September 2009: Golf Digest Woman: Golf Digest

Dancing With The LPGA Stars?

Monday, September 28, 2009

Annika Sorenstam's twitter post from last Monday might have seemed innocent enough:

"Watching Dancing with the Stars. There's a mix of talent this season... would be fun to try one time :)"

Sure, we all think those things when we're sitting in front of the television eating Ben & Jerry's and nodding our heads along with the music. But the last time Sorenstam said in passing that something would be "fun to try," it turned into the biggest media hoopla in the history of both the LPGA and PGA Tours.

During a relaxed luncheon Q&A at the Callaway Golf media scramble before the 2003 PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando, a reporter asked Sorenstam if she'd ever consider playing in a PGA Tour event. Her reply was about as nonchalant as the above twitter post -- she said something like "sure, if I got an invite" -- but the ensuing effect was enormous. By the end of the week, she had several offers from PGA Tour stops around the country, and months of controversy followed. She eventually settled on playing that year's Bank of America Colonial, became the first woman in 48 years to tee it up with the men, and the rest is history.

So if Sorenstam hints that she'd like to try mastering the two-step on "Dancing With The Stars," odds are she means business. And there's no reason she wouldn't be invited. The show has featured professional swimmers, boxers, football players and race-car drivers in the past, and let's be honest: if Tom Delay can do the foxtrot, so can she. Just imagine the PR possibility for the LPGA. DWTS is one of the highest-ranked prime time shows in America, and its cast members become instant household names.

Olympic swimmer Natalie Coughlin is a contestant on the current season of "Dancing With The Stars." Could Sorenstam -- or another LPGA player -- be next?

(Photo courtesy of Adam Larkey, ABC)

In fact, the prospect of such great PR leads me to wonder if it wouldn't be even better to have a current player don the sparkly leotards and cha-cha her way into the country's living rooms. Sorenstam may be the best player in the history of women's golf, but she's retired. And, some might argue, this type of show calls for an outgoing, exuberant personality, not a laid-back type like the demure Swede. Then again, with her work ethic and physical prowess, she could definitely get the moves down better than most and threaten to win.

If America could pick an LPGA Tour player to appear on DWTS, who would they choose?

Cast your vote and let us know who you think would offer the best entertainment.

--Stina Sternberg

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A Sad Reality

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

The LPGA is reportedly getting closer to picking a new commissioner, and chances are good there will be a permanent leader in place in time for the Tour Championship in November. The short list of candidates is rumored to consist of three guys and a girl (but no pizza place): USGA chief business officer Pete Bevacqua, PGA Tour senior VP of business development Jon Podany, World Series of Poker commissioner Jeffrey Pollack and WNBA president Donna Orender.

In 2005, when the LPGA was searching for a replacement to then-commissioner Ty Votaw, it made no bones about its desire to hire a woman for the job. The world's oldest professional women's sports organization had, until then, been led by a long list of men, and it was "about time" a woman took over, many tour insiders -- and outsiders -- argued. Let's face it, how hard could it be to find a qualified woman to do the job?

As it turns out, it would be very hard. At least it seems that way now. Carolyn Bivens, the former media exec who ultimately got the gig in '05, had plenty of business experience, guts and lofty goals, but she failed miserably in her quest to turn women's golf into the next big thing. A lousy economy didn't help, but Bivens's lack of golf knowledge, people skills and flexibility in sponsorship negotiations ultimately hurt the tour a lot more than her gender helped. And since her player-encouraged resignation last July, there has been very little talk of finding a woman to replace her. Priority number one seems to be to find the right person, any person, for the job.

This is a sad reality. Sure, the LPGA Tour is in trouble, and with tournament sponsors dropping like flies, it needs a miracle worker to come in and right the ship before it sinks, gender be damned. But how is it possible that there are no such miracle workers on the planet with female reproductive organs? What does it say about us, women golfers, that we can't find a woman to take the helm of the LPGA and run it well?

Luckily, there is one woman, Orender, in the race, and she's very qualified. The question is whether or not she wants to take on that kind of pressure. Because if she is offered and accepts the job, then fails like Bivens did, she'll likely be the last person ever, woman or man, to run this particular show. And that would be a tragedy.

--Stina Sternberg (Photo: Sam Greenwood, Getty Images)

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What Do Women Want?

Thursday, September 17, 2009

I'll admit it. I don't often open press releases. I simply drag them into a folder (creatively called "Press Releases") and wait for them to pile up. Right now I have 83 unread releases.

But the title of Precept's latest announcement caught my attention: "Precept Knows What Women Want." Do you? Really? I'm usually wary of companies that claim they know what we want. My image of a bunch of older guys trying to decipher our utmost desires makes it seem unreasonable.

But Precept has successfully targeted the women's market in the past, so I read on. Precept's new iQ Plus is the latest addition to the Precept Lady franchise, an uber-popular women's golf ball line. The iQ Plus has a softer core than the iQ 180 (its predecessor), designed to help launch the ball higher. In other words, it's ideal for women with slower swing speeds. And the new softer cover has 330 dimples (as opposed to the 342 dimples on the iQ 180), which also helps to promote a higher trajectory.

And, of course, the ball comes in white, clear white and the same bright pink that Paula Creamer plays with (white is so pre-Creamer). The iQ Plus balls hit stores this month, and cost $20 a dozen.

So what do you think. Does Precept really know what women want?

--Ashley Mayo

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Psst! Don't Look Now...

Sunday, September 13, 2009

...but Jiyai Shin of South Korea just took a commanding lead in the LPGA Tour's race for 2009 Rolex Player of the Year. If she manages to hold on to that lead until the end of the season, she'll become the first LPGA player to win both Rookie of the Year and Player of the Year honors in the same year since Nancy Lopez did it in 1978.

The 21-year-old Shin became the first three-time winner of 2009 after shooting a final-round 64 Sunday at the P&G Beauty NW Arkansas Championship and beating Sun Young Yoo and Angela Stanford in a sudden-death playoff. The $270,000 winner's check vaulted her past Suzann Pettersen and Cristie Kerr to the top of the money list, where she now has a $124,000 advantage on current runner-up Kerr. She also leads Kerr 127 points to 114 on the Player of the Year ranking. The Rookie of the Year race has basically been over for a while; Shin's current 1,269 point total is almost double that of Michelle Wie, who's in second place.

At the start of the 2009 LPGA Tour season, many of us in the American media were excited by a possible Wie-Vicky Hurst-Stacy Lewis rookie race to drum up excitement for women's golf in the U.S. But if pressed, none of us would have argued that the Yankee trio was likely to get whipped by the already handsomely decorated Shin.

Don't forget, this is a player who won last year's British Open.

In fact, considering the number of worldwide wins Shin racked up while a member of the Korean LPGA Tour (26, in three years), including the major and two other U.S. LPGA Tour trophies she took home last year as a visitor, it's very difficult to consider her a rookie. But technically, that's exactly what she is.

So why doesn't Shin garner front-page coverage wherever she goes? Her stat sheet is phenomenal. At just 21, she has a resume that would be the envy of many of the world's most heralded players, male and female. Again, she is about to become the first woman in 31 years to be named both LPGA Rookie and Player of the Year. Could we ask for a bigger story? Probably not.

The problem is, Shin is not the LPGA's ideal poster girl. She looks a little frumpy. She doesn't hoot and holler or wear short skirts. When she first came over here, she barely spoke English. And American audiences don't know much about her, other than that she's one of 30-plus Koreans on the LPGA Tour and that she can obviously play.

But those who have paid attention have noticed that Shin is an incredibly sweet girl with more talent, grit and determination than most of her fellow-competitors combined. As she adds to her trophy case, she's also getting better at the language, taking frequent English lessons, doing her interviews translator-free and only allowing her caddie to speak to her in English. And with each win, she seems to reveal a more outgoing personality.

So while Jiyai Shin might not be at the top of many Americans' wish lists for next LPGA Tour superstar, or even a name many U.S. spectators know, we'd all better start paying attention. Because at the rate she's going, she may very well become the biggest player in the history of women's golf.

--Stina Sternberg

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The Other Side Of Wie

Friday, September 11, 2009

Teen phenom Michelle Wie has surprised the golf world by revealing more and more of her uninhibited, youthful self in the past few months -- especially during her gregarious run at last month's Solheim Cup. Gone is the almost robotic little girl who once seemed to be operating on parent-controlled auto pilot; the Michelle Wie of the summer of '09 laughs, interacts with fans and pals around with fellow pro golfers as if they're BFFs.

Now comes yet another chapter in the unveiling of the real Wie.

In her new blog, Black Flamingo, the 19-year-old shares some of her colorful artwork and newfound love for clothing design. It's all very pubescent ("my cousin showed me how to use a sewing machine last week and its sooo awesome! ") but inspires great hope for a continued dismantling of the armor built up around this very talented golfer from the time she was 13.

This tiger, drawn by Wie, presumably has nothing to do with a certain Mr. Woods.

Wie goes back to a full course load at Stanford University this fall, where she will most likely continue to explore the non-golf side of life.

Ultimately, those experiences may help turn her into the champion she has the potential to become.

--Stina Sternberg

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LPGA Pros Take It All Off

Thursday, September 10, 2009

If you notice a new bounce in the steps of some of your favorite LPGA Tour players this week, it's because they just lost eight inches of their hair.

Wednesday afternoon, a group of brave players -- including Stacey Lewis, Vicky Hurst and Paige Mackenzie, and led by Christina Kim -- participated in a Pantene Beautiful Lengths ponytail-cutting event for charity two days before the start of the P&G Beauty NW Arkansas Championship presented by John Q. Hammons in Rogers, Ark.

Lined up in chairs at the Pinnacle Country Club, the players (and other volunteer hair donors) had their hair cut and gathered by the American Cancer Society to create free, real-hair wigs for women with cancer. Several of the players' colleagues were there to watch, and in some cases do the snipping honors (Natalie Gulbis and Morgan Pressel both acted as haircutters but left their own locks intact).

Here is Christina Kim before and after, courtesy of her own Twitpics:

As far as charitable acts go, this ranks right up there with raising thousands of dollars for cancer research. It's also something few women would have the guts to partake in. Or, as in my case, enough hair to be eligible for.

--Stina Sternberg

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A League Of Their Own

Tuesday, September 8, 2009

Across the U.S., inter-club leagues are becoming an increasingly popular way for women golfers to connect with and compete against like-minded players in their area. The Ladies' Interclub League Tournament in the suburbs of New York City is one of these leagues, and it has become an institution.

LILT, as the organization is familiarly known, was founded 13 years ago in an effort to create more competitive opportunities for middle handicappers in Westchester County, New York and Fairfield County in Connecticut. Playing courses designed by A.W. Tillinghast, Donald Ross, and Colt and Alison is just one of the added perks that come along with membership.

Ten clubs currently make up the league. Among them are Siwanoy, Fenway, Century and Quaker Ridge, the latter a member in good standing of America's 100 Greatest. Nine matches are required for each club to play every other. This is done over a two-year period. At the end of the formal competition, a 10th meeting celebrates the completion of the matches. It's played for fun and not for team points.

The format for the competition is a best ball of partners. Each club fields a team of six women who are divided into three twosomes. These twosomes are seeded according to their Indexes--which range anywhere from 11.0 to 28.2. Everyone plays off the low handicapper in the foursome. The lowest handicappers on Team A play their counterparts on Team B and so on. Scoring is based on the Nassau system, with one point awarded for the front nine, one point for the back nine and a third for the overall 18. Ties receive a half point.

LILT members Topsy Siderowf, Sara Bellesheim and Adrienne Haber with LILT co-founder Phyllis Barasch (far right) during a league event at Siwanoy GC in Bronxville, N.Y.

LILT rules are very strict about pace of play. A whistle sounds after four and a half hours. If all members of the foursome have teed off at that point, they may finish the hole. If not, they must leave the course immediately. Points for holes remaining to be played are split. Matches are played according to USGA rules and it is expected that LILT members know the basics. Proceeding after hitting a ball out of bounds or into a hazard are common questions.

Along with playing some of the best courses in the area, LILT members network with the women golfers at these clubs, in many cases making new friends and business contacts. A feature of each match is the mandatory lunch afterwards. Host clubs outdo each other to put on a delicious (and maybe not so dietetic) buffet. Often the professional shop entices visiting golfers with discounts and other promotions. LILT has been successful because it offers its members opportunities--to play a variety of clubs, to compete with golfers of similar abilities and to develop lasting friendships.

--Topsy Siderowf

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Rory (Finally) Makes The Cut

Thursday, September 3, 2009

At long last, Irish wunderkind Rory McIlroy has shed his unruly locks. On behalf of all the female PGA Tour fans, I'd like to say congratulations, Mr. McIlroy. I was never sure where you were going with the old poodle style, or why it took you more than a year to mow down your mane. Did you really think you'd "lose all [your] power" by trimming the chia pet atop your head? Puh-lease. Anyhow, kudos for taking the grand ol' step of taming your "big ball of hair" (those are your words, not mine). Now that you look like a human 20-year-old again, I'm sure you'll garner Adam Scott-like mobs of squealing teenage girls.

--Ashley Mayo (Photos by Andrew Redington and Streeter Lecka, Getty Images)

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The Jamie Farr Owens Corning Classic Continues

Wednesday, September 2, 2009

Nine weeks after a group of top LPGA Tour players gathered at Mancy's Restaurant in Toledo, Ohio, during the 25th playing of the Jamie Farr Owens Corning Classic, a popular tour stop with a contract about to expire, the event is committing to another year on the LPGA tournament rota.

The meeting in that restaurant was spurned by the rapidly increasing number of tournaments either defecting from or not re-upping with the top women's tour. The players' discussion resulted in the unprecedented signing of a letter asking for then-commissioner Carolyn Bivens's resignation. The letter was sent to the tour's board and Bivens stepped down from her post the following week.

It's now becoming clear that getting rid of the commissioner has stopped the bleeding, at least momentarily, for the LPGA. Wednesday afternoon, Toledo Classic, Inc. released the following statement:

"JAMIE FARR OWENS CORNING CLASSIC ANNOUNCES CONTRACT EXTENSION WITH LPGA

Toledo Classic, Inc., the parent company of the Jamie Farr Owen Corning Classic Presented by Kroger announced today that they have agreed to a one year contract extension with the LPGA. The 2010 tournament will be played the week of June 28-July 4 at Highland Meadows Golf Club for a purse of $1 million.

The tournament will mark the 26th year for the event that has contributed over $6.2 million to 100 Northwest Ohio children's charities since 1984.

'We are excited to be able to continue the tradition of bringing the finest women golfers in the world to Northwest Ohio along with the opportunity to raise money for several locla children's charities,' stated Tournament Director Judd Silverman. 'We are grateful to Owens Corning and Kroger for their continued commitment especially during this difficult economic climate. Owens Corning and Kroger's commitment provides the tournament with a solid financial foundation from which to build a successful event,' Silverman said.

'Owens Corning is proud to continue as the title sponsor of this special community event,' stated Owens Corning CEO Mike Tharman. 'We are pleased to partner with the LPGA and support an event that will benefit both our community and the LPGA,' Tharman concluded.

This year's 25th annual tournament produced record crowds and an exciting finish as Eunjung Yi defeated Morgan Pressel in a play-off to capture the first-place winner's check of $210,000."

Runner-up Morgan Pressel gets a hug from actor and tournament host Jamie Farr at his event last July. (Photo by Gregory Shamus, Getty Images)

Bivens's permanent successor has yet to be named, but clearly, interim commissioner Marsha Evans is doing a stellar job picking up the pieces in the meantime. Along with salvaging the Farr Classic, she also managed to re-sign the Wegmans LPGA, the long-standing Rochester, N.Y., tour event that had stopped contract renewal negotiations under Bivens's firm rule, last month.

--Stina Sternberg

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Name That Baby

Tuesday, September 1, 2009

When a very pregnant Annika Sorenstam visited Golf Channel's Grey Goose 19th Hole on August 19 to talk about her friend Tiger and the upcoming Solheim Cup, she muttered something about how difficult it was for her and husband Mike McGee to agree on a name for their unborn daughter, who was due to arrive September 18.

Most parents have some initial disagreements about what to name their children, but eventually come to a decision. It seems the McGees were battling it out to the very end. They even put up a poll on Sorenstam's blog.

A total of 921 fans voted on Sorenstam's baby's name, with "Ava" getting the most votes (24%), followed by "Madelyn" (20%), "Other" (16%) and "Julia" (13%).

Less than two weeks later, at 3:30 a.m. on September 1, Sorenstam gave birth to a 6 lb. 10 oz. healthy baby girl. The same morning, she announced on her blog that the girl's name is Ava Madelyn McGee. Interestingly, "Ava" was the winning name in the online poll, followed by "Madelyn."

So did Sorenstam and McGee actually let the people decide what they should name their baby?

Not exactly. Back in June, Sorenstam did an interview with the Swedish website golf.se while visiting her home country. In it, she revealed that she and McGee had already narrowed it down to two names but were deadlocked on which should come first. "I like 'Madelene' [the Swedish spelling], Mike likes 'Ava,'" she told reporter Carl Magnus Hellsten. "He has already come up with a logo, with the two 'A's, just like in 'AnnikA.' We've gone through a lot of names, but these are the only two we agree on. We'll see what happens."

Watch for a daddy-designed "Ava" logo matching this one in the future.

It seems the couple eventually decided that father knows best. Or perhaps they agreed to let the online poll determine which of the two names should come first. (In which case, Sorenstam might want want to make sure her husband didn't do any ballot-stuffing.)

Either way, GDW offers its sincerest congratulations.

--Stina Sternberg

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