Bob Flynn wrote an article titled “Time is now for women's game” (September 16 GGP). If that’s to happen, a few adjustments from the recent Solheim Cup need to take place, and I’m not even including the busing fiasco.
1. Today’s players are not the popcorn-hitting players of a generation ago. So, put them on courses that showcase all their talents. The back nine at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club was a joke. There was a 277-yard par-4, a 460-yard par-5 (which Charley Hull reached with an 8-iron), a 467-yard par-5 (which Allisen Corpuz reached with a topped rescue) and a finishing hole where some players hit wedges for their second shot. Don’t set up courses to be putting contests.
2. The TV networks need to give women’s golf respect. NBC did not send its “A” team to cover and produce the event, although I’ll take Terry Gannon and Judy Rankin over anyone else they have to offer. On the production side, there were a number of whiffs, including the score Saturday morning that was posted – Europe 6, USA 2 – and a number of meaningful putts were not shown. Rankin apparently did a slow-motion analysis of Lexi Thompson’s driver swing. I say apparently because it was shown as a “Playing Through,” and there was no audio.
3. There was one group that had one hole to play Saturday afternoon when the clock hit 6 p.m. Rather than stay on the air for another 15 minutes, the NBC affiliate in Washington, D.C., cut over to Golf Channel in favor of the “Nightly News.” That works for those who watched it live, but for those us who had other responsibilities and recorded it, we were out of luck. They wouldn’t do that for a men’s event, even one that wasn’t a signature event.
Flynn is right about the time being now. The LPGA now needs to convince others.
Charlie Jurgonis
Fairfax, Virginia
It should be obvious to all that picking someone from Arkansas as your captain, Stacy Lewis, wins you a Solheim Cup (“Finished business,” September 16 GGP). OK, I admit I am oversimplifying the victory, but as a native Arkansan I have been following and supporting Lewis ever since she played college golf for the Razorbacks. I’ll bet that every golfer out there who has a favorite college team feels the same degree of pride when one of their alums does well in a sport.
What I really want to say is congratulations to Stacy Lewis and all the women who not only won the Solheim Cup but did it with class and grace. USA, USA and Wooo Pig Sooie!
Woody Bell
Bradenton, Florida
Ron Green’s article last week was on the mark (“Rahm needs to own mess he made,” September 16 GGP). Also, Luke Donald gets huge kudos for sticking to the facts and telling Jon Rahm like it is. Rahm thought he could single-handedly change the golf landscape. He obviously went in with bad counsel and no Plan B if it all failed.
In an effort to skirt the rules, Rahm is now trying to say it’s his duty to Spanish golf to play the Spanish Open and the Andalucía Masters. What’s wrong with some of these elite athletes not owning their situations, which are often created by their own astronomical levels of arrogance, self-worth and self-importance? Rahm made a bad decision, so own it and the consequences. Only he can fix and set the right example, which leads back to gaining respect.
At this point, I really don’t care whether I see Jon Rahm or any of the other LIV golfers play again in any PGA Tour or DP World Tour event. I’d much rather watch women’s golf.
I have to ask, Why does the PGA Tour need the PIF?
Bruce Wireman
Georgetown, Texas
This just in: Jon Rahm isn’t just a major winner. He’s a major a**hole (“Rahm needs to own mess he made,” September 16 GGP).
First, he was against LIV. Then, he was offered a reported half-billion dollars and suddenly saw the light and joined LIV. But he should be able to play where he wants! No stinking fines for me (even though he has more money than God now). You insult me and Spanish golf by expecting me to play by the rules? Don’t you know how important I am to golf?
What a jerk. I hope he never wins another tournament. He represents everything wrong with professional golf. That, combined with the miserable television coverage – Look! Another golf ball flying through the air; another guy endlessly reading a putt; and announcers whose chat is as endless as it is banal. Oh, and their attempts at levity are lame. How are those ratings going, guys? I’m sure the tournament sponsors are thrilled.
Didn’t watch the FedEx Cup playoffs. Maybe the Masters.
Blaine Walker
St. Paul, Minnesota
I tuned in on Sunday to watch the PGA Tour event at Silverado Resort in Napa, California (“‘Unflappable’ Kizzire resets with Napa title,” September 16 GGP). I live in the area and have played the courses and attended tour events at the venue. I know it was an NFL Sunday and the weather was not the best, but there was nobody there. Smallest galleries I have seen on any televised PGA Tour event.
There was little or no promotion done in the North Bay. I know there was a sponsor change at the last minute, but I would fear for the future of this event based on the lack of attendance.
Embarrassing for the PGA Tour.
David Minner
Petaluma, California
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