A player can earn their way into the HOF with their performance on either the PGA Tour, the Champions Tour, or a combination of both. Below are the criteria for the seniors as listed at the HOF web site:
Champions Tour
- Champions Tour member for five years
- 20 wins between PGA TOUR and Champions Tour or five major or PLAYERS Championship wins
Evidently the majority of fans agree that, when it comes to entering the HOF, Champions Tour records do matter. A poll now being run on The Golf Channel’s web site asks this question: Should a player’s record on the Champions Tour count toward his Hall of Fame credentials?
A whopping 71% of the voters said yes, while only 29% said no.
Let’s assume that the fans and the HOF selection committee who drafted these requirements are right - that Champions Tour records do matter. Furthermore, we can see that from the HOF’s selection criteria that the majors and THE PLAYERS carry more weight because a player only needs five of them to be considered versus 20 regular tour wins.
So, if Champion’s Tour wins count towards gaining admittance to the HOF and all majors are special, then it follows that these most worthy titles should also be of value in determining who is golf’s Best Ever. If so, then the number Tiger Woods is chasing is 29, not 18. Here’s the math for Jack Nicklaus: 18 majors + 3 PLAYERS + 8 Champions Tour majors = 29. Woods is at 15 (14 majors + 1 PLAYERS).
Of course, this doesn’t feel right. Why? Because the Champions Tour is really no more than long putter infested minor league golf. And so, in this case, both the HOF committee and those who voted yes are wrong.
Hopefully at some point the committee will eliminate the chance for a delayed entry into golf’s HOF. Second chances are great - we’re all waiting to see what Tiger Woods does with his - but not when it comes to gaining entrance into the HOF.
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3 responses so far ↓
1 mel // Jun 3, 2010 at 4:15 am
Another great column. I had a laugh reading “long putter infested”. I don’t often participate in the Golf Channel polls but I do check to see what others are thinking. I couldn’t believe the numbers on this particular topic. I have nothing against the Champions Tour (although I still prefer the name Senior Tour) but it is in no way comparable to the regular tour. I wonder what the golfers think. Does Tom Lehman now think of himself as a winner of two majors? Somehow, I doubt it.
2 BD // Jun 3, 2010 at 7:57 pm
I agree that champions tour wins shouldn’t equate to regular tour wins. Moreover, I don’t think HoF induction should be based on strictly objective accomplishments (i.e., “x” wins gets you in). Should be voted on based on a player’s overall career, as in baseball.
3 Phil // Jun 4, 2010 at 7:56 am
Mel, thanks. I do enjoy selected senior events as well, like the recent PGA. Crenshaw’s course looked great on TV.
BD, I’m with you on ditching the numbers approach for a zillion reasons. Voters who know golf should just know who is HOF material, and who isn’t based on a wide ranging set of parameters that are not all measurable.
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