By Paul Myers

Not all golf tournaments have to be serious business. While the amount of money that is at stake on a weekly basis means that most tournaments are extremely serious for all who participate, the pros do get a chance from time to time to have a little more fun without the pressure of ranking points, money lists, and more. These events are a good chance for the fans to see the players turn it loose and hit some great shots without the fear of failure that can sometimes take over in other tournaments.

A Fun Event

The Franklin Templeton Shootout is a great example of an event that takes on a relaxed and friendly atmosphere. Make no mistake – players still want to win and put on a good performance, but they aren’t quite grinding the same way they would during the U.S. Open or PGA Championship, for example. The 2015 version of the Franklin Templeton Shootout was contested last weekend, and it was claimed by the impressive team of Brandt Snedeker and Jason Dufner. With a score of -30 for three rounds, Snedeker and Dufner were victorious by two shots over Harris English and Matt Kuchar.

Played at the beautiful Tiburon Golf Club at the Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort in Naples, Florida, the Franklin Templeton event offers fans a chance to see the pros play a style of golf that isn’t typically seen on Tour. For example, the first round of the event is played as a scramble, which is something that is normally only played by amateurs. Scrambles are perfect for shooting low scores, which was proven in the first round, when eight of the twelve teams managed to shoot at least ten under par. Following the scramble was a second round modified alternate shot competition, and a final round better ball. For fans who love to see birdies, this is the perfect event to follow. Among twelve two-man teams in the field, each team managed to shoot at least sixteen under par.

Holiday Break

With the completion of the Franklin Templeton event, the professional golf world in the U.S. goes pretty much quiet through the holiday season. The next official PGA Tour event does not take place until the previous year’s winners land in Hawaii for the Hyundai Tournament of Champions, which starts on January 7th, 2016. Golf has a shorter offseason than nearly every other professional sport, so the players do their best to rest and recover over the coming weeks. Most will likely be spending time with friends and family, although with plenty of important events coming up early in 2016, they won’t be able to afford to get too rusty. While the quick turnaround can be tough for the players, it is certainly appreciated by the fans, so don’t have to wait long at all to once again watch the best players in the world do what they do best.