TennesseeCarl Posted May 24, 2003 Share Posted May 24, 2003 I admit, I'm not a golfer and view it about on a par with bowling in terms of skill and spectator appeal. I realize that I'm probably in a minority on that. But I follow it with the casual interest of a sports fan. I had no problem with Sorenstam joining the men, but I thought it was to prove she could hang with the men. So what does it mean when she missed the cut on what apparently is one of easier PGA courses (scores have been pretty low). Couldn't a good male amateur go out and miss the cut? The media went nuts when Annika went out and shot a 71 on the first day. But the news of her 74 and missing the cut made page 6 in our local paper. I take it nobody (other than Vijay Singh) was willing to say that maybe what she proved is that women couldn't compete on the male tour. Don't you love the P.C. times in which we live? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brave Posted May 24, 2003 Share Posted May 24, 2003 It proved that, at her best, on the right course, in the right conditions ... she can compete with a lot of men on the tour for awhile, but in general the best woman golfer couldn't compete regularly at that level. It proved she's a damn fine golfer ... and a brave soul. It proved once again that in today's sports world there is no end to what will be done to make a few headlines. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tarhog Posted May 24, 2003 Share Posted May 24, 2003 You know, its interesting, I'd have more respect for this whole endeavor if she was seeking to join the PGA Tour full time. As it stands, this was really nothing more than a publicity stunt (not that that was Sorenstam's intention, but nevertheless, thats all it amounted to in the end). I actually think its possible she could compete and even conceivably notch a win or two eventually on the men's tour if she committed to it and were allowed to earn her tour card and compete over the long haul. If her true purpose were to compete 'with the best', I'd expect her to pursue that goal. Since she's not apparently going to compete again, I have to take all of her talk regarding 'testing herself' against the best as mostly that...talk. I'll admit I was pulling for her and overall considering the intense pressure and attention focused on her, she performed pretty well. In answer to the question posed though, I'd have to say it didn't prove much. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blondie Posted May 24, 2003 Share Posted May 24, 2003 Originally posted by Brave It proved once again that in today's sports world there is no end to what will be done to make a few headlines. Well said. Not only in sports.......but in this day and age.....most anything will be done to get those 15 minutes of fame. Blondie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DSF Posted May 24, 2003 Share Posted May 24, 2003 Compete?? She didnt make the cut on the SHORTEST course on the tour. Her putting held her back a lot as well. Shes the best womens golfer currently and she produced a 5 over par on the shortest course there is in the mens bracket. To me it proved she doesnt belong on the tour and guys have their course as women do theirs for a reason. I was actually hoping she make the cut to prove me and so many other critics wrong but she didnt. She even said on her first day that she played the round of her life. OF HER LIFE!.. on the SHORTEST course on the tour, obviously I cant stress that enough. I give her props though for handling the pressure the way she did and competing the way she did for the BEST womans golfer currently. I just dont think it should be a prelude to anything else other then a cheap publicity stunt. Nice try though Annika, showed some grit in the very least. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
riggins44 Posted May 24, 2003 Share Posted May 24, 2003 I think she proved she could compete with alot of the PGA players. The odds were against her this week, because of all the media hype. The circus atmosphere was a mental drain on her. Golf is a game where you need to be mentally sharp. (at least on professional level...few beers never hurt my game) She did better than odds makers said. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Wicked Wop Posted May 24, 2003 Share Posted May 24, 2003 The odds were against her this week, because of all the media hype. The circus atmosphere was a mental drain on her. Totally agree.....aside form the putting, I thought she did a great job all things considered. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
codeorama Posted May 24, 2003 Share Posted May 24, 2003 The spin on this whole thing amazes me. She is the Tiger Woods of the LPGA but couldn't make the cut on an easy PGA course. I'll give her credit, she did do better than some of the guys, but maybe those guys need to be on the LPGA:laugh: Bottom line for me, it shows that no woman yet can compete on the PGA tour on a regular basis. (I'm sure on any given day with different circumstances she may have fared differently) I play golf and its a tough sport. My uncle is nearly a scratch golfer from the pro tees, he may have been able to score similar to Annika, which isn't bad for a guy who plays for recreation rather than as a job. He started the wheels in motion for qualifying for the PGA tour about 20 years ago, but he didn't have a financial backer that would make it possible for him. It takes a ton of money to do it. You have to be able to focus on nothing but golf. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Om Posted May 24, 2003 Share Posted May 24, 2003 Said this over in FedEx on that other modest Annika thread: I think, right now, that there are a few million young 9, 10, 11, 12 year-old young lady golfers around the world -- not to mention 13 year-old Ms. Lee from Hawaii -- who are watching Ms. Sorenstam not embarrass herself out there, and thinking to themselves, hmmmmm .... And you know what? Some of them will grow up with game, and with bodies like Serena ... and they won't be afraid to tee it up in Q School. The genie's out. Better drink up. * That's the legacy. The signficance of Sorenstam's Excellent Colonial Adventure was less about her and women's golf in 2003 than it was what her having proven to be "just one of the guys," and how that will affect golf itself in, say ... 2013. Bold prediction: by then, there will at least one female golfer playing on the PGA Tour who got there without any artifice of exemption, but by qualifying alongside the men. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
riggins44 Posted May 24, 2003 Share Posted May 24, 2003 Code, you talk about focus....well with those pics in your sig I have a hard time focusing on anything you post (except Anna). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbooma Posted May 24, 2003 Share Posted May 24, 2003 proved she could beat 11 other golfers Like OM said, this is going to open the doors for others to attempt and one day make it. This also proved I wished I could hit the ball like her The networks turned it into a publicity stunt, she didn't want that, she just wanted to play. That is why she won't do it again, to much craziness and all over one game of golf. She has balls thats for sure even trying this. :notworthy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheKurp Posted May 24, 2003 Share Posted May 24, 2003 Om has come the closest to expressing my sentiments. Here's the thing. Would there be golfers with the skill of Woods and Sorenstam if it weren't a profession? In other words, it requires a great deal of time, energy, dedication, and practice to play at the level seen today on the PGA and LPGA. If one couldn't earn money playing golf, very few would be able to make the commitment to achieve the level of skill seen in today's game. So where does the money come from? The fans of course. Can anyone deny that Sorenstam's participation didn't generate interest from many who normally wouldn't follow this event, or even golf for that matter? Based on that alone, this Annika "experiment" was a success. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenn X Posted May 24, 2003 Share Posted May 24, 2003 I could care less about golf, but I found myself wanting to see her make the cut. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bubba9497 Posted May 24, 2003 Share Posted May 24, 2003 Originally posted by Glenn X I could care less about golf, but I found myself wanting to see her make the cut. me too Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
codeorama Posted May 24, 2003 Share Posted May 24, 2003 Originally posted by riggins44 Code, you talk about focus....well with those pics in your sig I have a hard time focusing on anything you post (except Anna). Sorry, Sometimes I stare at my own posts as well.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Art Posted May 24, 2003 Share Posted May 24, 2003 TC, The best woman golfer in the world today and perhaps ever entered a second rate, easy PGA tour event and finished ahead of just 12 people. In fact, yes, it shows women can't play on the PGA tour. That's not only the precise thing it proved, but, the clarity by which it was proven is jolting. Mostly because no one can say Sorenstam didn't play well. She did play well. And these were still the results. Anyone who can't admit what happened and the position of woman's golf is kidding themselves. But, you're right that in today's PC times people will accentuate the mild positives of her participation in that she didn't completely spike herself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Om Posted May 25, 2003 Share Posted May 25, 2003 Actually, Art, the more appropriate way to phrase it, I submit, is that she finished ahead of 12 men. How'd ya like to be one of those poor slobs in the locker room at the next tournament? Poor b@stards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tarhog Posted May 25, 2003 Share Posted May 25, 2003 Originally posted by Art TC, The best woman golfer in the world today and perhaps ever entered a second rate, easy PGA tour event and finished ahead of just 12 people. In fact, yes, it shows women can't play on the PGA tour. That's not only the precise thing it proved, but, the clarity by which it was proven is jolting. Mostly because no one can say Sorenstam didn't play well. She did play well. And these were still the results. Anyone who can't admit what happened and the position of woman's golf is kidding themselves. But, you're right that in today's PC times people will accentuate the mild positives of her participation in that she didn't completely spike herself. In terms of what this meant on a grand scale, I have to agree Art. However, in terms of Sorenstam herself, it was only one tournament. I believe, with less hype, attention, and pressure, Sorenstam could probably be an occasional top ten finisher, possibly even win a minor event here or there. The larger question is, what difference does it make? As I said earlier, I don't understand, if Sorenstam truly is looking for competition, why she doesn't jump into the PGA fulltime. I'd have a lot of respect for her if she did. But she won't, because like most of us, she'd rather be a big fish in a little pond than a struggling journeyman who's truly challenged on a daily basis. I think it would be great if a truly gifted female like Sorenstam showed she was willing to put it out there and compete with males, and if she was successful, most men would (contrary to stereotype) give her props and then some. I've always felt that if a woman can walk the walk, not just talk the talk, then bring it on. I applaud that. And I do sense that Sorenstam could compete at a reasonable degree in the PGA. My question is why she is crawling back to the LPGA where she knows she'll dominate? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
earl Posted May 25, 2003 Share Posted May 25, 2003 it proved that the golf world is nothing more than a bunch of rich rednecks. i mean augusta won't allow women members, and now they get bent all out of shape when a woman wants to try out. remember fuzzy zeller when tiger won for the first time, and how bent out of shape he was. It's the same thing. Golf used to be limited to high society white men, and now with the popularity of the sport it is expanding to different types of people and these old bigots can't handle it. I mean its golf it's not like other sports where u are actually competing against each other. when it really comes down to it, it's just you and the course. so what difference does it make if there is a woman out there? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Burgold Posted May 25, 2003 Share Posted May 25, 2003 Question. How much of putting is physical versus mental. From what I read, her putting betrayed her much more than her legnth. If it was a strenght, speed of club issue, I would have imagined it the other way around. If putting is more mental, than the nerves and the moment are what cost her several strokes. Some said with a little better short game she would have been 3 or four under that first day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TennesseeCarl Posted May 25, 2003 Author Share Posted May 25, 2003 It just bothered me to see Annika's little adventure being billed up there as a major civil rights event. I didn't think it was. And if we want gender equality, that's fine with me. Let women play in the PGA, pro tennis, basketball or even football. If they can make it, that's great. I just don't think they would make it. (Of course, I'd guess that male gymnasts might not want to try those splits on the balance beam either). Anyone interested in watching the LPGA after seeing how the best female golfer fared against the best golfers? I think OM has a good point about how young female athletes watching and thinking, 'Why not me?' And it'll happen. But not for a while - and when it does, it may destroy traditional women's sports. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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