Over the Green

Michael Whan, recently installed as LPGA commissioner with the premise of getting the ladies tour back to relevancy in the golf world, is most definitely a different kind of commissioner than the Tour has had for the past few years.

Last week Whan took a stint as a looper on the Duramed Futures Tour, a developmental tour owned by the LPGA. They began the 2010 campaign in Winter Haven, Fla. with the Florida’s Natural Charity Classic with Whan looping.

Yes, looping and for those of you who don’t know what that word from golf’s bygone days is, it means caddying…carrying a players clubs around the loop as golf courses were sometimes known.

Whan carried for third year pro Lili Alvarez in the first round last Friday to get an idea of exactly what the Futures Tour is and an insider’s view of the players, courses, etc. Amazing, it’s like Tim Finchem showing up in Broussard, La. at next week’s Nationwide Chitimacha Open to tote 18 for Tag Ridings.

It does say a lot about Whan’s attitude, commitment and desire. There is no way of knowing if he will be successful as commissioner and able to resurrect the LPGA from a series of mind numbing mistakes complicated by tough economic times however he’s showing he is not afraid of the job or any part of it.

Tiger Woods’ troubles have been covered in the past two weeks, ad nauseam, but there’s another story, that of the LPGA and while it may not have the appeal of auto accidents and sex in its own way it is important.

The LPGA Tour’s five day tournament at LPGA International in Daytona Beach, Fla. might have been taking place on Mars or some place even less visited, like New Jersey. At stake for the competitors were 20 full time tickets for the 2010 tour, though next year’s edition of the circuit is drastically reduced in size, losing 10 events compared to just two years ago.

Some facts:

Michael Whan, the new commissioner, will have his own way of doing things. Presumably his methods will be different than those employed by former commish Carolyn Bivens. During her tenure she managed to alienate players, fans, media and sponsors…no mean feat.

Many of the Tour’s problems can attributed to the worldwide economic downturn. More…

Team USA with World Golf Hall of Fame member Captain Kathy Whitworth won the fourth Handa Cup on Sunday Dec. 6 by building on an overnight 15-9 lead with 13 points in the final day singles.

The event was played the Slammer & Squire course at World Golf Village in St. Augustine, Fla. The U.S. has won all four Handa Cup meeting. The Handa Cup is sponsored by the International Sports Promotion Society owned by Dr. Haruihisa Handa.

The U.S.A. squad competed against a team comprised of players from the rest of the world captained by Catherine Panton Lewis of England. In addition to Whitworth six other members of the 12-player US team are World Golf Hall of Fame members: Amy Alcott, Pat Bradley, JoAnne Carner, Beth Daniel, Sandra Haynie and Patty Sheehan. Jan Stephenson, born in Australia, is among the players on the World Team along with former standouts on the LPGA Tour: Dawn Coe-Jones, Gail Graham, Sally Little and Alison Nicholas.

The big winner for the U.S. was Christa Johnson who scored six points in going undefeated over the two days of play.

Handa Cup competition consists of 9-hole team matches Saturday morning and afternoon followed by 18-hole singles matches on Sunday. The Handa Cup is sanctioned by the Legends Tour, a tour for women seniors operated by the LPGA Tour.

The fourth playing of the Handa Cup begins tomorrow Dec. 5 on the Slammer and Squire Golf Course at World Golf Village in St. Augustine, Fla. Team U.S.A. is captained by World Golf Hall of Fame member Kathy Whitworth and the team comprised of players from the rest of the world by Catherine Panton Lewis of England.

Handa Cup competition consists of 9-hole team matches Saturday morning and afternoon followed by 18-hole singles matches on Sunday. A 9-hole team pro-am not part of the formal contest is schedule on Monday Dec. 7th.

In addition to Whitworth six other members of the 12-player US team are World Golf Hall of Fame members: Amy Alcott, Pat Bradley, JoAnne Carner, Beth Daniel, Sandra Haynie and Patty Sheehan. Jan Stephenson, born in Australia, is among the players on the World Team along with former standouts on the LPGA Tour: Dawn Coe-Jones, Gail Graham, Sally Little and Alison Nicholas.

The U.S. has won the first three times the Cup was contested starting in 2006 including a lopsided victory last year with Patty Sheehan as captain by the score of 31-17. Lori West is assistant U.S. captain and with fan favorites Cindy Rarick and Rosie Jones on the team as well.

The Handa Cup is sanctioned by the Legends Tour, a tour for women seniors operated by the LPGA Tour.

LPGA Schedule Shrinks by One Third in Two Years
With an announced 23 event 2010 season, only one event on a major TV network and the balance on the Golf Channel the LPGA sked is a mess. One might say “paying for the Bivens era,” estrangement of tournament sponsors combined with a worldwide recession.

Two things are for sure whether the LPGA Tour dives, survives or thrives, until Wie won last week no American had been victorious for more than six months and half the tour’s events next year are out of the U.S.

Ouch.

The LPGA Tour has been truly international for several years but if they expect to draw U.S. audiences they will have to market Michelle, Paula, Christie, Natalie, etc. Tough to do when there’s only limited exposure.

Thank You Michelle
Incoming LPGA Commissioner Michael Whan had his prayers answered Sunday with Michelle Wie’s win at the penultimate event of 2009. Conceivably things will be different now for the ladies tour with the most marketable female player in the world now in the winner’s circle. One wonders if Carolyn Bivens would still have her job if Michelle’s win had come at the start of the season rather than the end.

Shop Rite Back
Another piece of good news for the distaff circuit is the return of the Shop Rite Classic in Atlantic City after an argument over scheduling with guess who…Carolyn Bivens. One more tournament and a million and a half dollar purse won’t solve LPGA’s problems but it reverses the trend of defecting sponsors, eight over the past two years.

USGA Allows TMaG Wedges
After some uncertainty and closed door conversations the USGA will “allow” TaylorMade to sell inter-changeable box groove faces for the TP xFT wedges in 2010. The crux of the matter was the USGA ruling that the innovative “screw in – screw out” faces were OK if they meet the conditions set by the groove rule made public this fall.

TMaG said the initial disposition by the USGA was unfair which in effect dissallowed sales of inter-changeable face box groove wedges in 2010 when noninter-changeable wedges with the old style box grooves were OK.

Handa Cup
Women’s golf – though not the LPGA Tour – is at the Slammer & Squire at World Golf Village in St. Augustine, Fla. in the form of the Legends Tour season ending event. Wouldn’t it be great of the LPGA could spark some interest with a mixed team event of some of the older stars such as the U.S. Handa Team and current tour members? (see the next item)

The 2009 Handa Cup Dec. 5-6 with tickets at the gate $10 and children under 18 or military personnel are admitted free. U.S. Team: Amy Alcott, Pat Bradley, JoAnne Carner, Elaine Crosby, Beth Daniel, Sandra Haynie, Christa Johnson, Rosie Jones, Cindy Rarick, Nancy Scranton, Patty Sheehan and Sherri Turner. Captain: Kathy Whitworth, Assistant Captain: Lori West. World Team: Dawn Coe-Jones, Alicia Dibos, Gail Graham, Nancy Harvey, Jenny Lidback, Sally Little, Alison Nicholas, Mieko Nomura, Michiko Okada, Anne Marie Palli, Jan Stephenson, Aiko Takasu. Captain, Catherine Panton Lewis.

LPGA
Michael Whan is the new LPGA commissioner and most upon hearing the name say, “Whan? Who?”

OK that may be cheap shot but as commish Whan has a rocky road to travel and it’s a road that will determine whether the Tour survives. Cancelled tournaments, angry sponsors, virtually no TV coverage and disaffected fans are all stacked against Whan.

Several years ago I wrote a column and half jokingly suggested the PGA Tour buy the LPGA Tour thereby separating the female club professionals from the ladies tour just like the men. The PGA Tour’s marketing savvy and deep pockets would solve most if not all the LPGA’s problems. I was roundly booed back then I think because the proposal was a “business solution” to a quasi-feminist organization and some eyes would reverse a hard fought right of passage for female golfers.

Today I look at the business of golf and the availability of sponsor dollars wondering if the marketing of Michelle and Tiger or Left and Paula would drive all professional golf to new levels.

That won’t happen of course so Whan is probably saying his bedtime prayers the same as former commissioner Carolyn Bivens, “Please let Michelle win…a lot, and Paula and Natalie.”

Annika
Just in case you think the former world number one has been dogging it since retiring last year, she’s had a baby, launched a couple of new business ventures and continues to do lots of charity work. The most recent is the ANNIKA Experience at WaterSound Feb. 19-20, 2010 at St. Joe Company’s WaterSound Origins Golf Club, Camp Creek Golf Club and the WaterColor Inn and Resort in the Florida Panhandle.

Proceeds are to benefit local charities, health organizations and the ANNIKA Foundation which teaches children how to live a healthy, active lifestyle through fitness and nutrition and offers aspiring junior golfers opportunities to pursue their dreams. The ANNIKA Experience will include a kids’ fitness clinic, a celebrity golf match, meet Annika luncheon, charity golf tournament, and a food and wine reception.

The 2009 Handa Cup will be held Dec. 5th and 6th at World Golf Village – home to the World Golf Hall of Fame – in St. Augustine, Fla. The annual match-up, played on World Golf Village’s Slammer & Squire golf course, features international and U.S. Legends of the LPGA competing in a match play competition. The event is open to the public and single-day grounds passes are $10.

The fourth-annual Handa Cup is a fixture on The Legends Tour’s growing schedule and is sponsored by the International Sports Promotion Society (“ISPS”), an organization created by Dr. Haruhisa Handa, a Japanese businessman and philanthropist. It is a part of The Legends Tour’s “Handa Series,” which features other international events sponsored by Dr. Handa.

“For the fourth consecutive year, a group of legendary women golfers will offer exciting competition in the shadow of the World Golf Hall of Fame, where many of them are recognized with the most distinguished honor for their achievements within the sport,” said Jane Blalock, president of The Legends Tour. “The international nature of the event is the perfect complement to the Hall of Fame’s global focus and presents another wonderful golf event for residents and visitors to the First Coast to enjoy.”

Announcements will be made in the coming weeks regarding players on the U.S. and World Teams. Tickets for the 2009 Handa Cup may be purchased at the gate or on-line at www.thelegendstour.com and special two-for-one passes to the tournament are available for World Golf Hall of Fame guests.

Let’s Call It Like It Is – Part Two

In a column back when U.S. Solheim Team captain Beth Daniel picked Michelle Wie I questioned how Wie deserved the pick given her performance to date as a professional and boy, was I proven wrong. Either Daniel knows a lot more than I do about the players on tour (pretty much a lead pipe cinch!) or Wie more tha rose to the occasion.

It appears to me Wie met the challenge. And she did by herself…mastering the pressure, striking the ball very well, and putting superbly.

Some are heralding the Solheim Cup coming off the wall to wall Golf Channel coverage as a resurgance for the LPGA Tour. Lord knows, they need a resurgance but after all the tough economic news, lost tournaments, missing sponsors and aborted tenure of the previous commissioner the Tour needs two more things.

First is a commisioner. One who knows the professional game (unlike the last one), who has or can build relationships with the players plus mend relations with sponsors. The women have a wonderful entertaining product that needs the right exposure, marketing and support.

Secondly Wie to start winning. Should she step up and capture three plus tournaments a year including a major or two, watch the needle move in American public and media attention. A tall order you say? It is but there is no question Wie has the talent. And it could do nothing but help if the other Solheim Cup Team members also contributed to U.S. golfers returning to dominance with a few wins of their own.

Golf in the Olympics

With the announcement yesterday golf will join the list in 2016 of sports contested in the Olympics (along with rugby sevens) the work of a lot of golf people and organizations has borne fruit. All that remains is for the expected final approval by the International Olympic Committee.

According to Ty Votaw, the spear carrier in the battle to obtain approval and a vice president of the PGA Tour as well as executive director of the International Golf Federation Olympic Committee, “We’re obviously thrilled that the IOC Executive Board has recommended that golf should be added to the 2016 Olympic Program, We believe we have presented a compelling case as to why golf should be added and we look forward to the IOC’s final vote in October.”

The problem is I have yet to see a proposal from the PGA Tour or the USGA as to how another 72-hole tournament will fit into the schedule. If you have read previous columns on this topic you know I’m not real happy nor is everyone in golf with one more high profile “must play” championship especially since tournament sponsors are dropping out left and right from every pro tour.

The people who want Olympic golf say it’s about growing the popularity of the game and as I said in an earlier column, proponents assume “presumably dozens of national governments will start funding golf programs with tax payer money creating millions of new golfers around the world.”

Right.

The presentation to the IOC selection committee was in part predicated on of course Tiger, Lefty, Michelle, Paula and even Natalie competing. Wonderful for those big names and shoo-in members of team USA , but what happened to the idea of amateurs and the Olympics? I guess you can call me old fashioned but after watching the USA basketball team…well, you get my point.

The Olympics is held at the end of July and the beginning of August so the Open Championship, Women’s British Open and the PGA will be effected to say nothing of the other five professional majors (The Masters, men’s and women’s U.S. Opens, The Kraft Nabisco and MacDonald’s Championship). Not that a major can’t be moved but how about the trickle down to regular tour events? (See comments above concerning tournament sponsors.)

Next, do the all those countries supposedly waiting to taxpayer fund new golf programs after the attainment of its exalted Olympic status know the cost of building and maintaining not just one golf course but dozens and maybe hundreds, not to mention the expense of golf equipment for hundreds, thousands or even millions of players? My guess is not.

Finally Olympic engendered grow around the world will be a boon to golf equipment makers and perhaps to tourism though I’m struggling to see plane loads of Albanian hackers flocking to Florida or Arizona for a winter break.

Don’t get me wrong, I would like to see Olympic golf and even Tiger has made positive comments concerning his participation but there are real concerns yet to be addressed. And if they have why have the powers-that-be not been forthcoming with answers?

Cynic that I am, in my experience if it squeaks you pay attention to it, so just call me the squeaky wheel.