The modern version of The Skins Game returns to Thanksgiving week.
Pro Shop, the new golf media company led by “Full Swing” executive producer Chad Mumm, announced Thursday a deal with the PGA Tour that brings back The Skins Game for the first time since 2008.
It will take place on Black Friday after Thanksgiving in 2025 and will be an example of a broader collaboration with the PGA Tour to showcase top players away from the traditional golf showcase.
Details remain to be determined – who will play, for how much and where.
The Skins game was the cornerstone of what was once called golf’s “silly season.” It started in 1983 with Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Tom Watson AND Gary Player (Featured by Vin Scully) and took place over Thanksgiving weekend in the California desert.
The “skin” went to the player who won the hole, and each hole was worth money, which increased in value at the end of the match. Fred’s pairs became the face of The Skins Game, winning nearly $4.5 million in 11 appearances. He also had a personality suited to casual professions.
But interest began to wane, even with Tiger Woods occasionally appearing.
The last Skins Game took place in 2008. It lost its title sponsor and the 2009 event was canceled. By then, the PGA Tour had ended a season in which official tournaments were held until Thanksgiving.
Mumm has joined forces with Vox Media’s Mark Olsen, Puck’s Joe Purzycki and the PGA Tour’s David Miller to launch Pro Shop, a media, retail and entertainment company focused on creating golf content that appeals to a younger audience.
Mumm is most recently best known for his work on the Netflix docuseries “Full Swing,” which is now approaching its third season.
Pro Shop raised nearly $20 million this summer from Powerhouse Capital, the PGA Tour and EP Golf Ventures, among others. It also acquired Skratch, a digital and social media network that the PGA Tour created about a decade ago to attract a younger audience.
“Reimagining an iconic event like The Skins Game in a retro-modern way that engages modern sports fans is exactly why the PGA Tour has partnered with Pro Shop,” said Chris Wandell, PGA Tour senior vice president of media. “We look forward to seeing how the latest installment of The Skin Game unfolds as Pro Shop and Propagate identify the cast, format and creative approach.”
