There are two things that the PGA Tour has no shortage of. One is the galore of criticisms it has received over the years. The reasons range from the pace of play to scheduling and many more issues. The next thing is the memos they have received. Shortly after Justin Thomas sent a memo asking players to be more broadcast-friendly, four-time PGA Tour winner Charley Hoffman penned a letter to the PGA Tour.
Charley Hoffman’s memo has been categorized as a more detailed and reproachful approach to both the PGA Tour and the players. The memo addresses several issues, including the pace of play, the ill-implemented AON Swing 5, as well as players prioritizing multiple events like TGL and then complaining about the tough schedule on the Tour. The memo attracted responses from several fans and players.
Dylan Wu draws comparisons to Justin Thomas’s memo
PGA Tour pro Dylan Wu had some thoughts on Charley Hoffman’s memo. The 28-year-old took to social media to state that the memo was on point, especially because he depicted the issues from both the players’ as well as the Tour’s side. While Hoffman has not had a celebrated career like Justin Thomas, the 48-year-old has been an active part of the Tour for more than 20 years. “I honestly think he was pretty spot on. He’s not a huge name but a well-respected guy with a great, long career.”
Wu also explained that the memo covered more ground than Justin Thomas’s previous memo. The first memo called for players to be more accessible to broadcast partners so that the fans get the content they want. However, Hoffman took a more scathing approach and put more responsibility on the players. This is what Dylan Wu liked to see.
Being media accessible is not the only answer to a complex problem. It requires a more comprehensive approach and ownership from players. Wu also recalled an infamous hot-mic incident involving Patrick Cantlay cursing on broadcast at the Sentry five years ago to highlight that broadcast is not the only answer. “It’s a better email than JT telling us to be better with the media. I recall a hot mic moment in Hawaii a few years ago…”
I honestly think he was pretty spot on. He’s not a huge name but a well respected guy with a great, long career. It’s a better email than JT telling us to be better with the media. I recall a hot mic moment in Hawaii a few years ago…
— Dylan Wu (@dylan_wu59) February 3, 2025
While Justin Thomas’s memo was more indirect and toned down, Hoffman went the more direct route. It is this directness that appealed to Dylan Wu. Let’s take a look at the finer details of the Hoffman memo to the PGA Tour.
Charley Hoffman’s memo offers a more straightforward approach
The pace of play has become a genuine problem, with even broadcasters calling it out now. Hoffman commented on it, saying, “We’ve taken a lot of heat over the past few weeks about slow play. And yeah, it’s an issue — for our fans, for us as players — cutting down field sizes will help, but only by a few minutes a day. As players, we still need to make a concerted effort to speed up. Pace of play has been a challenge my entire 20 years on Tour, and it was an issue 20 years before that. Golf is a tough game, and when conditions get extreme, it takes time to play it the right way. We all need to take responsibility to be ready when it’s our turn to play and having the awareness to realize that we are out of position and speed up even before the rules official shows up. We do it all the time, we just need to be more aware of it!”
Hoffman took a page out of Scottie Scheffler’s leaf and insisted, “We’re the best golfers in the world competing on the best Tour in the world. That should always be the focus- showcasing the thought, skill, passion, and competition that makes our game great.” Hoffman’s idea was the tougher the competition at display, the more attractive it is to the fans.
Instead of supporting as many PGA Tour events as they can, players focus on appearing at high-profile events. “Many of you keep saying you want to play fewer events, yet you still find time for TGL, Race to Dubai, and other non-PGA Tour events,” the memo read. We have seen many pros withdrawing for reasons other than injury this season so far. “This is our Tour — let’s make it stronger together,” he concluded.
Hoffman’s memo which put more onus on players to step up and do their bit for the Tour has at least one supporter in the form of Dylan Wu. It could be the very base that can create a pathway for solving the issues faced by the PGA Tour. What do you think of the two memos?
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