return to front page
The LPGA
The recently played LPGA tournament that pitted Annika Sorenstam and Lorena Ochoa was a promoters dream. Any time you get the number one and two players going head to head in the last group you will have a successful event. In match play tournaments, the number one player is placed in the top bracket, while the number two is put in the bottom. The hope is that both players will knock off their opposition and meet up in the finals. This rarely happens in match play; the finals will usually pit two lesser known players.
While in their prime, I had the opportunity to meet and play with some of the best players of that period - Marilyn Smith, Peggy Kirk (Bell), Louise Suggs, Patty Berg, and Kathy Whitworth. Television was in its infancy and the LPGA had not reached the level of popularity it has today. The courses were more difficult and the equipment used was not of the quality being used today. This combination led to higher scores, which did not create much spectator interest.
In order to create more interest, golf courses were made more player friendly(shorter). This helped to draw more golfers into the picture. New high tech equipment allowed for greater distances and brought scores down considerably. The increase in the prize money, along with expanded television coverage, was probably the greatest move in increasing golf’s popularity.
The United States probably has the greatest facilities for the promotion and development of golfers, however, the vast majority of the winners on the LPGA tour are from other countries - Annika is from Sweden and Lorena from Mexico. Players from South Korea constitute the largest group on this tour. They are all fine players, and rightfully deserve credit for their achievements; however, there is one drawback. The sponsors of these tournaments are trying to sell American products to the American public and not to a limited foreign market.
We have two new, young American players, Paula Creamer and Morgan Pressel. Paula won twice last year during her rookie season, and Morgan, 18, recently turned pro. Both ladies are playing well in tournaments, and doing exceedingly well in endorsements. Michele Wie is another outstanding young player, not yet a member of the LPGA. Unfortunately she is being used as a commodity by her parents, sponsors, and media. This has put undue pressure on her, and she has yet been able to reach her potential. Hopefully, she will rebound with more experience and maturity.
It is amazing for me to see these young professional golfers handle the pressures of golf like veterans. Today, they start participating in junior clinics, followed by high school and college programs. By the time they reach 20 they are seasoned campaigners. In my day, our main experiences in golf were gotten at our annual caddie championships. Some had high school tournament experience, but again we were all caddies. I was the youngest PGA member in the state of Connecticut at the age of 22. Right after being accepted as a member, I had to tee off in front of a group of old golf pros. I thought I would faint. This is a different world.