Brian McCann is #28 on CPGA Player Rankings.
Photos Courtesy: GLT
On Monday March 28, 2011 the Canadian Professional Golfer’s Association introduced a new National Player Rankings. There will be many media outlets across the country commenting, blogging, and writing about this new program from the CPGA. As a player that plays both CPGA events and Mini Tour events, I feel there are significant flaws in the ranking system and I wonder if the CPGA has thought through what they have actually created…
On Monday March 28, 2011 the Canadian Professional Golfer’s Association introduced a new National Player Rankings. There will be many media outlets across the country commenting, blogging, and writing about this new program from the CPGA. As a player that plays both CPGA events and Mini Tour events, I feel there are significant flaws in the ranking system and I wonder if the CPGA has thought through what they have actually created…
Dennis Hendershott
“We are going to do our best to make sure that all Canadian’s playing here and abroad in an open environment will be ranked and recognized appropriately.”
- Dennis Hendershott, President Great Lakes Tour.
- Dennis Hendershott, President Great Lakes Tour.
I believe this is a great move for the CPGA as an internal revenue generator. Players will likely commit to more tournaments and complete their education requirements in a shorter period of time because this will allow them access to more tournaments thus allowing them the opportunity to gain a higher ranking. As a player ranked on the list, one could use the ranking as a way to better build a reputation and resume within the industry. The major concern with this ranking system is that it's generated from a closed membership and limits access to the events being played. The general golfing public will likely perceive this as THE Canadian professional golf ranking system as no other system exists in Canada. A true national ranking system would also include not only CPGA events but also include tournaments played on any Tour of the International Federation of PGA Tours and all professional mini tour events abroad with a minimum field size.
Unfortunately, as a CPGA Golf Professional I feel that this system will become the only recognized ranking system for Canadian Professional Golfers among the media and golfing public. The CPGA has broadcast in their media post to the membership that the players on the list can use it to their advantage as a business tool and resume builder for gaining more clients and job positions. If this is the case, the public and management in the industry will be lead astray as to who they are hiring or taking a lesson from. If I was a ranked player on this list I would not find it valid enough to use to my advantage, because I recognize that too many playing professionals in the country are being left off the list.
Four years ago, the Great Lakes Tour was trying to implement a Canadian Professional Ranking System that would have included ALL professional golfers in Canada that play in any sanctioned tour event, mini tour event, and various PGA events around the world. “We didn’t go ahead with the system at the time because we were limited to money and time to develop the program” said Dennis Hendershott President of the Great Lakes Tour. “We still have the program in our system and will look at ways to regenerate a true National Ranking that will give everyone an equal perception of where they stand nationally and not eliminating Canadians on the PGA Tour, Nationwide Tour, Canadian Tour, and Mini Tours abroad.”
“Everyone should have an equal chance to be ranked nationally and in developing players it is essential that all Canadian professional golfers benefit from a list like this” says Dennis sitting in the Calgary airport after wrapping up a month of trade shows promoting the Golf Town National Amateur Series. “We’ve had many players play on our Great Lakes Tour that could’ve benefited from a National Ranking System. More players could have developed sponsorships and received a means to get to the next level. I feel most professionals would prefer a ranking system that puts them up against the top Canadian playing professionals in the Country.”
From that statement, we can now see that the best case scenario for this would be two different ranking systems. First, one that accounts for all Canadian Professional Golfers. Secondly, a CPGA ranking system that acknowledges the best club professionals in the Country. As a player who plays in all types of events, I would love to see where I stand in both instances.
Looking at the current CPGA ranking list, I give credit to all the players on the list but I know that some players would be ranked higher and some would be ranked lower in a true national ranking. The public needs to be aware of this, and I hope the media does not lead the average country club member into believing that their club pro is a top 100 playing professional in the country.
Lastly Dennis says that, “We are going to do our best to make sure that all Canadian’s playing here and abroad in an open environment will be ranked and recognized appropriately.”
This should be a great debate and topic to watch in the months to come. I can’t wait to see where this will lead and it excites me to think we could have an accurate ranking system in place that is similar to the World Golf Rankings, but solely for Canadians. This is definitely something we need in Canada to further help ALL professionals develop and reach the next level of their careers and beyond.
Unfortunately, as a CPGA Golf Professional I feel that this system will become the only recognized ranking system for Canadian Professional Golfers among the media and golfing public. The CPGA has broadcast in their media post to the membership that the players on the list can use it to their advantage as a business tool and resume builder for gaining more clients and job positions. If this is the case, the public and management in the industry will be lead astray as to who they are hiring or taking a lesson from. If I was a ranked player on this list I would not find it valid enough to use to my advantage, because I recognize that too many playing professionals in the country are being left off the list.
Four years ago, the Great Lakes Tour was trying to implement a Canadian Professional Ranking System that would have included ALL professional golfers in Canada that play in any sanctioned tour event, mini tour event, and various PGA events around the world. “We didn’t go ahead with the system at the time because we were limited to money and time to develop the program” said Dennis Hendershott President of the Great Lakes Tour. “We still have the program in our system and will look at ways to regenerate a true National Ranking that will give everyone an equal perception of where they stand nationally and not eliminating Canadians on the PGA Tour, Nationwide Tour, Canadian Tour, and Mini Tours abroad.”
“Everyone should have an equal chance to be ranked nationally and in developing players it is essential that all Canadian professional golfers benefit from a list like this” says Dennis sitting in the Calgary airport after wrapping up a month of trade shows promoting the Golf Town National Amateur Series. “We’ve had many players play on our Great Lakes Tour that could’ve benefited from a National Ranking System. More players could have developed sponsorships and received a means to get to the next level. I feel most professionals would prefer a ranking system that puts them up against the top Canadian playing professionals in the Country.”
From that statement, we can now see that the best case scenario for this would be two different ranking systems. First, one that accounts for all Canadian Professional Golfers. Secondly, a CPGA ranking system that acknowledges the best club professionals in the Country. As a player who plays in all types of events, I would love to see where I stand in both instances.
Looking at the current CPGA ranking list, I give credit to all the players on the list but I know that some players would be ranked higher and some would be ranked lower in a true national ranking. The public needs to be aware of this, and I hope the media does not lead the average country club member into believing that their club pro is a top 100 playing professional in the country.
Lastly Dennis says that, “We are going to do our best to make sure that all Canadian’s playing here and abroad in an open environment will be ranked and recognized appropriately.”
This should be a great debate and topic to watch in the months to come. I can’t wait to see where this will lead and it excites me to think we could have an accurate ranking system in place that is similar to the World Golf Rankings, but solely for Canadians. This is definitely something we need in Canada to further help ALL professionals develop and reach the next level of their careers and beyond.
