Next year will be the inaugural season for the FedEx Cup for the men’s professional golf tour. This new format has generated a lot of questions and discussion among golfers, golf writers, even those who carry the golf clubs.

The golf world has known for a while that this was coming. The new format was announced last year about this time. But still there is some confusion and definitely questions.

The format is like NASCAR’s Nextel Chase for the Cup championship series. A points formula will determine a group of golfers who will compete in a playoff type system to determine the champion for the year. This champion will receive $10 million.

Some of the questions revolve around the fact that the golfers don’t play every tournament every week like NASCAR drivers. So will not playing in certain events prevent them from qualifying.

There are also questions about whether the qualifying criteria for the FedEx Cup will cause changes to way the Majors qualify their fields. Many, many questions.

I personally think that some kind of change is needed. I am reserving judgement on this format until I see how the 2007 golfing season goes. But I give the PGA credit for going out on a limb and trying to do some different things for the game of golf.