Anyone who follows professional golf knows that the LPGA Tour has suffered in the past few years with a multiple of events that have diminished its popularity. Of course the Tour has no control over when a player, especially a super star like Annika or Lorena, is going to call it quits for whatever reason. The players have no control over organizations who have decided they no longer want to sponsor an event for whatever reason. The players also have no control over where they end up playing in tournaments, either domestically or in far away places.
The televised coverage for women, except for the Majors, is minimal to say the least. When televised, it’s their that the viewer gets to see just how sparse the gallery is…the same can be said for some the PGA Tour events…but this is more the rule then the exception for the women. Perhaps if the American LPGA Tour was dominated, as it once was, by American players, galleries would grow in size. We now have an American tour that’s dominated by European and Korean players, some of whom still can’t speak enough English to say “Thanks” when picking up the winner’s check. Give these women credit. They have the work ethic and desire to make them win which should be a damn good lesson for the American players.
You can find fault with a dozen or more things on any tour, but the bottom line is this: It’s the overall product of the LPGA Tour that needs fixing. There is little to no energy on this Tour. The play for the most part on this Tour is mediocre considering tournaments are played on golf courses barely longer then most executive courses. There are no real standout personalities on the Tour. It’s turned into a fashion and beauty contest. There is very little promotion of events on this Tour. The golf played on this Tour is boring. No one out there is a shotmaker. The Commissioner of this Tour, Michael Whan, seems to have the energy of a paper clip and is reflected in this Tour’s current schedule.
Is this Tour worth saving the way it is? You need to think outside the box. You need to create some buzz, some energy, some excitement. Right now, the only thing this Tour does create is a great nap!
Dennis Silvers
