Golf's Skins Game trimmed from the Thanksgiving menu: Will you miss it?

Is this is it for the Skins Game?

After dismal ratings last year in which K.J. Choi defeated like the likes of Stephen Ames, Fred Funk and Phil Mickelson at the Indian Wells Golf Resort near Palm Springs,Calif., title sponsor LG pulled the plug, citing the poor economy.

Organizers of the event have vowed to come back next year with a new sponsor, but don’t hold your breath. There’s a good chance its time has passed.

Of course if the players actually put up their own money – like we do when we play against our buddies – that would have tremendous appeal. With no purse, finding a sponsor would probably be easier.

Seriously, though, I’ll actually miss the Skins Game – especially if the football games tomorrow and Friday are blowouts – but I don’t think most people will. The event has lost its mojo.

Back when this thing started in the early 1980s, we were talking about Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Lee Trevino, Tom Watson and Gary Player, five of the most charismatic golfers of all time. There was obviously no Golf Channel, and events on the fall schedule weren’t even televised. So we really hadn’t seen golf on TV for a couple of months.

By the time Thanksgiving rolled around, it was already cold in much of the country, so spying these guys yuk it up for big money from places like Hawaii and Palm Springs was pretty refreshing.

Back then, it was pretty much the only silly season event around. Now there are way too many, and golf is year-round on TV.

It was a nice run, but nothing lasts forever.