One Rule Change (Almost) All Agree On: The Caddie Lineup

/

While I'm still reading through many of the new Rules of Golf language and many responses, I'm certain nearly everyone is ecstatic to see the new rule preventing caddies from lining up players.

Not only was it inconsistent with rules attempting to unify the professional and amateur game, but also contradicted efforts to speed up the game.

Caddies lining up players also undermined respect for LPGA Tour players, who were most likely to take advantage of this rules book gap. With that in mind, Randall Mell at GolfChannel.com explores what this means for the LPGA Tour and while most were positive, there was one player not pleased.

Brittany Lincicome, however, didn’t seem pleased.

“I disagree!” Lincicome tweeted. “Lining up players has nothing to do with pace of play. I get 40 [seconds], I should be able to do what I want!”

Lincicome tweeted a pair of angry emojis after her comment.

The story goes on to explore some of the dynamics of why female tour players rely on caddies to line them up. Now that the rule will be changed, this freed up the opinions of Jerry Foltz and Karen Stupples are the most forthright that I've read.

“I think women in general are more likely to delegate stuff to other people,” Stupples said. “I think it’s about reassurance more than anything else. I think that’s just conditioning. When you have someone behind you saying, `You’re good,’ that’s just confirmation.”

That is why the practice had to go.

LPGA At 22 Domestic Events, U.S. Women's Open A $5M Purse

/

The momentum of the LPGA Tour's business side continues under Commissioner Mike Whan's tenure, with purse increases at the majors and 22 events in the United States (but three domestic events disappear, including the Swinging Skirts at Lake Merced). 

Randall Mell notes the new events for GolfChannel.com as well as the purse increases.

The new schedule features four new events, the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Ladies Open, the McKayson New Zealand Women’s Open, the Indy Women in Tech event at Brickyard Crossing in Indianapolis and the Thornberry Creek Classic in Green Bay, Wis.

This Golfweek report notes the return of match play in a revamped Lorena Ochoa Invitational and the USGA's $1 million purse increase at the U.S. Women's Open.

On the match play event and the dying events.

The biggest surprise of Wednesday’s announcement is that match play will return to the LPGA schedule for the first time since 2012. The Lorena Ochoa Invitational, a tournament that struggled to get a strong field in recent years, will transition into the Lorena Ochoa Match Play and will feature a field of 64. The event will also move from the fall to the spring and will be held at Club de Golf México in Mexico City, the tournament site since 2014.

Three domestic events, the Yokohama Tire LPGA Classic (Prattville, Ala.), Swinging Skirts LPGA Classic (Daly City, Calif.), and Coates Golf Championship (Ocala, Fla.) will not return. 2017 will mark the first time the LPGA hasn’t competed on a Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail property in 19 years.

What's Up With The State Of America's Women Golfers?

/

As the LPGA wraps up its season, Bill Fields tackles the sensitive topic of American women's golf. Sensitive because it's usually just chalked up to South Korean golfers working harder. But as Fields notes, the issue may be something both straightforward and difficult to address given the already robust college golf system.

Writing for ESPNW, Fields says...

Talented female golfers in other parts of the world frequently are immersed in golf at younger ages through organized channels of a national scope -- federations or associations charged with developing and supporting young talent. No existing American entity has that responsibility.

"It really is a missing link here," says Hall of Famer and 31-time LPGA winner Juli Inkster. "Places are trying to grow the game but not really grow individuals. We don't have a federation to push our young athletic girls into golf, and we've come to a point where we need a federation to really grow top-level golfers. I'm not saying our girls aren't good, because they are. But they've grown up in a different type of golf atmosphere."

Impressive: '21 Solheim Cup Going To Inverness

/

Few gems have served the game better than Inverness. Even having grown too short for the modern ball and having seen a few holes badly defaced by the Fazio's, Donald Ross's design retains a character that few other inland courses enjoy. The joint first tee, the walkability factor, the character-rich holes and the golf-first approach of the membership makes it a such an important course for all to see.

Yet Inverness has had trouble luring a significant event, so news of it getting the 2021 Solheim Cup is both tremendous for fans and for the cup. Of the upcoming Solheim Cup courses--Des Moines Golf & CC, Gleneagles--it's easily the best. In fact, of all professsional Cup courses currently scheduled, this is the best architecturally. It's just a shame we have to wait so long.

Randell Mell with all the details at GolfChannel.com.

Ran Morrissett filed this review in 2014 while also previewing some improvements to the course.

Se Ri Pak Retires In Style

/

To many players she's the Tiger Woods of women's golf, a pioneer/all-time great and class act extraordinaire. Se Ri took one last turn around the links before calling it a career following round one of the KEB HanaBank Championship.

Beth Ann Nichols filing from Incheon, Korea with a nice Golfweek send-off handled in first rate fashion.

Generations of Se Ri Pak fans filled the grandstands as moving tributes played on the big screen and the angelic sound of a children’s choir filled the air.

It was a farewell fit for a queen.

“I must be the only athlete ever to be sent off with such a moving and beautiful retirement ceremony,” Pak said.

Pak’s first loop around the Ocean Course at the KEB HanaBank Championship was the last of her career. It had to end here on home soil, even if a nagging shoulder injury kept her from completing 72 holes. Pak cleared the stage for the next generation of “Se Ri’s” kids. She’ll hang around Sky72 the rest of the week signing autographs and making everyone – from CEOs to eager fans – feel like they matter most.

“She’s got class you can’t teach,” said Mo Martin.

An LPGA tribute video:

Deja Vu All Over Again Files: Penalty Talk Overtakes U.S. Women's Open; USGA Prez Botches Another Trophy Ceremony

/

We watched late here into the night in the de-United Kingdom and it was surreal watching players notified on the fairway about Anna Nordqvist's barely discernable brushing of the sand, adding two strokes to her aggregate playoff score.

Ron Sirak on Brittany Lang's U.S. Women Open victory and the cloud hanging over the rules once again as HD cameras picked up something the naked eye could not have detected.

Sure to be second-guessed will be the fact TV was used to detect the violation and that Nordqvist was informed of the penalty after she hit her third shot into No. 18 while Lang found out before she played her third over a water hazard, timing that could have affected how boldly she played the shot.

“We got the information out to the players as soon as we could,” the USGA said in a statement.

After Johnson was told on No. 12 tee that he might be assessed a penalty for his ball moving on No. 5 the USGA said it would expedite such decisions. In that case, Dustin played the last seven holes not exactly certain if he would be penalized.

Well they expedited the notification, but isn't that the least of the issues? Thoughts and reactions?

There was also some less than speedy play, with Lydia Ko fessing up that she deserved to be put on the clock Sunday. Keely Levins reports.

And finally, there was USGA President Diana Murphy botching a second straight U.S.G.A. trophy ceremony, making everyone excited about what she'll do next at the Senior Open!