PGA vs. LPGA Battle of the Sexes

[MtlJeff]

There's a lot of stuff that could conceivably be popular that for whatever reason doesn't happen. Look how long it took production companies to realize that comic book franchises print money at the box office.

 

I don't think a battle of the sexes would be a game changer for golf, I'm not sure anything would be (I'm still wondering why there is no all-star weekend in golf)... But could it be incrementally better than some of the events we have now?

 

I think yes

[MountainKing]

The comments here give me a headache, am I the only one thinking that if either tour thought they had something in this event it would already be going on? If the presidents cup could be turned into something then this easily could be turned into something, and could be cool for both sides of the game, especially if they did a mixed team event.

 

I don't think this would ever see the light of day. Neither tour has much to gain. The men go out and lose to the women. How bad would that be? If they win, do they pick up any new fans? Very unlikely.

 

Likewise, the women go out and get completely trounced by the men. 'Doesn't really help attract fans.

 

The Wendy's 3 Tour Challenge had only 3 players from each tour, and clearly not the top of the rankings. The results were fairly meaningless.

 

I'd like to see more tournaments where the LPGA tees it up a week before or after the PGA. Try to keep the playing conditions the same as far as possible.

 

That's kind of where I was going with it which is why I think if either tour thought there was something here it'd already be happening. On top of that I don't really think we need an event that creates any more of a divide in this country or the world for that matter, which is why I would lean toward it being mixed teams as well.

 

So what you're saying is that if the U.S. dominates in the President's Cup (again), they should really consider allowing the Asian women to compete to even up the odds? :taunt:

 

I like your thinking

[lowheel]

I don't think anybody is saying ladies can't play golf or are trying to denigrate what they can do. They simply do not stand a chance against men on the PGA tour.

 

Denigrate? It is not unfair to say women can't hit as far or high or spin it as much as a man. It's a fact.

 

People are quick to get offended or cry foul. If you say the men would win most or all the time you "don't watch the LPGA" and "are a total misogynist" None of this is true at all.

 

Literally nobody in this thread has said the LPGA women arent amazing. Those women can play great golf anywhere from any tee.

 

That being said, the men just play a different game. I don't think this could be set up to make it super close.

 

If you trim the rough and make the pins easier, slow the greens down and make it less penalizing off the tee to "level the playing field" the PGA tour would lick their chops and dominate. With little or no trouble and a short course the top guys would flirt with breaking 60.

 

If you go with a hard setup make it long, make the course ultra tough with knee high rough, tough pins, fast greens and wiry rough just off the fringe the men handle those conditions much more regularly and the gap would widen a ton. A lot of the women in the top 10 money or world rankings average 250 off the tee. Thats a great poke, but that is likely a 225 carry drive. That means hybrids into every green all day long.

 

I would love to watch it and fully assume that some women could give a real good show though and kick a little butt.

 

If there is no setup that can accommodate the women please explain the Wendy's Three Tour results as posted earlier. Top men playing? Check. Both the seniors and ladies beating them at times? Check and check. Did the guys just not care? Wanted to just cash a check?

No one has said the ladies can beat the guys straight up. That would be as silly as someone saying a 4 cap could.... Oops never mind on that thought. :) But if a 14 year old Wie misses the cut by one at the Sony and Annika near misses at Colonial when playing the same tees please explain why with staggered tees the ladies cannot hang? Under the men's conditions that so many are citing the men struggle as well, and don't play those conditions every week. Many posts make it sound like there is no yardage Gap possible to make it even. Unless the men threw the match they did lose quite a few times in the three tour event.

 

Way to select 2 of the biggest outliers. They sony was played on a easy course that she had played 300 times up to that point and Annika selected the course (smartly) that takes driver out of 95 % of the fields hand. Its narrow and tight doglegs. It wasnt randomly selected. Fast forward 14 years and we see what Wie really is, a flash in the pan. cant beat any of the girls on courses 800/900 yards shorter but hey she played the sony and john deere and almost made the cut!

 

You definitely haven't checked Wei's playing record. She's usually top10 to 30 every year.

6+Million earned & 800k on a tour with 30% of PGA earnings. Fyi, top LPGA earnings has been same as top 100-125 PGA player.

http://www.lpga.com/...e/88106/results

 

She has also won a major, US Open the week after the men, same basic setup @Pinehurst #2.

5x Solheim Cupper = LPGA Ryder Cup.

http://www.lpga.com/...rTabOptions_top

 

Yikes. Are you really telling me about Michelle Wie. Havent checked her playing record? whats going on here? shes terrible and a head case. Good grief

[lowheel]

My greenskeeper friends say they were doing the same cuts, heights and watering patterns. In every large pro tournament multiple other clubs greenkeeper will help out the host club.

 

Your greenskeeper friends are out of the loop.

 

You can just watch a few hours of the LPGA tour no? The rough and penalizing shots are not even comparable on 90 percent of the courses.

 

That wiry impossible rough from just outside the primary cut is non existent on the ladies tour for 9 tourneys out of 10.

 

We all watch the LPGA here. We all see the conditions and courses each week. A greenskeeper hearing what another greenskeeper says isnt more proof than seeing the shots they have to hit each week.

 

And the LPGA is amazing. Absolutely incredible golfers, but they don't have to deal with the same penalizing results from poor shots.

 

He also said they have the same green speed as well so... youre pretty much wasting your time with this one ;)

[yebritas]

i dont think lpga tour players have better short game than pga tour players...and if they hit more fairways is because they play shorter courses and hit the driver shorter. it is like asking DJ to hit a fairway with his driver or with a driving iron...

[BNGL]

Fwiw I reached out to a couple LPGA acquaintances that frequent our club (couple winners and I don't wanna say perennial, but usually on a solheim team) and mentioned this idea. General consensus is 7-8/10 in favor of PGA tour. One time LPGA would be red hot and beat whomever they played, and one time the PGA would simply play bad. That's plying the same course setup etc. comments included; "I think It would be closer than people think" "I think it's a great idea, anything to get more people interested in the women's game and showcasing us" "neither tour has much to gain, yes the LPGA and PGA are trying to work together, look at the Olympics, but the guys would be expected to win, so if we beat them then what? (I summarized those)

 

Gotta remember though these ladies are some of the best golf players in the world, and I think they would acquit themselves nicely on any course in the world.

[jmvargas]

the LPGA has nothing to lose and all to gain if ever something like this will happen but it will be a hard sell to the PGATOUR....

 

but who knows...miracles happen..

[Shilgy]

 

 

Yikes. Are you really telling me about Michelle Wie. Havent checked her playing record? whats going on here? shes terrible and a head case. Good grief

Poor thing only has a 69 something scoring average on those easy LPGA courses this year. Thanks for setting us straight.