Did the PGA Tour almost have a players’ union — and why does that history matter as the Tour moves toward a for-profit structure?

In this episode of Tough Lies: The Golfer’s Podcast, we begin with a look at what unfolded on Tour this week, including the Waste Management Phoenix Open, Canadians on Tour, the Korn Ferry Tour, and ongoing concerns about fan behavior crossing the line.

The core of the episode is a deep dive into the PGA Tour’s evolution from a player-run non-profit to a commercially driven sports enterprise. Through that lens, we revisit a little-known moment in Tour history when players seriously discussed unionization — how it emerged, why it stalled, and what ultimately prevented it from moving forward.

Rather than predicting what will happen next, we explore unionization as a structural implication of professional sport: every other major pro league operating as a for-profit business has formal player representation. As the PGA Tour’s business model changes, the underlying questions around governance, player voice, and control become harder to ignore.

We wrap with a Mental Golf Moment on Hideki Matsuyama and managing distractions, plus Story Time with Richard from inside the Tour.

Tough Lies is where golf’s harder conversations get discussed — carefully, authentically and enthusiastically!