LIV Golf might have its own USP and be a success in many ways, but after seeing what’s going down over in Mexico this weekend, some golf fans have been criticising the product again.
LIV isn’t for everyone and the 54-hole format with shotgun starts is one of the big criticisms from the wider golf community.
Furthermore, it is that format that prevents LIV players from bagging OWGR points and ultimately, it costs them in the long run.
However, with LIV Mexico going on this week and the high altitude it is being played at, LIV is now coming under fresh fire from some concerned golf fans.
Despite Bryson DeChambeau’s long driving impressing some, it seems that even the idea of 400 yard drives off the tee has become tiresome.
Indeed, after Jon Rahm hit the green on a 462 yard par four, golf fans now seem to have turned the other way.
Golf fans criticise LIV Golf as Jon Rahm outdoes Bryson DeChambeau
The altitude in Mexico has been a real eyebrow raiser already this week and we are seeing golf shots go a mile compared to usual.
Indeed, the likes of Bryson DeChambeau are hitting irons nearly 300 yards on some holes, while Bryson has also comfortably drove over 400 yards more than once.
Of course, the bounding fairways also play a part in getting such distance but after Jon Rahm hit the fairway on a par four north of 450 yards, golf fans were all over social media calling it out.
One fan lamented the distances, claiming it’s just not good for the game.
“This is boring and not good for golf. Akin to the NBA becoming dominated by perimeter shooting.“
While another was more brutal in their assessment, suggesting this is the reason why viewing figures are down.
“Yeah it’s s—. That’s why nobody watches it”
Another made the point about the firm fairways helping, adding:
“Some nice firm fairways surely helped.”
While another golf lover sarcastically suggested the event had simply become a driving contest now.
“Driving contest at this point”
And while LIV is the talking point here, one fan was keen to point out that Rory McIlroy managed a similar sort of shot without altitude.
“Reminds me of Rory driving a 400 yard green at the Alfred Dunhill Links. That one has downhill and firm Links fairway. Or Lamprecht hitting one 418 at Leopard Creek but that one was only downhill, not as much altitude or firm fairway”
While finally, in more criticism for Rahm and LIV, one fan suggested that nobody was really bothered.
“That would be great if someone cared!”
It does seem that LIV can’t win either way at times in the golf community and while the big drives were seen as fun at first, it’s clear it’s not what most golf fans want to see.
The longest drives at LIV Mexico so far
While the stats aren’t quite in for round two just yet, this effort from Rahm will top the stats produced from day one.
Brooks Koepka had the record drive for the weekend before round two after clubbing one some 435 yards in the opening round.
Still, while it’s impressive to see, LIV Golf needs to add more to its product to succeed it seems and in the end, it shows that hitting the ball a mile is not what the average fan wants.
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