European Golf

European Golf is extremely popular, and many fans will be able to name several of the leading PGA European Tour players of recent years. Although the term “European Tour” is often used generically, there are actually several tours, as follows:

• European Tour –This is the main series of tournaments and the one that springs to mind whenever the subject is raised in conversation. Before anyone can participate in this tour, they must have a handicap of scratch or better and successfully graduate from a Qualifying School. Although this is no easy task, it does mean that all golfers have a very real opportunity to compete at the highest level if they also have the intrinsic ability to do so. Exemptions for top players allow them immediate entry into the European Tour without them having to progress through the Qualifying School.
• Seniors Tour – Participation in the Seniors Tour, which was started in 1992,  is restricted to male players aged 50 or older. A separate Qualifying School is in place for seniors, though once again there are exemptions from having to qualify for the very best players.
• Challenge Tour – The Challenge Tour started in 1986 and was originally known as the Satellite Tour because it serves as a feeder for the main European Tour. Players who perform sufficiently well in this tour generally win automatic membership to the European Tour for the following year.

All of the above events are organised by the PGA European Tour organisation which has its headquarters at the Wentworth Club in the county of Surrey, England. Although many tour events are held in Europe, some are played outside Europe in countries such as Hong Kong, New Zealand, South Africa and, of course, Dubai.

February 6, 2012