That's not the LPGA I know!: Editors' Blog: Golf Digest

That's not the LPGA I know!

Tuesday, June 7, 2011 Comments

Golf World and Golf Digest both get a lot of letters reporting on amateurs' experience with professionals at pro-ams and charity events. Frequently they are letters of complaint. Golf World ran one such letter recently and it drew others--like these two--some worlds apart.

Regarding a letter in the May 30 edition about the bad behavior by players and their families at the Greenbrier Classic: My brother and I have attended the Jamie Farr Owens Corning Classic several times. The golfers are friendly, sign autographs, and are nice to the fans and volunteers. They also know how to play the game. Give the LPGA a try.

Mike Williams, Rockwood MI

My sister and brother-in-law recently served as volunteers at The LPGA Sybase Match Play Championship. Their duties were to transport players, caddies and officials from certain greens to the next tee box. Both my sister and brother in law put in 9-10 hours days in the rain and cold, doing all they could to make the lives of the golfers and their caddies as convenient and comfortable as possible. For the most part they found the women of the LPGA to be a courteous group. However they both pointed to Christie Kerr and Michelle Wie as being far less than hospitable or courteous and in Christie's case, confrontational. I would like to chalk this behavior to a bad day or a bad moment, but in both players cases this behavior reared it's head more than once.

As an organization struggling and battling for sponsors, fans and supporters, you would think that two of the brightest stars and most recognizable faces and names on the LPGA tour would do all they can to be ambassadors, to show the utmost appreciation and respect to anyone who goes out of their way to attend an LPGA event or volunteer to help make such an event a success.

David Pletzner, Brielle, NJ

Our own experience with LPGA players is like the Golf World reader from Michigan. Last year at a charity event called the Cox Classic in New Jersey, we watched LPGA players played through a chilly rain with amateurs to raise money for LIFE, the breast cancer awareness effort formed in memory of Heather Farr by Val Skinner, who was there. I can still see Laura Diaz hitting to a par 3 in a downpour, and then congratulating one of our group who got it closer to the hole than her. We've got no complaints.

--Bob Carney