Michelle Wie’s Return to the LPGA is a Non-Event
Michelle Wie's announcment that she will
return on May 28th to play in Annika Sorenstam's Ginn Tribute leaves me cold. Maybe in the past I didn’t express it in these exact words, but Michelle Wie is a circus act that is going nowhere. Yes, she has talent. Yes, she can hit the ball 300 yards. Yes, she is reasonably attractive. All these I accept.
What I don't buy is the circus act that has been created around her. She's accomplished nothing on the LPGA and even less on the PGA and I predict that she never will. Her return, which will be trumpeted by the media as the return of the female wunderkind and the savior of ladies golf, will be a non-event. She'll make the cut, place somewhere in the top twenty, and say things like "the layoff has set me back and I’m just now starting to get my swing" or “I was feeling pretty good out there, but just missed a few putts that would have kept me right up there."
The wrist problem she's been experiencing is just an easy way to get her out of the limelight because each time she is in it, especially when playing on the men's tour, she does nothing to help herself or women’s golf. Giving her a break from the tour may have been the first smart thing that "Wie, Incorporated" has done in a long time.
To play whenever it works in her schedule will never accomplish anything. Tiger is constantly tweaking his game. VJ Singh practices 8 hours a day. Phil is always wondering how to make his game better, even after his wins a major. Playing 10 times a year and practicing when it is convenient will never make Ms. Wie a consistent contender. Lorena Ochoa, Natalie Gulbis and Paula Creamer all play the tour full-time and you are starting to see that these ladies are the future of the LPGA. Natural talent only takes you so far. You earn your place on the leaderboard each week. Not when it’s convenient.
Back on June, 2006 in my post "
The Exploitation of Michelle Wie", I took Michelle Wie's father, BJ to task because all it seemed that he was interested in was the money. He, being his daughter's manager, seemed to want to push her far faster than she was able to handle. Somehow he thinks that she can be both a major LPGA star and a normal Stanford college student. It ain't gonna happen my friend. Ask Britney how well living a normal life as an uber-celebrity has worked.
"Wie Incorporated" and the LPGA, are starting to look like laughing stocks in a similar way that John Daly is starting to look like a caricature. The PGA Tour is rightly distancing itself from Mr. Daly because of his book revelations, he sordid past, his bad decisions and his lousy play. For different reasons, the LPGA appears to be distancing itself from Ms. Wie because of her age, limited playing schedule, poor showings on the LPGA Tour, and the embarrassing outings she’s had on the PGA Tour.
Don't get your hopes up that Michelle Wie will win the upcoming tournament or many after that. Yes, she'll get all the attention. Yes, she'll be the lead story into all the media coverage and yes, all the Wie Warriors will be predicting victory. Once reality sets in on Sunday, someone that we barely know like Birdie Kim will probably be victorious and Michelle Wie will have a new set of excuses why she didn't do as well as advertised.
Labels: Annika Sorenstam, LPGA, Michelle Wie, PGA Tour, Phil Mickelson, Women's Golf
CLICK HERE to listen.In Episode #35 of Golf Gear News, host Bruce Stasch reports at The Newstand a
Special Report from the Verizon Windstorm,
In the Shadow of Zach Johnson, and
Nancy Lopez's Return is Going Poorly.In the State of the Game we read about the Death of the U.S. Pro Tour and She Golfs Too discovers
Rachel Ray - The Golfer and the
Sorenstam Isn't Returning Soon. We travel in Golf Around the World to
The Perfect Scotland Golf Trip and find
The PGA Tour is coming to Puerto Rico.In Can't We All Get Along a
Man of the Cloth Isn't Very Holy and Golf of The Weird learns how to
Blend Your Golf Balls.Finally, at Website Spotlight, check out the
World Golf Hall of Fame.As always, our show is sponsored by
Golfknockoff.com.
Check out our new
Media Kit.
Labels: Golfweek, LPGA, Nancy Lopez, Podcast, The Masters, Women's Golf
CLICK HERE to listen.In Episode #34 of Golf Gear News, host Bruce Stasch reports at The Newstand that there is no news better than the start of the Masters.
The Guru Commentary adds a new intro and talks about
Minnesota Golfers Emerging from their Hibernation. The Perfect Fit asks the question:
What is 2nd Swing Up to Now!!! She Golfs Too learns about
The Firing of Female Caddies in South Korea and the
Return of Nancy Lopez to the LPGA. In Golf of the Weird hear about
The Golf Video that Has Been Downloaded 900 MILLION Times. View Video Here.Finally, at Website Spotlight, check out the
National Hole-In-One Association.As always, our show is sponsored by
Golfknockoff.com.
Check out our new
Media Kit.
Labels: 2nd Swing, LPGA, Minnesota, Nancy Lopez, The Masters, Women's Golf
CLICK HERE to listen.In Episode #31 of Golf Gear News, host Bruce Stasch reports at The Newstand that
Wie is Out for Month with Injury,
Hockey Wants to Emulate Golf and
TaylorMade-Adidas Inks Deal with Chinese.
In the Perfect Fit section we learn about the
R & A's Ruling on Iron U-Grooves.
The Guru Commentary asks the question
Is TaylorMade Losing It's Edge to the Square Driver? She Golfs Too explores
About.com's Top 50 Female Golfers List and Golf Around the World visits Colorado and the
Newest Ice Golf Course.
In Can't We All Get Along a
Golfer is Wanted in Course Vandalism and Golf of the Weird reports on the
Golf Novel That Predicts the Future and the
Only Par-4 Hole on the PGA Tour.
Our Website Spotlight is
Sweet Wood Golf Company.
As always, our show is sponsored by
Golfknockoff.com.
Check out our new
Media Kit.
Labels: China, Equipment, golf, Michelle Wie, Moveable Weights, Podcast, Square Drivers, TaylorMade, Women's Golf
CLICK HERE to listen.In Episode #29 of Golf Gear News, host Bruce Stasch reports at The Newstand on
Wie's Acceptance to Stanford, The Tiger Index and
Tiger to be a Father.
In the Perfect Fit section we explore the Benefits of Custom-Fitted Golf Clubs.
The Guru Commentary rants about
What's the Deal with Pink Golf Clubs? Our police blotter in Why Can't We All Just Get Along discovers
Stolen Golf Clubs Worth $600K. Golf of the Weird tells about the 3rd Annual Fat Boy Open.
Our Website Spotlight is
Golf Movies.
As always, our show is sponsored by
Golfknockoff.com.
Check out our new
Media Kit.
Next time listen for the third installment with the Socrates of Golf - Duffer McDoughall Johansen.
Labels: Equipment, Michelle Wie, Tiger Woods, Weird Golf Stuff, Women's Golf
What's the Deal with Pink Golf Clubs?
It must have started with the baby blanket thing. Someone, in their infinite wisdom decided that boy babies should have a blue blanket and girls should have a pink one. Who was this idiot anyway and what does blue have to do with boys and pink with girls? Why couldn’t the color have been yellow for boys and green for girls? Or mauve and periwinkle?
Why are the covers of "chick lit" books all pink? If you wander down your local Barnes & Noble and stop in the Women’s Literature section, 75% of the books have pink on their covers. Have I just uncovered the secret subliminal marketing message that tells women that "if it ain’t pink, it ain’t for me?"
So I see this press release on
Accu-Length's new Pink golf clubs. "Once young girls start using these clubs they'll understand why LPGA star Paula Creamer feels that pink is her lucky color," says Accu-Length president & COO Rick Rutter. He goes on to say "the Accu-Length Pink Set was created to meet the demands of young girls who are becoming more and more interested in playing golf."
What demands? The burning desire of girls to have a set of pink golf clubs?
I know that Paula Creamer is all about pink. That's her shtick. Annika and Lorena do just fine without wearing pink.
The Pink Panther, who obviously is a male, is all pink. Also, fiberglass insulation is pink and that clearly isn't a "female" product. Yet Nair hair remover and Bic shavers are pink.
I don't think girls, or women for that matter, care is their golf clubs are pink, green, mauve or polka dots. What they do care about, like the other gender, is golf clubs that work.
We lament the fact that the golf industry has been in a slump. Rounds played are down, there is an oversupply of courses and equipment sales have been flat. Girls and women are one of the fastest growing segments in our anemic industry.
So what do those highly-paid marketing executives at major golf club companies do to innovate and reach out to one of the fastest growing segments of the playing population? They paint their golf clubs pink. Some cutting-edge forward-thinking minds here.
Can't marketers come up with better ideas than a paint job? Please, give me a break from this pink-mania and come up with some REAL marketing innovation.
Labels: Accu-Length, Equipment, golf, LPGA, Women's Golf
