At the LPGA Championship: Some Not-So-Random Thoughts

When I say I spent all day at the LPGA Championship on Friday last week at Bulle Rock, I mean all day long. Walked the course twice around, once each with both halves of the field. In addition, I caught the majority of the weekend telecast on The Golf Channel as well. Having been immersed in it for a weekend leaves me with many strong impressions, which no doubt you’re all dying to read. So here goes:

• Compared to just 15 years ago, the women are just plain larger. Somehow the television reduces them in stature, much the same way as the greens at Augusta National don’t look so daunting until you see them in person. Paula Creamer, for instance, is surprisingly a pretty big young woman. (Sounds horrible to say but I mean that in as positive a manner as possible).
• Today’s women are in much better physical shape than their predecessors, clearly influenced by Tiger Woods conditioning just as is the rest of professional golf. The best example of this is Suzann Pettersen, who is a sleek physical specimen. If she were a guy, we’d call her a stud.
• The LPGA could go the route of selling more sex appeal than they do as there are many attractive young women out there. But I’m glad that - for the most part - they don’t. The youth movement is an obvious asset and the accompanying beautification will just sell itself.
• I’m glad they’re getting rid of that ridiculous handle “The McDonalds LPGA Championship presented by Coca Cola". It’s definitely a move in the right direction. Could you imagine something like “The Microsoft Masters Tournament sponsored by Budweiser Light"?
• Bulle Rock is a great test and it’s a shame the LPGA will almost certainly leave for greener ($$$) pastures. Problem is it’s just a little too far for fringe fans to travel, being nearly midway from the metropolitan areas of Philadelphia and Baltimore.
• Speaking of travel, I hope they get rid of the school buses they use for shuttling from parking lots to the course in favor of commuter buses. At 6′4″ tall, I don’t fit in those elementary school-sized seats. And having no air conditioning on those 100 degree days was no bonus either. Thank God all 20 windows were open.
• The Golf Channel’s secondary announcing crew is not very good, excluding the wonderfully honest Dottie Pepper. Rich Lerner is ok but the rest leave much to be desired. And who in the hell is that idiot they have doing the post-round interviews? About the only thing he does right is thank the players for their time instead of wishing them luck, which is what an interviewer should never do. And what is their insistence with using the term “hole location"? There is no doubt it’s a mandate as the announcers never once said just “hole” or “pin” or even “pin position". After a while it becomes quite annoying.