European Tour unveil new GolfSixes event

The European Tour has unveiled GolfSixes, a revolutionary and novel short form of the game which further illustrates the Tour’s desire to embrace innovation and originality in professional golf.

The inaugural GolfSixes event – featuring a prize fund of €1m – will make its debut on the European Tour schedule at the Centurion Club in St Albans, to the north-west of London, on May 6-7, 2017.

The event will feature two-man teams from 16 different nations, each
nation being represented by its leading ranked and available European Tour
member from the 2017 Exemption Category List as at Monday March 13, who
will be joined by a compatriot of his choosing from within European
Tour membership.

The first day’s play on Saturday, May 6 will see the teams split into
four groups of four – similar to the UEFA Champions League football
group stages – before the top two teams from each group progress to the
knockout stages, all of which will be contested on Sunday, May 7.

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In the group stages, three points will be given for winning a match with one point given for a draw, while the matches themselves will be played in a greensomes matchplay format.

Both days’ play will be shown live on Sky Sports in the UK and around the globe on the Tour’s world feed network.

As well as innovation inside the ropes, there will be an abundance of originality for the fans to enjoy outside the ropes as the six holes wend their way around the centrally located fan zone at the Hertfordshire venue.

In addition to amphitheatre-style stands around the tees and greens, there will be music and pyrotechnics on the first tee and at various points around the course, with all players miked up to help bring fans closer to the action.

Players will also be encouraged to interact with the fans during play and in the intervals between their matches, including taking part in Q&A sessions in the fan zone, while live streaming on social media will further enhance the spectators’ experience and maximise reach.

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“We have said for some time that golf needs to modernise and
introducing innovative new formats is a major part of achieving that
aim, which is why I am delighted to announce the launch of GolfSixes
today,” sad European Tour chief executive Keith Pelley (above).

“We want to broaden the appeal of our sport to the millennial
demographic and I think this format will do that, not only through the
quick and exciting style of play, but also with the interactive digital
experience fans will enjoy on site and the innovative television
coverage people will enjoy at home.

We are in the entertainment content business

“We are also delighted to have brought a country versus country
element to the fore. There is no question that the greatest atmosphere
in golf comes every two years at the Ryder Cup and we are keen to try
and emulate that national fervour in this format.

“We are in the entertainment content business with golf as our platform and GolfSixes is the perfect illustration of that.”