golfweloveit

According to the latest European Tour video “tired of being asked to take part in viral videos by media types, five European Tour stars decided to assemble the Content Committee, convinced they could come up with better ideas themselves”.

I decided to virtually gatecrash the meeting and, seeing the Ideas board (liking “Keeping Up With the Aphibarnrats”)  decided to chip in myself:

Made In Wentworth

The Real Housewives of the European Tour

The Great British Play Off

Project Fairway

The Only Way Is Matchplay

So You Think You Can Putt?

The PGA Apprentice

Queer Eye For The Straight Hitter

Extreme Course Makeover: Ernie Edition

Rory Shore

Top Shank

Absolutely Abu Dhabi

Ho Sung Choi, 45, winner of 2 Japan Tour titles, has accepted a sponsor’s invitation to olay in the Pebble Beach Pro Am February 7-10. He said

“I never imagined this day would come,” Choi said, according to multiple reports. “I took up golf at the age of 25, after a hard life. I’m fully aware that none of this would be possible without the love and support of my fans. I will, of course, do my best, wherever I go.”

He was given the invite after a petition – The Korean is in good form he won the Casio World Open in November that propelled him into the top 200 of the Official World Golf Ranking (he’s currently No. 200) for the first time.

A further online petition, to get him invited to play in the Waste Management Phoenix Open currently has 5,000 plus signatures

Dear PGA Tour/Phoenix Thunderbirds/Whom it may concern,

“Once in a generation golfer, Hosung Chou, has BURST out onto the scene and i to our hearts this past 2018. Being arguably the most entertaining golfer to watch, I and many others strongly feel he deserves a sponsors exemption into the 2019 Waste Management Phoenix Open. The “Greatest Show On Grass” NEEDS to have the Greatest Showman ithe game. We are politely asking that you would extend one of your soonsors exemptions to Hosung Choi, so that we can see his greatness up close.

The power of You Tube!

Most of us would have just stuck lead tape on the back of the club, not Bryson De Chambeau who revealed his re-designed Cobra lob wedge at the tournament in Hawaii last week where he finished 10th. The longer length 60 degree wedge has had 35 grams out of the club taken out of the back flange. It has a narrow leading edge to help him get under the ball easier on tight lies.

Having only just got into Nintendo Switch I’m loving the whole concept of Golf Story, in particular the strategy advice from the older golfers to the youngers, but they speak their language and rap at them. Inspired.

Former Masters cahampion Bubba Watson, sponsored by Oakley, has developed some novel ways of getting round the golf course quicker.

A rainbow appeared over Wai’lae Golf Club as Matt Kuchar holed out for a three shot win over Andrew Puttnam. ‘It was a magical moment’ said the 40 year old winner.

This is Kuchar’s second win in three starts – he won the Mayakoba Classic which was his first title in four years in November. His final round of 66 on Sunday included three birdies over thr last four holrs and the final 10 holes were played in 6 under par. The short course of 7,000 yards and the need for precision off the tee and into the small greens suited his game. He lead in three statistics this week. The only thing he did wrong was in his post tournament conference he quoted Jay-Zee as saying “forty is the new twenty”, alluding to how he felt. In fact Jay-Zee sang “thirty is the new twenty” but who’s counting?

Meet Tom McKibbin, from the same Holywood Golf Club that Rory McIlroy learned the game. Tom represents Ireland at Under 18 level.

Heavy snow over Europe and in Chicago where young golfers at Northwestern University are taking advantage of their indoor practice facility. More of these are needed, everywhere.

Required viewing for anyone going to Japan to play golf, there’s a whole new culture in Japanese clubs that you need to know about. Loving the remote control carts that drive themselves and the legendary lady caddies.

Very clear thoughts this week from former LPGA pro Anya Alvarez who points out how equipment manufacturers miss the mark when they market to women. The female percentage of the golf market is 20% and stagnant, it’s a huge opportunity for clubs, teaching pros and sports equipment companies to make new money. But they are getting it wrong because they are making assumptions.

She says until we are treated like golfers, and not women who happen to play golf, things are not going to change. We feel like we’re being patronised when we’re offered things that are pink and sparkly, something that the image LPGA pro Paula Creamer hasn’t helped with. As she says pink shouldn’t be a strategy unless someone is specifically raising money for breast cancer research,

Stop gendering us and pandering with stereotypes, Women are really turned off by the lack of options presented to them. When a woman walks into a store ask how long theyve been playing, what their goals are and what kind of clubs they would like to play with. Don’t force certain colours and styles on them, the lack of choices can cause women to feel hostile towards a company – women want to be treated like serious consumers.

As the R&A  have pointed out every time they examine how to draw more people into golf and grow the game, the women’s market has huge, untapped potential. But perhaps there needs to be some serious thought about re-educating the people who sell equipment to treat women in a different way because at times it’s thoughtless. And that thoughtlessness is keeping the game in decline because a huge, untapped market of potential golfers are being turned away, intimidated by the 80% who don’t want to even think about what the 20% want, because it holds no personal relevance or interest to them, but people in pro shops and equipment stores need to think again and approach women golfers differently,