2020 US Women's Open

[Stooch]

@Supermilo

Honestly, outside family and friends, I doubt it.  But if you nailed that one, I tip my cap  to ya lol.

Edited December 15, 2020 by Stooch

[HMHS]

1 hour ago, Stooch said:

@Supermilo

Honestly, outside family and friends, I doubt it.  But if you nailed that one, I tip my cap  to ya lol.

haha i don't actually bet on these players... but she did catch my attention (hence my question on day 1 to @18majors on who she was).  little did we know then... next time i will pay more attention! haha

[jgonz69]

Anybody know where to get the earmuffs the girls were wearing?

[Argonne69]

11 hours ago, jgonz69 said:

Anybody know where to get the earmuffs the girls were wearing?

 

'Don't think these are the exact same thing, but they look close: Earmuffs

 

[No_Catchy_Nickname]

23 hours ago, Argonne69 said:

 

My understanding is that golf is expensive in Korea, but not terribly so. Simulator golf is very popular, so young players can work on their swings without having to invest a lot of time walking a course. Televised tournaments are held indoors. Many young players will spend years perfecting their swings indoors before ever setting foot on a golf course. 

 

As I've noted in numerous other threads, the KLPGA and its two feeder tours provides a great pathway for young players to hone their professional game. 

 

Check out: Korean Golf

 

 

A Korean mate of mine I play golf with in Japan (where we both live) says that golf clubs in Korea are mostly owned by the big conglomerates, and are expensive to play unless you are part of the conglomerate (and presumably somewhere decently placed on the pecking order). The guy love's is golf, and that's one big reason why he chose to live in Japan.

I have seen a lot of tour groups of Koreans coming here to play golf. Think about it; they're coming to Japan to play golf. Now golf here has become a lot cheaper than it used to be, but even so, where I am a weekday round is going to be US$80 minimum, yet groups are still coming here from Korea to play. Well, were. For some reason, they haven't been coming for the last six or seven months....

 

[cmgolf]

They mentionned during tv coverage that even Lpga or Klpga players have to pay green fees or get a membership to plya in Korea. 
not the same privileges as north american golf pros!

[Abh159]

17 hours ago, chigolfer1 said:

 

Umm, I suppose, also sounds a little Soviet Union haha.

 

But, I wonder, is this type of program not set up the same way with Korean boys?

 

My thoughts exactly on the USSR comment. I suppose it works for some people and they become successful, but I can't help but feel bad for the 99% that don't make it. Saying you will "suffer great shame and guilt" is a lot of pressure to put on a young girl. 

 

A few people mentioned the mandatory military service for men / boys in Korea. I'm guessing that could cause a number of good players to backtrack considering they would have to take several years off from golf right when they are approaching their prime age for competing. 

[caller]

39 minutes ago, Abh159 said:

 

My thoughts exactly on the USSR comment. I suppose it works for some people and they become successful, but I can't help but feel bad for the 99% that don't make it. Saying you will "suffer great shame and guilt" is a lot of pressure to put on a young girl. 

 

A few people mentioned the mandatory military service for men / boys in Korea. I'm guessing that could cause a number of good players to backtrack considering they would have to take several years off from golf right when they are approaching their prime age for competing. 

Your guess is correct. That is a strong barrier for South Korean guys to perform world class level however it is starting to change a bit.  

[Gsea]

18 hours ago, chigolfer1 said:

 

Umm, I suppose, also sounds a little Soviet Union haha.

 

But, I wonder, is this type of program not set up the same way with Korean boys?

 

[Krt22]

21 hours ago, chigolfer1 said:

 

But why the huge dichotomy between women and men?  Is it just because a lot of athletically talented women in Korea take up golf and try to make a career out of it vs. the U.S. where they go to other sports?   Moreso than with men in the U.S.?    

I don't think it's that there is a huge difference between Korean men and women golfers, I think the a huge difference is between American men and women golfers.

 

Look at the top 100 PGA tour golfer's earnings vs the top 100 LPGA golfer (heck even look at the KF tour earnings relative to the LPGA). American's are highly reward driven, so for an American girl the reward for dedicating your entire adolescence and college years to grinding at golf just isn't very compelling compared to men. Unless you are on track to be a top ~50 golfer, giving up your childhood/social life for such limited future income potential is a hard sell, so that creates a smaller talent pool.  If LPGA purses were even half of those earned on the PGA tour, I think we would see a much larger American presence on the LPGA tour. I do think this is changing, for instance getting a women's golf scholarship is much much harder than it used to be (where scholarships used to go unused), but their is still a huge gap here in the US.

 

 

Edited December 16, 2020 by Krt22

[new2g0lf]

1 minute ago, Krt22 said:

I don't think it's that there is a huge difference between Korean men and women golfers, I think the a huge difference is between American men and women golfers.

 

Look at the top 100 PGA tour golfers earnings vs the top 100 LPGA golfer (heck even look at the KF tour earnings relative to the LPGA). American's are highly reward driven, so for an American girl the reward for dedicating your entire adolescence and college years to grinding at golf just isn't very compelling compared to men. Unless you are on track to be a top ~50 golfer, giving up your childhood/social life for such limited future income potential is a hard sell, so that creates a smaller talent pool.  If LPGA purses were even half of those earned on the PGA tour, I think we would see a much larger American presence on the LPGA tour. I do think this is changing, for instance getting a women's golf scholarship is much much harder than it used to be (where scholarships used to go unused), but their is still a huge gap here in the US.

 

 

You make a good point but isn't it a chicken and the egg situation.  Media contracts and attendance drives purses but you're not going to see any significant increases if American Tour players don't become more competitive.   Scholarships are a good start but you need the quality players to earn them and that's where First Tee, US Kids Golf and PGA Jr really need to focus their efforts.  

[fanofseri]

I was scheduled for some lessons with Dr. Park before the pandemic hit.  Hopefully, he'll be back in Southern California again so I can get my swing to look similar to In Gee's.  I already suffer from shame and guilt so that part won't be a problem.  

[Krt22]

1 minute ago, new2g0lf said:

You make a good point but isn't it a chicken and the egg situation.  Media contracts and attendance drives purses but you're not going to see any significant increases if American Tour players don't become more competitive.   Scholarships are a good start but you need the quality players to earn them and that's where First Tee, US Kids Golf and PGA Jr really need to focus their efforts.  

It definitely is a chicken/egg situation and yes it takes a lot more effort the the Jr level to push real measurable change, but I still see that being challenging here in the US. It's far easier (and potentially lucrative) to become a social media influencer than it is to become a top tier professional golfer

[new2g0lf]

1 minute ago, Krt22 said:

It definitely is a chicken/egg situation and yes it takes a lot more effort the the Jr level to push real measurable change, but I still see that being challenging here in the US. It's far easier (and potentially lucrative) to become a social media influencer than it is to become a top tier professional golfer

Yes and unfortunately too many female golfers seem to spend more time being a social media influencer than they do a professional golfer.  If I could make $200,000 / year golfing, I'd be quite happy.