LIV Golf seems to be taking their ‘global golf’ motto to great heights. Their arrival in Singapore was marked by an enthralling ‘cultural’ performance, which was undoubtedly in line with their mission statement to take the sport “to new levels of excitement and engagement with generations of fans.” Round 1 tee-off was preceded by a Singaporean traditional group dance performance. As per the video NUCLR GOLF posted on X, everyone on the course seemed to enjoy it, including a caddie who was more than vibing to the music of drums!
Interestingly, the cultural performance was not all the event had to offer. Ticket holders could enjoy the fun-filled experience of the Fan Village in Singapore. This included “balloon sculpting, face painting, and roving performances by contortionists, mime artists, magicians, and more.”
Additionally, like all LIV events, there was music! Similar to how the Saudi-backed league brought the famous Grammy Award-winning and Billboard chart-topping artists, The Chainsmokers, to the Sentosa Golf Club last week at LIV Golf Adelaide, there were live performances this week too. Following a stunning LAUV concert on May 4th, Brazilian DJ Alok performed on the greens on May 5, accompanied by local DJs Che Molly, Jade Rasif, and Culture Collective!
First tee scenes at LIV Golf Singapore yesterday 🥁🪇🪘
(Via: @jzfish) pic.twitter.com/zc0IIwI4fJ
— NUCLR GOLF (@NUCLRGOLF) May 3, 2024
It’s quite clear that the Greg Norman-led golf league left no stone unturned in bringing entertainment to all those who were present on the course this week. However, regardless of how the fans in Singapore enjoyed these events, off the course, it seems like things have played out quite differently!
LIV Golf’s ‘culture-coded’ efforts to shine bright in the golf world were overshadowed by the harsh critique they received from fans online! The unrelated cultural events seemed to find a special place of hatred among traditionalist golf fans, who advocated for the somber class and poise of the sport to remain intact!
Taking to X, one fan sarcastically wrote, “Serious Golf Tournament,” about the Saudi-backed league’s promise to deliver top-notch ‘serious’ (alongside entertaining) golf to its spectators. In their opinion, the fun aspect takes away from the sport’s general etiquette, making it more informal and casual. Thus, the viral video sealed Greg Norman and Co.’s claims as untrue in the fans’ eyes.
Another merciful fan appreciated LIV Golf’s global nature and its reception of the local cultures; however, had things gone their way, it perhaps wouldn’t have come at a golf tournament of all things! As per the fan, the sanctity and seriousness of the gentleman’s sport seemed to be losing its charm with LIV’s modern introductions everywhere they went. The nature of LIV’s extreme entertainment-centeredness and its global goal, which is well underway with seven of its 14 events being outside of the USA this season, certainly didn’t sit well with the traditional golf-loving fan who wrote, “Love the different cultures they are exposed to. At the same time, it’s a golf tournament.”
Thinking along the same lines as the rest, fans poured in with sentiments like “What a joke” and “I mean how can you take LIV seriously with this going on?” taking jabs at LIV for changing the sport for the worse, in their opinion. The way the first tee was loaded with golfers cheering and dancing instead of focusing on the golf and practicing in a somber mood was clearly not something these fans appreciated.
Another fan remarked, “I refuse to believe this league is anything but a multi-year prank…“ LIV was not going to last, and their modern take on the game was going to fail right alongside them, according to the fan. However, it certainly is too soon to make any such assumptions, for with every event, LIV seems to be gaining more and more traction as it goes. And the fact that 94,000 people attended its last event in Adelaide is proof of that!
It certainly seems like the fans in person and those online have completely different opinions of LIV Golf. With time, will Greg Norman be able to change that, though? Only time will tell.
