What's the problem with womens golf?

[kris]

It has nothing to do with liking and respecting the LPGA women. Some of us don't find watching women play golf on TV entertaining. Why is that so hard to understand? Why must we be told that it is great and we need to watch when we already have and we don't like it? It has nothing to do with women or men, it has everything to do with the product on the TV is not as entertaining to some of us that other things are.

I understand that some people don't like watching sub-par golf and that is a legit reason to some I suppose. However, I wonder how many among us here watch the Nationwide Tour?

[LongballGer]

I understand that some people don't like watching sub-par golf and that is a legit reason to some I suppose. However, I wonder how many among us here watch the Nationwide Tour?

It's not sub par golf. The Nationwide players are as good as the pga tour players except for the mental game and putting.

Whereas in womens golf you see them topping the ball, not hitting a green from 100 yards, not getting out of bunkers, laying up from 200 yards etc...

[Duffy]

Hi Kris,
I not only respect the LPGA but women in general and I have my wife's permission to say so. I'm not saying that you must watch the LPGA or participate in the events. I'm not brow beating anyone here just saying that they need more support to continue. I'd hate to see what it would do to golf in general without the LPGA.

[nevets88]

Coverage of women's golf is so poor, as bad as the men's coverage is, the commercials, the blimp, the announcers, the ceo pr segment, the acme smith wesson widget jones smith camera, etc..., women's coverage is even worse. They rarely ever give more than 2 hours to an event and you never know when it's on.

Evert-Navratilova didn't have the skills or power of the male players, but people tuned in because it was a compelling rivalry/storyline and their matches had drama. Women's golf could use something like that.

[Duffy]

It's not sub par golf. The Nationwide players are as good as the pga tour players except for the mental game and putting.

Hi Longball, You see that on the PGA as well.

[goblue107501]

I understand that some people don't like watching sub-par golf and that is a legit reason to some I suppose. However, I wonder how many among us here watch the Nationwide Tour?

I never said it was sub-par golf. I just don't find it entertaining becuase there are many things that the ladies do that I can do on my local course. I want to see something that I can't do.

I don't have the Golf Channel so I don't have the opportunity to watch the Nationwide on TV so I don't know if I would watch or not. There is a tournament that comes through town every year and I go out and watch it live.

It's not sub par golf. The Nationwide players are as good as the pga tour players except for the mental game and putting.

That is almost 100% correct. I watch them live every year and they can do everything that a top PGA Tour guy can. It is almost comical how many stupid decisions they make and 6 footers they miss. I have seen some incredible shots over the years that I would have no chance pulling off.

[shades9323]

The same reason that the PGA tour is in the toilet without Tiger...

[Chas]

I never said it was sub-par golf. I just don't find it entertaining becuase there are many things that the ladies do that I can do on my local course. I want to see something that I can't do.

Fair enough, but I see it the opposite way in a sense. I like to see both - and we have both provided to us for our viewing pleasure thank goodness. There isn't a "right" and a "wrong" here IMO.

We all have to work within our limitations in any sport of course, even the best. I like seeing how women approach a situation that I might find myself in as well - i.e. see them consider their options, which would for me not include making a 260 yd carry over water. So I'd say mens or womens golf, it's all good - for somewhat different reasons perhaps. There's another aspect of it - I'd make an analogy with the sport of rowing. IME women tend to be more technically "correct" rowers than men (all categories of boat), i.e. they often show more of a precise and classic style of stroke. Not so possible for them to compensate for sub-optimal technique with sheer strength or quickness. Many people tend to think of rowing as being largely a strength/endurance sport, but in fact technique plays a very large role as well. So, the sight of a highly skilled women's eight rowing with great efficiency across a lake is very inspiring to me - or was when I actually used to row myself. Same with golf in a way. We all gots to make the most of what we have.

[Duffy]

Fair enough, but I see it the opposite way in a sense. I like to see both - and we have both provided to us for our viewing pleasure thank goodness. There isn't a "right" and a "wrong" here IMO.

AMEN, You said it in a more understandable way. I think?

[Range King]

Uhh, guys don't cry.

For me, the discussion could have been ended after this post! You nailed it. The OP asked, why women's golf doesn't draw a lot of spectators, and you posted the reason. No need to try to find some evolution- or chauvinist-based explanations. It is just not interesting to watch. If I want to see flawless executed shots, I watch some teaching DVD. But if I watch golf on TV, I want to see freak shots.

[Taylor Shrake]

There is no tiger, there is no phil mickelson, you don't have people like bubba watson driving distances you will never come within 50 yards to. It just doesnt have the intensnity and competition of men's golf

[ScottRempel]

Looks like I'm a little late but wanted to post my reply.

To the person that keeps stating the fact that it is women against women and therefore the competition is tight, etc., etc. True. However, you could say the same about some little league baseball game. Sure the competition is good, but I think most people would probably rather watch a couple of MLB teams going at it. Again, it's not just about the competition, it's about the shots that these guys are hitting...as many people have stated. A lot of people watch TV to be entertained...most find the PGA more entertaining than the LPGA. And to go further, since the Nationwide players are more skilled on average then the LPGA players, you get a lot of people saying they'd rather watch the NW then the LPGA. Same as I'd rather watch the LPGA then some high school golf match. We want to watch the best, and we only have so much time to sit in front of the TV, so we pick and choose based on what we are going to enjoy the most.

Again, the women on the LPGA Tour are awesome golfers...just not as good as the men. I only watch the PGA (usually)...don't have anymore time to devote to watching golf. If I was going to watch some different golfing, I might watch the LPGA over the NW, since the LPGA is the highest level of Women's golf while the NW is 2nd tier to the PGA (even though it is better golf then the LPGA). If I can only watch one event, I want to watch the one that is going to be the most entertaining to me.

It doesn't really matter what the reason is, what the replies here have proven is that people have several different reason why they watch the PGA tour over the LPGA tour. Since they are the viewers those are your answers to why the LPGA is not supported as much...not because it's the way men were raised, blah, blah, blah as one person has been posting. I garuntee that if the LPGA tour exceeded the PGA tour in the areas people have mentioned here, people would be watching it instead.
i.e. If the women were on average better golfers, pulling off amazing shots more often, hitting the ball further, more stand-out players, more Americans winning consistently, etc., etc., etc.
Will that ever happen? Probably not. Women are at a disadvantage in most sports due to their genetics.
If you can point out a sport where women are better, more dominatant, etc., then I bet you've got a sport where the women's game is the preferred game to watch. Some people may actually find the LPGA more entertaining then the PGA, and that's great, but until the majority of people feel that way the LPGA is going to reamin where it is.

Sorry about all the rambling...could have probably put that all into a better post, but I had to read a lot to get here so :p

[shankapotamus]

Hi Longball, You see that on the PGA as well.

I have never watched a PGA pro lay up from 200 yards. The other things they hardly ever do compared to the LPGA players.

[RC]

May get in hot water here, but reading some of the posts reminds me of something else, in another sport. There is a huge following for the finals of the NBA, but how many watch the professional women's basketball finals? Why is there such a difference? As some have pointed out, the amazing shots seem far more unlikely in the LPGA events, we don't see shots that would rival what we might see on the PGA tour or Nationwide. OK, I get that.

But... a well managed golf game is something beautiful as well. So I think the problem is exactly as noted, entertainment shock value is lacking. Only a small number of people who actually play golf and worry about course management get excited by what is otherwise a shorter version of what we see every weekend at our home courses. I like watching the LPGA events, I try to get into the flow of what is happening, and I think of the decisions and challenges each of the players is going through as they compete... but that is not typical entertainment, it is a golfer putting themselves mentally into the moments the LPGA players are facing. So, I see the melt-downs, the pressure pitches to save par, the managed shots, and the missed shots, and I think, yep, we have all been there hitting both some good ones and some bad ones. I guess that means I would get into watching high school golf -- which I do. Not because it is entertainment, but because it is golf.

The only other thing that comes to mind is personalities. I've known and know a lot of pro golfers. Others are known through TV interviews, magazines, etc. There is an identity. The LPGA has done a pretty poor job of making the lady pros known personalities. I sort of have a idea of the golf course personality of Sorenstam, and I've watched Gulbis' show on TV, but after that it is a great big blank for the most part. Who are these players? Marketing a few of them on a calendar does not quite accomplish the goal of creating golfing identities -- maybe nice to look at but is that it? We all know marketing is critical, and the LPGA seems to be a poor marketer of their product.

[senorchipotle]

That's actually why some people promote you should in fact watch women's golf. Their game much more resembles the game most amateur men play and you'll gain much more watching their swings and strategies than you will watching a male professional.

really? there's a par 3 260 on a course i play. i hit 3 iron into it, it's slightly downhill so it plays about 240. not to take anything away from the girls, but I doubt there's very many who can hit the same shot with the same club even from their tees. i'll give you efficiency, but that's it.

[iacas]

But... a well managed golf game is something beautiful as well. So I think the problem is exactly as noted, entertainment shock value is lacking. Only a small number of people who actually play golf and worry about course management get excited by what is otherwise a shorter version of what we see every weekend at our home courses. I like watching the LPGA events, I try to get into the flow of what is happening, and I think of the decisions and challenges each of the players is going through as they compete... but that is not typical entertainment, it is a golfer putting themselves mentally into the moments the LPGA players are facing.

With all due respect, though, the typical LPGA course doesn't have fast greens so there's not much penalty for being above the hole. The pins typically aren't tucked, so there's relatively little penalty for just aiming at the middle of the greens. There's little risk/reward... the rough isn't particularly penal (greenside or elsewhere), etc.

They have tremendous skill - I'm not debating that. I watch it when I can. But I still found it odd that with 185 to carry a lot of players in the Solheim Cup laid up. I like to see pros hit shots I aspire to hit, and I rarely see that on the LPGA Tour. Here's another thing that makes it tougher to watch: the production values of the broadcast. Golf Channel or some lame coverage team on ESPN gets the coverage (until next year when Golf Channel gets almost all of it)... It's a factor, too.

[SubPar]

With all due respect, though, the typical LPGA course doesn't have fast greens so there's not much penalty for being above the hole. The pins typically aren't tucked, so there's relatively little penalty for just aiming at the middle of the greens. There's little risk/reward... the rough isn't particularly penal (greenside or elsewhere), etc.

I'm not sure what you define as "typical" but they place plenty of pins around the edges, and just as with the PGA the greens run pretty darn quick in the major events and the rough is thicker and longer than most courses.

The courses are shorter, but otherwise the set-up seems not much different. Of course I actually watch every LPGA event so I my opinion is probably contaminated with reality. SubPar

[Duffy]

I actually enjoy watching little league baseball and so do millions of others or it wouldn't be broadcast as it is. Let's talk a little about the comparisons that are being drawn here. One in particular is the WNBA vs. LPGA. The huge difference I pick up on immediately is this; Almost everyone on this blog and almost everyone that watches golf of any kind is a golfer. Most people that I know that are not golfers wouldn't waste 10 minutes watching golf on TV let alone going to a tourney. How many of us by comparison, men and women are basketball players or aspire to be? Sure there are the teens at the park and some adult pick up games around the country and I'm sure that most all of those folks watch basketball on TV. I'm in my 60's, I don't play basketball any more but I do golf. So my interest lies in golf. I also watch basketball, baseball, football and a little hockey. I watch golf. I will give you the fact that the ladies aren't as good as the men but I'm still a golfer so I watch golf along with whatever else strikes my fancy at the time. My point being, almost everyone who golfs, no matter what age group should support golf. Be a member of the USGA and support all venues. percentage of people watching golf on TV who are golfers are probably in the 90 percentile. Number of basketball players that watch basketball are probably around 10% when compared to the masses that are watching basketball.