SUGAR GROVE, Ill. -- Women's golf keeps waiting for The Big Moment and ...
Hello? Are you still there? Did I lose you already, with those first two words? Women's golf?
Well, picture this: Michelle Wie playing great, smiling, laughing, waving an American flag, out of her shell. A packed house, a record crowd, with fans chanting and singing to the players, and an electric finish.
It all happened Sunday, as the U.S. team beat the European team 16-12 to retain the Solheim Cup. It was everything women's golf could ask for, could pray for. But it was not The Big Moment. That's too much to ask. No singular moment can create a spark here.
If women's golf has hope, then it needs a lot of luck, an improved economy and also a whole lot more days like it had Friday through Sunday.
For women's golf, this was a week with blinders. The women's tour looked like a garden you had forgotten to water for weeks. This weekend was a major rainstorm. Now, just wait to see if something can grow, or if it's too late and everything is dead.
Ultimately, this tour might not make it.
Start with the Michelle Wie problem. Definitely, she bloomed some this week. She is the biggest, most marketable star. She and Natalie Gulbis. But so far, this game's biggest star has been a gimmick, trying to play on the men's tour and failing. And she has been a point of acrimony on tour, as other players felt she was being placed ahead of them without dues. She hasn't won anything yet. So you put that together, and the face of women's golf is a mess.
"By far, I think it was the most fun I've had playing," Wie said. "Every hole felt like a major championship, coming up 18, times 100. I mean, these crowds were absolutely amazing, and to have 11 other team members as great as these people, it was just so fabulous.
"The intensity ... I've never felt anything like that before. Definitely the highlight of my career."
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Solheim Cup Photos
SUGAR GROVE, IL - AUGUST 23: Cristie Kerr of the U.S. Team lines up as shot with her caddie John Killeen on the third hole during the Sunday singles matches at the 2009 Solheim Cup at Rich Harvest Farms on August 23, 2009 in Sugar Grove, Illinois. (Photo by Scott Halleran/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Cristie Kerr;John Killeen
Getty Images
Getty Images North America
Someone from the team, hearing that, teased her that she's only 19. Others nodded. A few clapped for her. The whole team sat together, and at one point Wie was talking about something privately with Gulbis. Afterward she walked off with her arm around Christina Kim. And when Wie won her final match, beating Helen Alfredsson 1-up, meaning she won by one hole, she ran off and high-fived teammate Angela Stanford.
For the weekend, Wie went 3-0-1. So this was a big weekend for her. She helped a team win, meaning she was playing for a flag and not her overbearing parents. And she was personable. That's three good days for Wie.
Meanwhile, this was a near Dream Team for women's golf, as all the best Americans were here. Wie and Gulbis, yes, but also Paula Creamer, Brittany Lincicome, Kim, Morgan Pressel, Cristie Kerr and Juli Inkster.
That said, it was just U.S. vs. Europe. The world's best player is Lorena Ochoa from Mexico. And the Koreans could have beaten both teams combined.
That's another issue for women's golf: The best players are Koreans who don't speak English particularly well, if at all. Former LPGA commissioner Carolyn Bivens actually tried to make a rule suspending Koreans for not learning to speak English. If you'd like to know why Bivens was forced out, well, now you know.
That, and the way she ran off hard-hit sponsors with a hard line. But she had one point about the Koreans: If the U.S. media can't communicate with them, then that's going to lead to less coverage, and less of a connect with American fans. Meanwhile, an American hasn't won a U.S. event on tour since May. The Solheim Cup avoided that issue.
"I just think if more people could come out and actually watch us play ..." Inkster said. "If people would write about the golf and not about all the other stuff, you know, we would be ... we're going to be great. We're going to be good. You guys just have to be patient with us."
For the week, a record 120,000 fans came. On Sunday, they were packed several rows deep, and no matter where you stood on the course, you heard wild screaming from somewhere else. The scenes on TV must have been something, as this course, Rich Harvest Farms, built by a Chicago-area rich guy named Jerry Rich, looks part idyllic, part comic book.
A few years ago, Rich gave me a tour of the grounds, including the building housing his car collection and also a carousel, as his wife loved a merry-go-round. Basically, the guy is Willy Wonka, so the event was played in a wonderland.
But did people watch? Will it spark anything? Stanford, like Inkster, insisted that the product is good. She said the tour just needed to go to more cities, show the excitement to more people.
Sounds great, but that means more tournaments, more sponsors. And this tour has lost several tournaments the past few years, and might lose more -- perhaps in the double-digits -- next year alone. The tour might be forced to take a several-weeks long hiatus next year.
The economy is a big issue, as the men's Senior tour is in trouble, too. There aren't enough dollars to go to niche sports now, and women's golf is a niche of a niche.
Women's golf has Gulbis, known mostly for her great looks, swimsuit calendars and appearance on The Apprentice. It also has Wie, who might have just had her coming-out party. And now it has a weekend. If anyone was still around to notice.
Email me at gregcouch09@aol.com
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
8-24-2009 @ 2:20AM
Cecil Hall said...
Please go see the women play. 95% of golfers do not break 100 when they play. All of you should really like to "hit it like a girl" and your scores will drop dramatically. If you area beginner I would suggest you watch the women play and get alot of the basics on how to play the game from them. Anyone who markets female products should get behind these players. Get to know them and I think you will be pleaseantly surprized how many young ladies want to emulate them in everyway. There is a huge market for your female products as many of the women on the tour when not in their "golf gear" are very femine and into fashion these days. There is nothing better than to have a single young lady join your group who is 5'2'' 110 lbs who can out play your best player all the while being happy to help you with your game for 4 1/2 hours and look great doing it with or without a club in her hand. You all can email me anytime and I would be more than happy to have you join my group. chighball@aol.com San Diego Calif.
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8-24-2009 @ 2:56AM
keith said...
did anyone find out how much nike paid to have ms. kournakova , oops , ms. wie , named to the woman's team ? ? ?
as far as bringing viewers to the lpga , hot pants and halter tops and stripper poles on the first tee !
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8-24-2009 @ 3:22AM
justaknownothingmortal said...
Whatever Nike paid, looks like they got their money's worth with Wie's best won-lost record for the week and the top vote getter on the Gol Channel poll.
8-24-2009 @ 11:06AM
shighley74 said...
3-0-1 fool
8-24-2009 @ 12:28PM
astenson said...
Nike was paying Wie $10million for showing up when she first signed. It's probably more now. I guess she Just showed up over the weekend.
8-24-2009 @ 3:08PM
Bill3JoanA said...
No doubt you would be entertained by anything other than the golf. Let us know when you get an endorsement contract of any size ($1 for instance) based on your talent in any area (being an AH doesn't count). Nike paid nobody, Wie had a better 2009 then most of her teammates, and she played her way on tour through Q-School, not as a gift from anyone. You and a few others are sexist and bless them Natalie, Paula, Morgan, Christi and others look great, but they no doubt kick your butt on the course. But you would never get out there so it doesn't matter.
8-24-2009 @ 7:03AM
obamaizamarxist said...
Chick golf, like chick basketball is boring. I'd rather cut the grass..
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8-24-2009 @ 7:54AM
Koch said...
The one thing the ladies dont need is that loudmouth christins kim running around like a jerk.
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8-24-2009 @ 8:08AM
nsarmento said...
This was the most exciting tournament! GO USA! I cannot believe yet another article that doesn't mention Christina Kim though...what is WRONG with you writers?? Yes, I was extremely proud of Michelle Wie...out from under her oppressive parents and blooming like a rose. But Christina Kim MADE that tournament. Women's golf needs a character, and she is a character...I loved every fist pumping moment of watching her play. Congrats ladies...and also to my former classmate Beth Daniels...GO PALADINS! You rock Beth!
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8-24-2009 @ 8:23AM
moonlit801 said...
I was/am a fan of the LPGA, have been to the Shop Rite Classic a bunch but in all honesty, I am tired of watching the Koreans, No annika, many of the older fav's gone....Im just not into watch a sport full of Koreans who don't speak english. I know it sounds racist, but it is what it is, they have talent beyond words but its taken my interest away from the sport.
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8-24-2009 @ 11:39AM
ted said...
So you don't watch to see the best golfers?
8-24-2009 @ 8:43AM
tsacvc said...
Lets be honest. As long as the Koreans are dominating the tour, nobody cares about the LPGA. It is what it is. Spin it how you want, but this is America and we want to connect with our heroes. Sorry.
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8-24-2009 @ 9:25AM
furrsher said...
Yawn .....
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8-24-2009 @ 9:28AM
edclarke3 said...
Hey LPGA....want to increase viewership and interest ? Make the cut IN EVERY TOURNAMENT wherever Natalie Gulbis has totaled....too many of the "ladies" are so masculine that it is like watching "little men" trying to be men....
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8-24-2009 @ 10:58AM
Michael gifford said...
the real question about LPGA is why aren't more women watching and supporting their own sport? while some can say by marketing the more attractive women or having them at least be able to speak english is an issue (which it probably is after all most male major sports figures go through the trouble to learn enough english to get through a post match interview)...there seems to be an attempt to get more men to watch...but that's not the answer. there is a huge potential untapped market but they're not watching either. the question is what ARE women watching if not golf. at the risk of appearing sexist, and I bet the demographics bear it out though, they are watching cooking shows, home shopping network and shows like Entertainment tonight, or the Ellen/Oprah kind more than the LPGA...just a guess...and that's the issue...how to get that viewership to switch or at least include the events when aired...
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8-24-2009 @ 11:43AM
ted said...
I agree - where are all the women libbers? Why don't they try and build up the LPGA to PGA status? Women control a hell of a lot of the wealth in the world - where is their support of their 'sisters'. But they would rather cry foul and 'poor us' then do something about it evidently!
8-24-2009 @ 10:58AM
jwcisler said...
Although I'm supportive to the LPGA, you just don't see the quality golf played as in the PGA. I'm not a chauvinist pig...just a realist. I hope they continue...but, it does look bleak. As for Christina Kim. I admire enthusiasm...but she seems to be more into entertaining the audience, than playing in the moment. The girls need to work on their long iron and short games more.
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8-24-2009 @ 12:35PM
astenson said...
The Koreans are going to dominate because they are better than the American women. Just look at the results every week. There are usually 5 or 6 of them in the top 10. How are you going to stop it? It will get worse too.
The #1 player in the world is not from the USA, that would be a start to get that.
Winning the Solheim Cup is no big deal, the Koreans would have won if they had been playing.
There were Europeans on that team who don't even play here. How do you think they like playing Christina Kim with all her rah rah stuff? She needs to calm down a little bit, because she is definately not everyones favourite. Even the Golf Channel made a few comments about it.
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8-24-2009 @ 2:32PM
rudvelan said...
How much is the prize money each country receives by winning or losing the Solheim Cup?
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8-24-2009 @ 3:09PM
moovyz99 said...
The other day I called you out on your ridiculous comments. Today, you went one better. Women's Golf is just fine. It's you that is the problem couch. YOU CAN NOT WRITE! You are clueless as to what is happening in sports. Why is it you continue to pretend that you know what you are talking about and that anyone should listen to you?
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