In an exclusive interview with Golf News, Ryan Howsam, chairman of the Legends Tour, talks about the on-going transformation of European senior circuit and reveals his ambitions to see the over-50’s tour enjoy further global growth in the coming years.
What is your business background?
I left home at 14 and went to live with my grandmother, as I didn’t get on very well with my dad. At 17, I had bills to pay, so I got a job doing door-to-door sales, first selling double glazing, and later house alarms.
By the time I was 19 I was the top salesperson in the country and was running a sales team of 150 people.
Over the next 20 years I enjoyed a rollercoaster ride of business successes and failures. I created several fast-growing, multi-million-pound companies, one of which was a coupon business, and another was a holiday booking website.
I made a lot of stupid mistakes and lost everything several times, but I learned a lot of valuable lessons along the way and maintained my positive attitude through it all.
At 39 I barely had a penny to my name, but I pulled myself up by the bootstraps and started again. I went on to found Staysure, a global travel insurance business, which is now one of the market leaders in the sector.
We employ over 135 people and have an annual turnover in excess of £480m.
How big a role does golf play in your life and how big a factor was your passion for the sport when it came to investing in the Legends Tour?
I have always been a very passionate golfer. I played football and golf to a decent level as a teenager. When I was 16, I had the opportunity to become an assistant club professional, but I chose to go out and work and started selling double glazing.
I played on and off through the early part of my twenties, but then stopped completely when I was about 26-27, and it was not until I was in my late forties that I really fell back in love with the game.
When I started playing competitively again there was a natural synergy between golf and the over- 50s insurance market and it seemed the right area to target.
There were lots of commercial assets that could be monetised better, and if you combined the Staysure database with the Legends Tour, there was a lot more value that could be offered to sponsors.
So very quickly it went from being a sponsorship discussion to being a much wider strategic move. I saw first-hand the untapped commercial potential that the Tour has to offer.
I set out to build it up and create a special brand that has an elevated feel to it, for pros, amateurs, spectators, promoters and sponsors alike. I want to take it up another gear – great courses, more legends playing, and creating a brilliant amateur experience.
What input did you have in changing the name to the Legends Tour?
I was very hands on and was looking at it with two hats on: one as the chairman of Staysure and the other from a senior golf perspective.
The Staysure brand adds a lot of value, and the Legends name came about purely because it really does what it says on the tin – it is icons and legends and we wanted to project that in the brand.
We wanted to utilise the ‘Legends’ as a central part of the rebranding.
How much of an influence do you have on the Tour’s operations, including the scheduling of events, choice of venues and attracting sponsors?
I am passionate about the project and like to be involved as much as possible. But my own personal business experience is supported by a brilliant team.
We brought Phil Harrison in as the CEO, but ultimately when we look at the key stakeholders – the players, fans and sponsors – it was crucial that the tour had to go to destinations that offered good, challenging golf courses, but also the kind of place they would want to stay and visit.
A lot of these players are travelling with wives and family, and while they are still playing competitively, they want to be playing in a nice place where they feel comfortable experiencing the culture.
Given your numerous other business commitments, how much time are you devote to your role with the Legends Tour?
I don’t have a fixed schedule, but I’d say I probably spend about half a day to a full day each week on Legends Tour matters.
How pleased are with where the Legends Tour is now compared to where it was when you first came on board as a headline sponsor in 2017?
I think we’re in a pretty good place, not just in terms of this year, but where we are overall. When we took over, especially during the COVID period, the Tour needed a fresh direction.
We’ve completely rebranded and elevated its position. From an external perspective, I think it’s compelling what we’ve accomplished. There’s still work to be done, but the big picture of where we’re heading is very exciting.
Would you like to see more Legends Tour tournaments in the UK?
Yes, ideally. We currently have events in Ireland, Scotland, and England, and we’re looking at adding one in Wales as well.
Our aim is to have about 15 premier tournaments globally rather than 25 smaller ones. It’s all about finding the right balance to reach the best global audience.
Given that there is often a long gap for some pros from when they’re no longer competitive on the main tour to when they hit 50, do you see a time when the age limit to qualify for the Legends Tour drops from 50 to maybe 45?
That has been discussed, but it’s complicated. Changing the age limit would affect a lot of players who are currently in that 50-plus range, and it would require approval from the Players Committee.
So, while it’s been considered, it’s not likely to happen anytime soon, especially with many top players extending their careers well past 50.
How has the amateur experience element of the Legends Tour’s schedule improved this year?
It’s been a fantastic evolution. From a standing start of not offering this kind of experience at all
to where we are now is a huge leap. If you haven’t played in one of these events, you really should. The energy, especially at our flagship events like the PGA at Trump Aberdeen, is incredible.
It’s a different experience playing alongside pros, and we’re constantly improving it ¬– things like having professional caddies to enhance the quality of the event for our participants.
Is there a possibility that we will see more live coverage of Legends Tour events on Sky?
We’re looking into that. It comes down to live versus highlight coverage. Right now, we’re primarily a highlight show, but we’re working on getting snippets and leaderboards into larger broadcasts like the PGA Tour’s main programs.
Next year, we’re considering moving the tournament days to Monday through Wednesday when there’s less competition from other live golf.
That would help us secure better commercial deals for live coverage, so that’s something we’re working on.
What’s your relationship like with the PGA Champions Tour in the States? You mentioned taking a few events to the US and the possibility of creating a Senior Ryder Cup.
Our discussions with the Champions Tour have been positive. We’ve explored co-sanctioned events, and they’re open to our format. Regarding the possibility of a Senior Ryder Cup, it’s been a long-standing goal of mine.
There’s some resistance because of concerns that it might devalue the Ryder Cup brand, but I don’t agree with that.
The players want it, the fans want it, and I’m confident it will happen. We’re aiming for 2027 or 2028 to launch the event.
Speaking of player pathways, do you approach players who are nearing 50 about joining the Legends Tour?
Yes, especially those big-name players who are approaching that eligibility window. There’s also the LIV players who aren’t eligible for the Champions Tour, which is a real opportunity for us.
We’re working on creating a pathway for them to join the Legends Tour, and we’re having some productive discussions around that.
How important is it to have players like Ian Woosnam and Colin Montgomerie put their weight behind the tour?
They are legendary players who have achieved so much in the game, and it is so important to have those names on board to help promote the product.
They are still seriously good at this game and playing on the Legends Tour is a serious business for them.
There is a level of professionalism we want to project and these guys are seasoned winners who want to keep playing competitively.
We want those names front and centre, but the Legends Tour is also about creating great stories for other players who did not have that same level of success on the regular tour.
How do you see the Legends Tour’s business model evolving?
The truth is, making money solely from running a tour is tough – whether it’s the PGA Tour or the DP World Tour, most of the money gets funnelled back to the players.
So we’re thinking bigger. For example, we’re about to launch our first Legends Tour Resort, a project worth £600 million.
We’re also exploring branded academies, real estate opportunities tied to golf courses, and even apparel lines. We want to create an ecosystem around the Tour that taps into various revenue streams beyond just the tournaments.
The discourse around professional golf, certainly in the men’s game, has been dominated by prize money and the vast amounts that players can earn. Do you think the public is getting tired of the constant focus on money?
There’s a lot of money in professional sports generally — look at football or Formula One — and I don’t think people are necessarily fed up with it.
The challenge is making sure tournaments remain commercially viable, especially with all the competition from entities like LIV Golf.
We’ve grown our prize fund on the Legends Tour significantly since I took over, from $3.9 million to around $8 million this year, and we’re aiming for $10 million next year.
By 2030, we want to have 15 tournaments with $2 million prize pools each, plus the majors. It’s ambitious, but we’re building an ecosystem to support that growth.
Can you tell me about your relationship with the Trump organisation?
It’s been fantastic. Eric Trump, in particular, has been very supportive of our events, and the team at Trump Aberdeen did a phenomenal job with the hosting of the PGA Seniors Championship.
Donald Trump himself even took the time to send a personal message to the players before one of our tournaments and called the winner afterwards, which was a nice touch.
Say what you will about Trump, but the people in his organisation are top-notch, and they’ve been great partners for us.
Finally, where do you play your golf and do you have a favourite course?
In the UK, Wentworth and Beaverbrook are my clubs. Wentworth is my home club and I love the West Course. Beaverbrook is a private members club near Leatherhead in Surrey where the whole environment is something really special.
I spend quite a lot of time in southern Spain and Finca Cortesin is my home club when I am based over there. A little bit like Beaverbrook, it has a special feel to it. I absolutely love it there!