By Koketso Mamabolo
LIV Golf Comes To The City of Gold
A futuristic worbling sound opens an advert announcing the beginning of a new chapter for a sport synonymous with the prestige time brings. It’s a slow game with a quiet politeness marking the critical moments, from the routine to the high stakes. This is a sport played on a neatly maintained stage, engineered to the smallest detail. “Evolution” in all caps is splashed across the screen, below which are the words: “Narrated by Dennis Quaid”. This isn’t just another ad with a script read out by a nameless voice-over artist. The producers want you to know this is different. This is a blockbuster announcement for a blockbuster event. This is Hollywood. This is the future. This is “golf, but louder!” This is LIV Golf.
“Evolution is said to be the gradual development from something simple, to something more complex,” says Dennis. “It is the ability to change. To adapt. To acknowledge imperfections and emerge stronger. The evolution of the game we love, begins today.”
That was in 2022, the inaugural season of the competition. Four years later it is finally on African soil, bringing the storied game dressed in mineral wealth to the City of Gold with a healthy tradition in the sport of its own, and the icons to match. But this is something new, something Johannesburg has not seen before.
“Golf is a game rooted in centuries of history, heroes and tradition. And while we revere the game’s celebrated past, our eyes are fixed on the future. Because we see a vibrant game, full of colour, played all around the world.”
Fourteen cities, to be exact. Running from February to August, the format of the competition is a partial makeover of what traditional enthusiasts will recognise. “A game of high fives, fist pumps, and flying tees. A game of constant action and electrifying pace. Faces that are both familiar and fresh.”
It is designed with the fans in mind. LIV is the Roman numeral for 54, which represents the 54-hole format the competition initially began with. They’ve reverted to the standard 74-hole format but that’s not because the new one failed, but because it gives the fans more action to enjoy.
It starts with the non-golf experience. The fan village, hospitality suites, food trucks, not to mention the live entertainment. For the South African leg of the tour, mzansi’s very own Black Coffee is joined on the lineup by global powerhouse Calvin Harris.
Golf’s Expensive Facelift
When it’s time for the main attraction, the golfers do their best impression of WWE wrestlers by entering their arena to songs of their choice. Golf courses used to gentle clapping and respectful cheers are given a new atmosphere with hits from musicians such as Justin Bieber, Bob Marley, local legend Mgarimbe, and even a song from the popular animated movie Frozen.
“We see a game, rather a sport, with seasons and teams to cheer for and rivals to root against, where every moment matters.”
With names like Smash, Ripper, Legion, and Cleeks, the teams are headlined by Bryson DeChambeau’s Crushers, Phil Mickelson’s HyFlyers, Dustin Johnson’s 4Aces, and the RangeCoats led by Bubba Watson. Louis Oosthuizen’s team is an all local affair, the Southern Guards, with a Rhino as their logo. The innovative model means the captains have an ownership stake in their teams. They’re not just golfers anymore, they are leaders and entrepreneurs, building brands and trying their best to grow the sport.
If LIV Golf were reduced to one word it would be ‘money’ – lots and lots of money. The value of economic activity the tournament is bringing to South Africa is estimated to be in the region of R740-million. That’s for an event lasting only four days. For the players themselves there is R504-million in prize money to go around. The individual champion gets R67-million and the winning team will share R50-million.
With tickets ranging from basic R750 day passes to the premium packages peaking at R26 400 per day, the organisers certainly won’t be making a loss as almost 100 000 tickets were already sold days before tee-off. This is the biggest golf tournament the country has ever hosted.
“Evolution can be uncomfortable but we love this crazy game enough to try. So join us because the future we see is bright. The future of golf is here.”
Sources: LIV Golf | Dubloon Golf | Golf.com | News24 | The Ringer | YouTube
