GOLFERS - Anika Sorenstan - Will she make the cut at the Colonial ?

story.news.yahoo.com.../ap/20030515/ap_on_sp_go_ne/glf_sorenstam_4

I hope she does - everyone seems to be supportive (except Singh). I just wonder how this will hurt the LPGA? I'd hate for it to be 2nd rate and somehow turn into a womens farm team for the PGA.

(and, she's not teeing off from the womens tee box is she? )

She will play the same tees as the men...

I have mixed feelings about this whole affair. I mean, does this mean that a male college basketball player can try out for the WNBA?
I do, however, hope that she kicks the snot out of Singh!

To be honest I hope she misses the cut and discourages other women to follow her footsteps. Why does everything have to be so damn politically correct anymore? I mean, there is a seperate mens and womens tour for a reason. How would the women golfers react if one of the men golfers wanted to join the LPGA? Never happen, so why should this be allowed? I wouldn't be surprised if this was nothing more than a publicity stunt, with Tiger off to a slow start I guess they need some exposure, who knows?

"To be honest I hope she misses the cut and discourages other women to follow her footsteps."

She should be allowed the chance. I think for one she`ll make the cut. In this case its not an issue if women should play on the mens tour but whether women can complete with men on this stage. She has been invited by the men in golf to take part not the other way round. Basically its a one off case that does not deserve this level of hype. Which is exactly why its been done. Marketing and very well done to.

Also she should be applauded for having the b*llocks to take this scrutiny and criticiscm whatever the motives.

Yes, it should be intersting. However the fact remains that she will never be able to compete with the top men. She just doesn't have the physical attributes to win against them. Maybe future technology will change this.
It will be intersting to see how she'll score though. She's playing a different game to the men. She will be using much longer clubs for her 2nd shots than the men. This has 2 major disadvantages :

• Much less accuracy
  
• Much less backspin, reducing the control she has on the ball landing on the green.
  

Her short game should stack up well though, from what I've seen.

good points MS.

And, btw, does all this mean men can join the LPGA?

Bob88, I seem to recall recently that a mna tried to join the LPGA tour and was laughed at. A quick search turned up this :

The LPGA Tour excludes men from competition, and Votaw said that would continue because of the physical differences between men and women.

However, he has recommended that his board of directors accept men as members of the LPGA Teaching and Club Pro division, which has 1,200 members. LINK

I have changed my stance on this issue, when I last posted I wasn't aware of the details. I thought she was prying her way on to the tour to try and make some kind of point, but that doesn't seem to be the case at all.

I actually think it will be interesting to see how she fares in the tourney, it will be a good measuring stick to see how a woman does playing along with men. Apparently, she is been the best woman's golfer for awhile now and she has been practicing for this tourney for some time, I think she;ll have to make alot of adjustments to her game to be competitive, MS made some good points about that.

I really want to see the reaction of any of the men that she happens to beat. From all of the interviews of the men golfers, their biggest fear in all of this is to be beat by a woman so I think everyone will step up their game a notch and this should be an interesting tournament. I think it will be awfully tough for her to make the cut, I dont know much about this course, but it looks like golf is getting the publicity they were seeking when they set this up.

I am going to be a bit more controversial than I normally am here and say that, anika as good as she is should have no business playing in the mens tournament.

Golf is an old game full of traditions...I know people may say that this is the new generation....so that makes traditional values non existant??

I have played golf since I was 5 years old..So that is 20 years of playing experience..I play off a handicap of 4 so I consider myself not too shabby..

I play with women every sunday...

1. They play off shorter tees (this one doesn't count towards anika cause she will be playing off the mens tees)

2. They use specialised equipment (7 woods, 12 woods etc). Without these clubs they would not be able to get the distance.. I am yet to see a women hit a long iron shot that is actually long.

3. THEY YABBER.....man they chit chat about all life's problems on the course..look at that divot..someone should put some sand in that...IT'S A FRIGGEN GOLF COURSE...divots are part of the game...you land in one it's your bad luck.

I am not against women playing golf...hell I watch the australian LPGA...and it's not for looking at the players...as my dad calls them...Dykes with spikes..

BUT

the golf is good. The shots are good to watch and they look like there having fun...

Why do you think men aren't allowed to play in the LPGA..cause all women would know that the top men would woop their ass any day of the week...

Women golfers stick to your LPGA...you have a very supportive crowd ..the money is just as good, so is the sponsorship. Leave us men with our PGA tours and traditions...

ON another note Vijay Singh has pulled out of this weekend tourney due to the fact he wants nothing to do with this sham...And I applaude his values..

Chris

[Edited on 21-5-2003 by OzChris]

News just in.. Sports punters are predicting that she will not make the cut.....I sure hope not..

Chris

I find playing with women tedious, everthing you stated above Ozchris is right.
I can out distance any women pro golfer and I'm only an amateur.

ahhh but you miss one valuable point young mad scientist... You may out distance them with your long irons and drives but around the greens most of them would whip your a$$.....

That's how women get to becoming pro's..There short game is impecable...always chipping within 6-10 feet of the flag and always nailing the putts....

That my friend is why they make money from golf and I still have to spen 500 bucks a year joining my local country club.

As I said before I have nothing against women's golf.. I watch it regularly...BUT there is a place for everything and a woman's place is NOT within the ranks of the PGA tour.

Chris


[Edited on 22-5-2003 by OzChris]

The short game unfortunately for the women is only half the game. To really score well you have to get to the greens in regulation and the par 5's in two. Unfortunately this is where I think Annika will struggle. Her short game will only be good for saving pars not going sub par.

Anika posted a 1 over par round.....and is in about 70th place....All this was ----> PUBLICITY STUNT.

Everyone knew she wasn't going to go well...But the ratings have been through the roof...It makes me sad to see golf going in this direction

Chris

Oh well, she ended up +5 and missing the cut.

Main point here. If she can join the PGA then a guy should be able to join the LPGA. But he won't, why? Caue he is a man. Heck, why not end all the segregation? Wouldn't that be great!!! The Oakland Raiders face the PowerPuff Portlands. Oh and an amazing 147 to 0!!!!. Or Detroit Lions face the Georgia Peaches. Oh, an amazing 309586 to 0, poor Lions.

might as well change it from the "mens" tour to the "co-ed" tour now

Well, she missed it -she didn't disgrace herself; but on balance it's hard to see who else benefited.