Rory McIlroy once said he “hated” it. It has been followed throughout its short life by allegations it has helped facilitate sports-washing.
Its audience figures are pored over and social media divides into two passionate camps debating every nuance of its existence.
But away from the trenches and the headlines, in UK golf clubhouses at least, it appears LIV Golf’s progress is viewed with a fair degree of indifference.
In our latest NCG survey, filled in by readers who subscribe to our daily email newsletter, we asked respondents what they thought about the Saudi-backed venture and the impact it had on the professional game.
What are the results?
What do you think of LIV Golf?
The truth? Many of us just aren’t all that bothered about it. Asked this question, 52.5 per cent of respondents said they were indifferent to it.
Just under a quarter (24.4%) revealed they did not like it and only 2.6% admitted to loving the three-day venture.
What do you think of LIV Golf?
I love it – 2.6%
I like it – 9.1%
I’m indifferent to it – 52.5%
I don’t like it – 24.4%
I hate it – 11.4%
The figures suggest, at least for a largely UK-based audience, there is still a long way to go for LIV Golf to embed itself in the landscape – despite the recent moves by The Open and the US Open to grant it major exemptions.
Has the conflict between LIV Golf and the PGA and DP World Tours changed your view of professional golf?
For the better – 2.2%
It has made no difference – 45.5%
For the worse – 52.3%
We’re continually being told how this schism continues to damage the professional game, particularly in the context of dwindling TV audiences.
Those who filled in our survey agree – but only marginally. Maybe it’s simply created a culture of apathy for those of us who observe the very elite level of sport, but nearly as many people said the ongoing row hadn’t had any impact on their perspective of the professional game as those who believed it had.
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Now have your say
What do you think about LIV Golf? Do you agree with the survey view? Let us know by leaving a comment on X.
