests", reformatting the qualifying process just makes it more exlusionary for the rank and file grinders and makes more money for the tour by expanding a Fall series of tournaments. Besides, for those of us that truly follow the game, the Q-school tournament is tremendous theater, one of the greatest tournaments on the planet.
Nord Zeidner, Fort Collins, CO
posted by Bob Carney
