What's happened to the ET Seniors Tour?

This season, the Challenge Tour boasts 26 tournaments (including 4 new ones) covering 9 months, 18 countries and 4 continents. So far, the Seniors' Tour has 7 confirmed events for its 21st season with 2 of those being the US Senior PGA and the US Senior Open. The tour is not scheduled to start until the end of May. And yet 161 "hopefuls" will be competing for 59 places in the Final Stage when the Q School starts at the end of the month and just the top 6 getting their full card. Is it worth it?

It seems very sad because the Seniors' Tour used to be thriving with plenty of tournaments all over Europe (marshalled a couple of times when the European Seniors Open was held at the London Club - I've got the hat to prove it). Has anyone any idea what's gone wrong? Is it just a matter of money?

I have read that in times of recession the second tier and lower events in sport struggle while the top tier events normally survive. The limited sponsors need maximum exposure to justify the spend. I like you guess this is the main reason.

The other reason must be there is already plenty of ET and US golf on TV to satisfy the broadcasters schedules and the public demand. ET Senior events are coveed in highlight shows during the week and probably very few golf fans bother to watch as we are saturated from the previous weekend's coverage.

All in all a bit sad for the journeyman pro who wasn't able to save enough on the main tour, but it's all about supply and demand and the quality of the product. Surely the Woosie's and Torrances don't need the cash and are doing it for the fun.

I saw a highlights show the other week that looked back on the 2011 season. Can't remember who won the order of merit but I seem to remember they amassed a total of something like £160k.

Really can't see how that pays them to compete if that's all the winner earned in a season. What did the guy down in 100th place earn?

D4S - Peter Fowler from Australia won the OOM with €302,327, Barry Lane was second with €271,173 and Andrew Oldcorn was third with €188,981. Ian Dougan from Scotland propped things up in 109th place with €294 after two events.

Pretty poor stuff - even the LET women do better! Winner of the OOM (Ai Miyazato) won €363,079 in just 2 events, Melissa Reid was second on €286,577 and Caroline Hedwall 3rd on €278,528. In 109th place was Carly Booth who picked up €14,592 - although Joanne Mills in 176th place propped things up with €273 from three events.

However, both are much better than the Challenge Tour. Tommy Fleetwood won just €148,913 for winning but I suppose his ET card was more of a prize for him.

Poor cash I suppose, but on the other hand some of the seniors do it for fun, as they've earned enough on the real tour over the years. They just turn out for the craic and enjoy the competative thing. Others who were not so succesful on the tour prop up their earnings by doing local club stuff, so will carry on doing that as well as the circuit. The seniors tour I believe isn't all about money, although nice to get. I think some old scores get sorted, a bit of craic, a family holiday with the wife who never had the opportunity before. I believe a lot of the venues have free or much reduced rates, as its a good advert for the hotel/resort etc, and of course the wife can be on the bag, so still not a bad life, and its pretty good tv viewing as well.

They do not seem to have a handicap limit for the qualifing school.
Some mad egoist scored 92-94 for the first two rounds.

Interesting to see an American qualifier named Thomas Fleetwood.