Social Media Golf Celebrities and their Impact on Golf

Do you follow Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy, Bubba Watson...Paige Spiranac... on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook? If so you are not alone as followers are in the millions for these golfers. Is it because of how they play or what they say?

From professional golfers becoming popular via contentious tweets to phenom beauties making a name for themselves on Instagram, the impact golfers have on social media has been an enormous game changer.

Advertisers are jumping on board the social media express, tying into the celebrity to get their product noticed; the monetization value of a single tweet from Tiger Woods was calculated at $33,911 while a single McIlroy tweet was $16,161 with Ian Poulter valued at $11,982. So, the next time you are reading posts from your favorite golfer, think about the subliminal impact it is having on you.

Golf, the once exclusive pastime for the rich and famous, has gone mainstream but has it abandoned its core values to gain visibility and does it now have to right the ship?

Listed below are a few Social Golf moments to consider: do you think, overall, that social media has helped or hurt the game using these examples? 

1. There are different levels of enjoyment within the game of golf for the fan, from watching great tournament shots to learning about the new equipment from Ping, TaylorMade and Titleist and looking for the upcoming great stars who can be "the next Tiger Woods". Instagram has helped launch the career of Paige Spiranac much like the way Justin Bieber was found on Youtube.com. A million social media fans have catapulted this good golfer into the Dubai Ladies Masters despite not officially qualifying for LPGA or LET status.

One of the top female golfers and 4th in the Rolex Rankings, Shanshan Feng has only 933 Instagram followers (2,556 Twitter followers) compared with the 1 + million (884,000 Instagram) Spiranac followers. Although Feng lets her sticks do the talking on the golf course, she needs to gain similar influence or she may be watching from the sidelines over time as others line their pockets via the power of well-placed photos and tweets. Global publicity for the LET and LPGA increases purses and the internet has been chosen as the delivery vehicle.

Happy holidays! Ready for gifts🎅🏻🎄🎁 #merryxmas pic.twitter.com/HnQJSDqTf1

— Shanshan Feng (@shanshanfengCHN) December 24, 2016

2. Did we really need to know that? Is it interesting to you to know what a golfer had for breakfast and/or do we really need to see guys like Jordan Spieth or Rickie Fowler hamming it up, shirtless on vacation?

Thousands upon thousands of fans follow the top guys in golf (Spieth has 1.71 million followers) which is also great for his sponsors who help strategically place their equipment in threads and posts; Titleist ProV1x and Under Armour. The tweet below for the Titleist ProV1 golf ball received 294 retweets and over 2,000 likes:

First week with the new 2017 @Titleist ProV1x was a success. No surprise it's the #1ballingolf pic.twitter.com/ZSN6tEVzyV

— Jordan Spieth (@JordanSpieth) November 30, 2016

Have you tried these any of these golf brands because of a post tweeted from a famous golfer? If so, you are not alone. Advertisers, who once saw results in a TV commercial during a round of golf, are finding that well-placed posts and online videos are equally effective, using brand ambassadors to relate to consumers. It's easy and cost effective to get the message out using Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Instagram, and, you get a lot more bank for your buck.

What may be a boon to advertisers may also hurt them as we can also "read" the thoughts of golfers when they are at odds with the game. One very candid, prominent social golfer, Ian Poulter, lets fans know when they (or the system) are out of bounds but this type of power can also be dangerous.

For example, after calling Ian Poulter an unfavorable "name" on Facebook, an average-joe deliveryman was the recipient of one of Poulter's effective posts causing the man's place of business to apologize to Poulter and to re-rout the driver to a different office. Ian Poulter nearly cost a man his job; it's easy to get attention when you have over two-million followers and the power of social media in your corner. He is heard, seen and can get someone fired with words as he has previously done.

Although the man was clearly wrong costing Poulter his shot to land in the drink, Poulter, who makes millions each year, could have cost this worker his livelihood...one-upmanship in the social sphere? 

Lesson learned...watch what you say and to whom you say it on social media.

3. Good can come of it! Golf social media celebs can also make a positive impact on the game. Many players post about their favorite causes, foundations and those of the PGA Tour, bringing great visibility and more donations to help others in need.

My pop would be proud of how the #heroworldchallenge has grown. We’ve raised more than $26M for youth programs. –TW pic.twitter.com/aAETXVMEyf

— Tiger Woods (@TigerWoods) December 1, 2016

Do you think professional players' social media impact on golf has been positive? State your case in our golf blog comments section below and tag/follow us on Twitter @Golf4Beginners.

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Speaking Up on Social Media - Good or Bad for Golf?

Probably the most notable of Twitter golfers to rhapsody on the social media channel, Ian Poulter, recently stung back about his decision to stay out of this year's BMW PGA Championship based on a less-than-stellar track record at the event.

Stewart Cink, well-known for his use of Twitter, posts daily, most recently dishing about his bum rap at not playing in The Masters with a positive spin of vacationing in the Riviera Maya with his wife Lisa and returning home to watch the tournament on his brand, new 4K TV.

Do you think that player social media chat helps, or hurts golf? Do fans appreciate the openness and connectivity of their heroes, of reporters and golf's most outspoken characters or would they prefer a bit more ...detachment.

Fans must love the connectivity because guys like Cink pull in huge audiences. Cink currently has 1.12 million followers while Poulter has a whopping 1.87 million devotees but, is the intimacy good for the sport or is it better to just see the facade put on for the viewing audience?

Yes, pro golfers are active on Twitter and reporters and large business concerns are also quick to criticize, and make public, the sports' highs...and low. Golf Digest recently pointed out that ESPN Sports Business reporter Darren Rovell's comments about the state of the game might not be a "complete picture", noting that "the true picture is larger than 140 characters."

Before the influx of social connectivity, there was an air of mystique about the game, players, their lives, their thoughts of tournaments and of other tour players (unless a writer was told some juicy off-the-cuff tidbits). Fast forward to our technological society complete with smartphones dangling from almost everyone's pocket and the sky's the limit for many of these players as well as for their fans to see and to comment upon.

In the case of fallen number-one world golfer Tiger Woods. fans got to see Woods' personal debacle unfold ...the clean crispy hero turned into failure before our eyes, thanks, in part, to media and social media.

If not for his public outing, Tiger might have broken all records by now.

The media helped take the untouchable Tiger out of his winning rhythm...but, never fear! The PGA Tour announced on their website that Woods told Nicklaus he would be playing in the Memorial...websites add even more social fodder to the social world.

Tiger to Nicklaus: "See you in May. I'll be at the Memorial." http://t.co/QJr5EqWdw4 pic.twitter.com/Fm6ByJk3Mx
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) April 23, 2015

For Poulter, Dufner and others, the social connection gives them a chance to vent, helps their sponsors...and advertises to the public where to buy their books, clothing and more, further turning the machine.

Twitter seems to be the avenue of choice for celebrities, pro-sports stars including golfers, PGA Tour and LPGA to connect with audiences because of its quick and easy platform, which is why I have used this avenue in my examples.

Where does it all go from here? We as a people are moving forward and it looks as if social connectivity is here to stay, at least until the next big thing comes along. What is your opinion? Do you follow and interact with your favorite golfers on social media? Do you think we are living in an age of too much information?

Comment on Twitter @Golf4Beginners and at the bottom of this golf blog!


photo: golf.com

PGA Tour can learn from John Daly's social skills

Although the PGA Tour "communicates" with its fans through online giants Twitter and Facebook, people who follow don't usually receive much of a personal response. Two-way conversation is crucial to opening the doors of social media.

With social networking still in its infancy, the potential for growth within these two vastly contrasting formats is enormous, providing that the PGA Tour is willing to adapt its style to meet the demands of both.

Executive producer of PGA TOUR.com Scott Gutterman feels that by extending reach to Twitter and Facebook, fans will experience a "direct connection" that they crave but admits that "their audience numbers are not as high as the Tour would ultimately like." Guttman understands that "two-way communication of social media doesn’t happen overnight."

ESPN sports analyst and former NBA star Jalen Rose believes that "interaction" is the key to more fans and followers.

"The PGA needs to talk with the fans who are posting on their wall. They need to interact with people talking about golf on Twitter, and even have golfers give live lessons on Ustream! It’s time for the PGA to build a culture where golfers and golf fans come to the PGA’s social media accounts when they want to talk or find out more about the sport."

Various internet studies comparing Twitter and Facebook mention that, although many users have profiles in both communities with some interconnectedness, some celebrities grow a much larger fan base due to the scope and ease of communication through one social medium over the other.

Coincidentally, social media trends indicate that although most Fortune 100 companies have some type of social media presence, Twitter is becoming more popular.

For now, the PGA Tour seems to have a better connection with its Facebook group probably because this social media option is more like its current website.

The allure of Facebook is long-term community-driven status with the ability to apply pictures, information and a "face" to the Tour while Twitter followers appear to be more chatty and unreserved, wanting information in more immediate, quick bursts. Youtube.com is almost an offshoot of the PGATour.com website so, even though there were 4.4 million uploads of golf videos as well as over 128,000 visits to the site to date, it can hardly be considered "social" media.

Taking into consideration that the PGA Tour has more than double the number of Facebook fans (45,000) over Twitter followers (about 21,000) and that the PGA of America maintains that there are 27 million golfers in the USA, the Tour should be asking what can be done to grow their visibility on both platforms as well as internationally as golf is a worldwide sport.

One way to reach fans en masse and in person? How about on-course during an event: go to where the fans are and seek them out. Although cell phones are considered a "no-no" at events, perhaps the PGA Tour could set up special tents with Twitter on net books close enough to the action where fans could post tweets in exchange for giveaways. The winner gets tickets to a future event or an 'inside the ropes' activity. Sign up as a "follower" and see your name on one of the big boards around the golf course!

Six events are set up for the West Coast Swing alone, which puts into play two Arizona golf courses and four more in California. Followers could be increased by reaching out on-course as opposed to solely through internet strategies.

The list of "fan-friendly" PGA Tour golfers can perhaps also use their power of persuasion by adding the @PGATour link occasionally during a tweet. The connection between professional golfers and the Tour would benefit because the PGA Tour has the more statistical analysis while the golfer could add 'pizzazz'.

John Daly, one of the most vibrant "tweeters" in the world of social media, (@PGA_JohnDaly), currently has over 44,000 fans on Twitter, more than double the number of followers than @PGATour yet falls short on the number of Facebook followers with slightly more than 14,000 fans.

Daly keeps in touch and keeps it "real" and so he appeals more to Twitter fans. When someone asks a question (and he's available) they can expect a response from JD.

John involves the fans with regularity from mounting a Twitter campaign as the Golf Channel's next "Haney project" to offering autographed copies of his new CD. Now that's the way to market yourself!

Of course Daly's eclectic lifestyle makes many fans want to keep track of his larger-than-life status but maybe the PGA Tour should take a tip from JD when it comes to Twitter because communication and putting a face to the tour really helps in adding value to the brand.

Adding fan base may as simple as having a a few surprise celebrity "tweeters" on @PGATour or following a few of the hot golf bloggers to stir things up a little (like @golf4beginners for instance?)

Other PGA and LPGA Tour golfers are enjoying celebrity status on Twitter rather than on Facebook and finding it easier to jot down a quick note while practicing or even just after winning an event.

Ian Poulter, @Ianjamespoulter (7,004 Facebook/ 977,239 Twitter fans) just won his first event ever in the US, a match-play event and, at 2:01am after the event tweeted, "Evening friends, What a day, just sitting on my bed in palm springs, doing cobra commercial tomorrow. 6.45 start, so happy after winning." You can't get much closer to your golf hero than that!

Michelle Wie, @theMichelleWie (2,716 Facebook/14,984 Twitter) told her fans what she was doing on Valentines Day: "spending valentines day writing a paper and listening to Metallica in my hotel room. haha so ideal...not. :)" Who would have thought Michelle Wie to like Metallica!

Stewart Cink (2173 Facebook, 1,226,058 twitter) asked fans about some of their favorite songs: "Just listening to David Bowie's "Space Oddity" on the way to practice. One of few songs I like that include a countdown. Your favorites?"


All of the examples above have both Facebook pages and Twitter accounts but less time is needed for a 140 character update than the investment of time required with Facebook.

With the ability to have tweets directly imported to Facebook, MySpace and other social websites, fans still feel connected but the connection originated with Twitter. Facebook also looks and feels like any other website, with the ability to put up a "wall" separating the fans from personal connection.

That being said, both social media platforms are tools for communication, each with its own unique functionality. Whereas Twitter has become more of a quick way to meet friends and network, Facebook prides itself on a deeper level connection.

Both forms of social media are necessary in order for the PGA Tour to grow on an international level. If only the Tour could find a way to "humanize" itself and add a bit of the celebrity mix which people seem to gravitate towards, it would marry both its online business concern with a more approachable presence.

Written by Stacy Solomon
http://golf-for-beginners.blogspot.com
http://www.twitter.com/golf4beginners
Stacy Solomon on Facebook



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Lorena Ochoa LPGA golfer talks marriage, motherhood and Twitter?

MIKE SCANLAN: Lorena, we’d like to start with some LPGA business. In the past three weeks, we’ve announced three title sponsors: Sybase, Hana Bank and, just today, Kia.  Talk about the excitement of new partners being interested in the LPGA.

LORENA OCHOA: Hello Mike, hello everyone.  For sure that is great news.  Not only me, but all of the players believe that the LPGA is going in the right direction.  It’s nice to find out that we have new sponsors.  It helps a lot.  I’m excited to have more options to play tournaments.  It’s very special.  Thank you to the sponsors.  I’m looking forward to those tournaments.

Q. I just wanted to ask you, I know this is going to sound like a very strange question for someone who's coming off winning Player of the Year last year, but based on only three wins after such a big year in 2008, do you feel like it was sort of a little bit of a down season for you?
LORENA OCHOA:  I didn't understand the last part of the question.

Q.  Do you feel like it was sort of a down season even though you won Player of the Year and had so many strong finishes after winning so many times in 2008?
LORENA OCHOA:  No, no, I would never consider it a down season, what happened in 2009.  The opposite, I always try to look everything and learn as much as I can.  It was really tough in different ways, in my personal life, also a lot of things happened for me outside the golf course.  So with all of that and being able to maintain my title and stay at the No. 1 player in the world, it means a lot.  When it's tougher and when you achieve something, it feels a lot better.  So I'm really happy the way I finished, and I'm excited to start 2010.

Q.  I guess a couple quick ones.  One of them is going to be a fun one.  The first one, if you could comment a little bit about your thoughts on the whole groove situation with the new rulings coming in, and of course on the PGA side Phil Mickelson making some waves there with his decision to play some wedges from Ping that do conform but don't conform according to other people and loopholes.  Have you been doing anything to work with that?  What are your thoughts on it?
LORENA OCHOA:  Well, I think just like everybody else, I got my new clubs early, first week of January, and I've been practicing with them since that time.  I feel very comfortable.  I think you can notice maybe a very small change.  To me the ball just maybe comes out a little bit higher and a little bit harder to get a lot of spin.  But not much of a difference.  I'm happy.  I'm confident that I have the right equipment for me.  Ping has always been working extremely hard for us, and I'm ready to go.  I think the change is for all of the players, so you just need to be patient and go with the change.

Q.  When will we see Lorena Ochoa on Twitter Tweeting regularly?
LORENA OCHOA:  No, never.  I'm not that type of person for sure.

Q.  Can you talk about any concerns you might have as far as the schedule whereas you guys can play two weeks in a row and then have three off, play a tournament, then have three weeks off, and then you also have in the middle of the summer I think it's five major tournaments in six weeks.  Can you just talk about any concerns you might have of staying sharp or conserving energy as you get into the middle of the summer?  Just talk about the schedule, please.
LORENA OCHOA:  Yes.  Well, I'm really happy.  To me it looks good.  That's the way it is, and I just think we need to try to work around.  I think as much time for me as I can spend at home is great news.  Now that I'm married, everything is good for me, and it's just nice to be home.  And at the same time I get to practice, have a lot more practice time with my coach here in Mexico.  So I don't mind at all having a few weeks off.
    You are correct about the summer.  You need to be careful and be at the top of your game to play good five weeks, because probably those five weeks are going to mark the rest of the year.

Q.  Do you have any idea how many you will play this year?
LORENA OCHOA:  About the same.  I think I have my schedule right now at 23 ‑‑ 22, 23, so we'll see.  There will be maybe one more or one less, but just around that number.

Q.  And then the last question, I've talked to other players, and they say one of the great things about the fact that there are so few tournaments is the fact that every tournament is going to be loaded with the best players.  Do you feel that, and what are your thoughts on the fact that most every top player is going to play most every event?
LORENA OCHOA:  Well, I think this has been happening for the last couple years.  I think it's very amazing how we have every tournament the top players, and I like that.  I think the better the competition gets, the more exciting for the media, for us, for all the fans that come and watch us play, so I like that.  Hopefully we just come together and be there every week to have a great tournament to be successful.

Q.  Congratulations on the marriage. I wanted to ask you a little bit about that. How did the ceremony go? Were there a lot of people there? Did any other Tour players attend? And what's it like being a mom? I know your family just got a lot bigger.
LORENA OCHOA: Yes. Well, thank you. It is a change. Right now I'm enjoying the moment. The ceremony, it was beautiful. It was in Guadalajara close to home. It was a small ceremony. We decided not to have very many people from the outside, so we didn't have any LPGA professionals. It was just some relatives and very, very close friends.

Right now I'm living in Mexico City. We moved up here.  Andres has been here for many years, so I'm living in Mexico City, and everything is going very well.  I'm excited.  Family is the most important thing, so I'm trying to learn and to do my best.

Q.  How old are Andres' kids, and to ask you the million‑dollar Annika question, do you think you'll be having a child of your own sometime soon?
LORENA OCHOA:  Andres' kids are ‑‑ the oldest one is turning 14 this Sunday, and then 12 is a girl, and then 7 is a girl.  They are at a fun age.  We go and play sometimes golf, sometimes tennis.  We like to spend some time together.
    Having kids of my own, I think I still want to wait a little bit.  I'm going to keep playing for a few years, and then after that we'll make a decision.

Q.  With all the off‑season activity going on in your life, do you have any concerns about being able to focus on golf when it's time to focus on golf, whether it's practicing or whether it's competing?
LORENA OCHOA:  No, no concerns.  I think it's been very clear, Andres has been with me for a few years, and he knows how is my life.  We've been pretty good about not spending too long or too much time without seeing each other, so he's going to try to travel as much as he can.  The practicing is going well.  I'm taking the time I need to and being there 100 percent.  So everything is going well.
    I think if you are happy, it's a lot easier to play good golf, so I'm trying to go that way.

Q.  You have a new commissioner now.  I know Mike has had a chance to get to know some of the players last fall and into the start of this year.  What are your impressions of the new commissioner?
LORENA OCHOA:  Well, I think we can see so far that we're making some improvements and some changes.  I had the opportunity to meet him in Houston just very briefly; I wanted to say thank you.  For us it's very important to support him, just to tell him that he has my support and as much as we can do to help, we are willing to do.  We're going to work together.

Q.  With everything that happened during the off‑season, your new family structure and everything, can you tell us and give us some specifics about how you've prepared during the off‑season for the upcoming LPGA Tour season?
LORENA OCHOA:  It's not that ‑‑ I always like to talk about the way do things.  Now I'm in Mexico City.  I've been taking the time like I always do to practice six, seven hours and go to the gym a couple hours every day.  My coach is traveling here to watch me play and help me a little bit with technique like we always do.  So I'm prepared.  That's all I can say.  I'm excited.  We all can't wait to start playing and make the trip.  I'm going to fly out on Sunday and be there to start the year.

Q.  2009 was kind of a breakthrough year for a couple of players, maybe not breakthrough but you saw up close ‑‑ rather the rivalry you have now with Jiyai Shin and Michelle Wie winning your tournament.  The emergence of those players and maybe a couple others, does that inspire you in the off‑season to make sure that you are sharp for the following year?
LORENA OCHOA:  Well I think yes, for sure I know that the competition is getting tougher and tougher.  But at the same time I never pay too much attention to other players.  I always try to focus on my game and to see where are the things that I can improve and work on.  This has been the case this year, just trying to improve on my short game and my putting.  Believe me, I have enough motivation.  I want to stay at the top and practice very hard every day to be up there.

Q.  You'll been coming down to Thailand and Singapore in the next few weeks.  How important is it to set down a marker when you arrive and play really, really well?
LORENA OCHOA:  Well, of course it will be important, but I'm going to do it just like I always do, just be prepared and try to get a good practice round to see the golf course and give 100 percent every day.  I don't like to think too much ahead, just kind of one day at a time and put myself in a good position for the weekend.  I think it should be fun for all of us to see each other and get the Tour started.

Q.  When you do come down, you'll be with Michelle Wie who will be making her first visit to Thailand and Singapore.  Chances are the press are going to go a bit crazy over her.  Do you think that will take off some of the pressure from you, or do you think it's a bit unfair for everyone focusing so much on Michelle Wie?
LORENA OCHOA:  Either way, it is something that is out of my hands.  I'd be happy to be there and help the media and be nice with all the fans.  But if Michelle takes a lot of attention, that's good, too.  I think what is important is to be there on Thursday and try to make as many birdies as you can.

Q.  I saw on the schedule on your website that the tournament in northwest Arkansas is one of the few you have not decided not to play in, and I was kind of just wondering if that was a final decision, and if it is, why you decided you're not playing there.
LORENA OCHOA:  Well, I have a number of tournaments that I would like to play, and they go very well with my schedule going back and forth from the States from Mexico City to be here at home.  It is not a final decision.  I'm going to add maybe one or two more tournaments at the end of the year later on when the weeks go on.  So I will consider that and maybe have different news later in the year.

Q.  I have two questions for you.  I just wanted to follow up regarding Michael Whan.  You mentioned there had been some improvements and changes that you've seen from him.  I know he's only been in the commissioner's office for over a month, but is there anything specific you've noticed that he's done, whether it's reaching out to certain players or anything else that he's done that's kind of had a nice impression on you and maybe some other players besides the addition of the tournaments for the 2010 season thus far?
LORENA OCHOA:  From what I can see, he's trying to learn as much as he can, interviewing different players and getting as much information as he can before making any big moves.  I think that's very important at least to the players to see what we need and what is best for us.  So I think that's a great way to start.
    And having the new sponsorships and having more tournaments, you know, I think a lot of those things are a clear mark that he's working in the right direction.  Hopefully those relationships become very strong and we continue to have better tournaments in the next few years.

    Q.  My next question is you've had so much success in Southern California dating all the way back to the Junior World Golf Championships and you've won at Bighorn, obviously won the Kraft Nabisco.  How excited are you that there's another tournament on the schedule for 2010 down at La Costa?
    LORENA OCHOA:  Yeah, I'm very excited.  We're going to have plans with my family and relatives that are excited to come and watch me play.  There are so many Mexicans in San Diego that I think it will be nice to have a lot of support during that week.  I'm looking forward to it.  I'll be there for the tournament and supporting the new event.

Q.  Did you say you have relatives in San Diego or just coming up from Mexico?
LORENA OCHOA:  Coming up from Mexico.

Q.  I'm not sure if this question has been asked because I just joined a while ago.  What are your thoughts on the whole issue with the whole controversy with Tiger Woods?  What was your first reaction when you first heard the news?  And do you think it will affect him?  Do you think he'll still be able to go out and win some more majors?  And the other question is your thoughts on coming back to Singapore?
LORENA OCHOA:  Well, about Tiger Woods, I really don't have much to say.  I think for all of us, it was a big surprise, disappointment in many ways.  But hopefully he's taking care of his problems and hopefully he'll be back soon.  I have nothing else to say.
    I'm excited to go to Singapore, of course.  It's a beautiful place.  I've won there before, and I'm looking forward to having a great year.

Q.  You have been a source of great pride and good news for Mexicans, especially here in the U.S. where all the news coming from Mexico usually is bad news.  What are your thoughts about the situation that our country is living in right now with crime and drugs, et cetera?
LORENA OCHOA:  Well, I think for sure I would like to see the country in a better position with the politics and especially the security, to be better not only in Mexico City but in different parts of the country.  But at the same time, there's not much I can do.  I'm trying to play my sport and to do the best I can to keep as many Mexicans as I can happy, so hopefully we continue that and hopefully I see the support like I always have seen through the years and enjoy every tournament.

Q.  Second, do you see more Mexican golfers coming up following in your steps in golf?
LORENA OCHOA:  Yes, for sure.  Especially here in Mexico, before used to be only three, four girls playing.  Now in every Cup there's more than 30 or 40 or 50 girls playing.  It's very interesting and very special to see those kids playing, and I believe that we could have more professionals in the future.

Q.  Can you mention some names?
LORENA OCHOA:  It's hard to mention names.  Right now what we have is two professionals that have the best opportunity to be on the LPGA is Tanya Dergal and Sophia Sheridan.  They are really close to being on the LPGA.  Hopefully they continue trying and working hard, and we'll see them maybe in the next year.

Q.  Have you ever played at La Costa, which is the site of the LPGA Classic?  And if you have, what are your thoughts on that course?
LORENA OCHOA:  No, I've never played there.  It will be the first time for me.

Q.  But you probably have some strong memories of playing in San Diego all those years you played at the Junior World.  When you look back on that time, does anything really stick out, all those years you played at the Junior World in San Diego?
LORENA OCHOA:  Yes, for sure, those were some of my best memories.  That's why I'm here today.  I remember those tournaments very well, winning and being there with all the players and my parents.  They used to come every year to watch me play.  That's what gave me the motivation to keep playing and to really make me love the game.
    You know, those are great memories.  I always keep them on the top of my list, and I'm excited to go back and be in the area.

Q.  I didn't see your schedule, but I'm just wondering if Canada is on it.  And number two, you've been coming up here for years; I'm just wondering if you have seen that tournament grow considerably since you first started coming up here.
LORENA OCHOA:  Yes, I will be playing for sure.  It's a tournament that I love to go.  I think CN has done a wonderful job just getting more fans and putting a top tournament together.  I think we all agree with that.  It's just wonderful to see the volunteers and the sponsors and the community to get involved and help.  I have nothing to say but good things.  It's been a great experience.  We'll be there later in the summer.

Q.  Have you ever played in Winnipeg?
LORENA OCHOA:  No, never.  I'm excited.

You can find a link to the audio from today’s conference call here -- http://www.conferenceplayback.com/stream/35761154/SCAN0210.mp3

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Photo Credit: © 2011 US Womens Open

Do the Caddyshack and the hole-in-one and don't let your macho get in the way

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With the excitement surrounding "the new and improved" John Daly's return to the PGA Tour and the buzz encircling 2008 Rolex Rookie of the Year Yani Tseng's win at the Corning Classic with an upcoming second major try at the McDonalds LPGA Championship, golfers are getting out onto the course in droves attempting to mimic the shots of the professionals.

More often than not, amateurs are stepping to the back tees and seeing more of the golf course than need be, and this usually refers to the men! Does this sound like you, Mr. Macho? Whereas women, in my opinion, are inclined to play a game of accuracy, men have a tendency to ignore course and slope ratings in favor of the thrill of "tipping it out" with a similar level of ability as from a more forward position.

But, is it such a terrible affair to try your luck from the tips, not worrying so much about which teebox suits your skill level or will it help improve your game in the long run?

If your tee shots are shorter than your opponents, you may not be able to "drive for show" and you may be forced to use longer clubs on your approach to the green. The inability to outdrive your competitor may actually creep into your mental game, psyching you out and forcing you to question your ability.

Commenters on the Golf Channel's discussion boards agree that ego plays a large part in the game of golf. Problems that ensue include overswinging as well making bad course management decisions.

As one analogy stated, "If you were a beginner or intermediate skier would you ski down a double black diamond run? Unlikely.

Most recently I have been placed into the position of playing from the "whites" or men's tees (in many cases) and found that the game changes enormously as you step back. After several attempts of struggling with my long game and mainly woods, I moved forward to the ladies tees and the result was definitive! I actually found myself more self-assured, with my entire game cooperating from tee to green.

I can't hit a golf ball 295 yards just short of the green like Michelle Wie does so my ego is put on hold by keeping home plate at the senior tees!

This week, Golf for Beginners focuses on fun and easy golf exercises to improve core strength and flexibility so that, when you do get out to the course, you will be the Tiger on the tee!


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"Shiny Tech" courtesy of Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)"

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