Tiger Woods Returns To Golf

Personally, I haven't been bored with golf without Tiger. I've actually learned more about players like Ian Poulter, Camilo Villegas, and Rocco Mediate to name a few. There are plenty of interesting characters in golf and many very good players. However, to the rest of the world, the return of Tiger Woods is a magical event.

The word around town about the Northern Trust Open is that attendance and ticket sales are down this year since there is no Tiger playing. I'm sure that he deserves some credit but I believe all forms of sales are down all over the country for nearly everything you can think of. Many are not spending on golf-related commerce due to other factors in the current economic climate. However, Tiger's return will certainly spark a new interest and maybe even increase spending for some. Certainly ticket sales for his first event will dry up quickly. The Accenture Match Play Championship where he makes his return next week is touted as a thrill for the broadcasters. A "boon" is predicted for NBC Sports as they will make their season debut covering the PGA Tour. I wonder how much coverage the rest of the field will get?

Don't get me wrong - I do believe Tiger Woods is amazing and totally deserves his number one status. He worked at it his entire life and pulls off some truly remarkable feats. All I am saying is that there is more to golf than Tiger Woods. Sure, he's great to watch and even emulate. Heck, one of my golf instructors flipped a video around for me to watch Tiger swing left-handed to illustrate swing mechanics (since I'm a lefty). I'm not trying to take anything away from Tiger at all. What I am suggesting is that if you are interested in golf you might take a look around and see what else is out there.

Are you excited about the return of Tiger Woods?