Golf for Beginners - Latest Comments on Can Michelle Wie save the LPGA? Also, one way to conquer a troublesome course and can Stacy bring team spirit to stroke play?

Florida Mike [Visitor] in response to: Can Michelle Wie save the LPGA? Also, one way to conquer a troublesome course and can Stacy bring team spirit to stroke play?

Florida Mike [Visitor] — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 23:34:57 +0000

Bottom line is that more people would watch lpga if Michelle were playing. I would! All the fighting over this point or that is bs. The lpga needs a boost and Ms Wie would provide it.

Stacy [Visitor] in response to: Can Michelle Wie save the LPGA? Also, one way to conquer a troublesome course and can Stacy bring team spirit to stroke play?

Stacy [Visitor] — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 16:43:56 +0000

The pro that withdrew in frustration only hurt herself. Was she the one who shot over 100?

By the time you get to that higher level of play, things like others' slow play shouldn't affect you to the point where you withdraw and lose an opportunity to win.

Jim C [Visitor] in response to: Can Michelle Wie save the LPGA? Also, one way to conquer a troublesome course and can Stacy bring team spirit to stroke play?

Jim C [Visitor] — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 08:17:44 +0000

The Rule of 88 was made because of a pair of slow and bad playing sponsors exemptions on the LPGA. I think it was back in the 80s. One shot over 100. Imagine a pro being stuck in a group with such a player for two days. One pro asked one of these players to withdraw, and when she refused, the pro finally withdrew in frustration.

The Rule does 3 things. If a regular player(non-LPGA pro) shoots 88 or more in the first round, the player is automatically withdrawn, sparing her LPGA pro playing partners another day of frustration.

The ban gives regular players an incentive to withdraw during a round, sparing her playing partners the continud problem if things are going very badly. Notified by the LPGA that they are approaching that much over par, a player id expected to withdraw which Michelle Wie did.

Players who do not withdraw get a largely symbolic one year ban. I say largely symbolic because most such players will never get another invite in any case.

Here is an idea. Non-LPGA players can play in up to 6 sponsors exemptions per year. To make everything fair, what about banning an LPGA player from the next 6 events for which she would otherwise be eligible if she runs afoul the Rule of 88. The problem for other players is the same whether it is a sponsor's exemption or an LPGA player who is the source of the problem. Why not penalize both.

Dave [Visitor] in response to: Can Michelle Wie save the LPGA? Also, one way to conquer a troublesome course and can Stacy bring team spirit to stroke play?

Dave [Visitor] — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 00:59:18 +0000

Jim C, it is not clear what your stance is on this. Are you supporting Michelle in this matter or not?

Also, 'regular players' are not encouraged to get the hell off the course if they are playing badly. Not at my club, anyway. All that is required is that the pace of play is kept brisk; I have known very good players that play very slowly, and very poor players that play very quickly.

I wish you wouldn't use the term 'etiquette rule.' Etiquette is different to rules, although the committee of the competition can under the Rules of Golf disqualify a player for a serious breach of etiquette.

My view of this situation was and still is:

1) Michelle should not have been playing that week, as she was injured (so we're told, anyway).

2) She shouldn't have withdrawn.

Jim C, you seem to try to cast Michelle in a good light by implying that she withdrew to keep up the pace of play. We all know, however, that this is not the reason: she did it because she feared being banned from further play on the LPGA Tour for a year.

JIm C [Visitor] in response to: Can Michelle Wie save the LPGA? Also, one way to conquer a troublesome course and can Stacy bring team spirit to stroke play?

JIm C [Visitor] — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 00:28:48 +0000

The 88 Rule.

What does golf etiquette say if you are playing very badly?

1) Finish the round.

2) Withdraw and stop clogging up the course for everyone else.

Stars are usually expected to follow the first rule, and regular players the second.

The Rule of 88 is designed to pressure regular players to follow the second rule--while the stars who are members of the LPGA Tour are not subject to the rule, since they are expected to finish their rounds and post a score even if they would rather withdraw.

Basically what happened is this. Michelle Wie was following the first rule(the star rule) when the LPGA told her she was not an LPGA member, would not be treated like an LPGA member, that she was expected to withdraw to stop cluttering up he golf course, and she quite likely would be banned for a year if she did not. At that point she withdrew following the rule of etiquette for regular players.

Vale [Visitor] in response to: Can Michelle Wie save the LPGA? Also, one way to conquer a troublesome course and can Stacy bring team spirit to stroke play?

Vale [Visitor] — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 23:21:08 +0000

Comment from: Joe Cool [Visitor]
The LPGA are loosing four sponsors for 2009 and Ms. Bivens has been very quiet. After the Annika tournament last year, I don't think Bivens has any desire to speak with Michelle.

Isn't that strange, since I believe it was ans LPGA official who warned team Wie about the 88 stroke limit and a ban for one year, when she was approaching it. For whatever reason she was playing with her injuries, I don't blame her for dropping out before being banned for a year. It's not as if she was just having a bad day and decided to quit before reaching 88. She shouldn't have been out there to begin with, but taking a one year ban for trying to play injured is another thing. She did have an 85 as her only score in the 80's as a 13 year old and not another one until her injuries last year and had five in the 80's and only one this year at he US open. I didn't count a couple of 80's she had playing against men. Then two tournaments later she had the best tournament of her career going until the score card fiasco.
I guess that kind of evens the score, she walked away from her worst tournament and was thrown out of her best.

Joe Cool [Visitor] in response to: Can Michelle Wie save the LPGA? Also, one way to conquer a troublesome course and can Stacy bring team spirit to stroke play?

Joe Cool [Visitor] — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 05:14:35 +0000

The two hours the networks give the LPGA each day for their tournaments, include 70 minutes of commercials. Usually you see some highlights of the first 12 holes then a few golfers that are in contention. Three to four shots and then 7 to 8 commercials. Thank goodness for DVR.

The LPGA are loosing four sponsors for 2009 and Ms. Bivens has been very quiet. After the Annika tournament last year, I don't think Bivens has any desire to speak with Michelle.

There are 45 Koreans playing on the LPGA. What has happened to all of the women college players? Before you know it there will be 100 Koreans on the LPGA and 10 Americans.

Stacy [Visitor] in response to: Can Michelle Wie save the LPGA? Also, one way to conquer a troublesome course and can Stacy bring team spirit to stroke play?

Stacy [Visitor] — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 01:16:18 +0000

My motto is to always look on the bright side of life. There's a song to that effect so others might be doing the same as Wendy and me!

As for Ai Miyazato, it sounds like you're describing Phil Mickelson's game at the Bridgestone!

At least Ai has won in the past. She actually won a professional event as an amateur on the Japan LPGA Tour and set a record at Q-School for the largest margin of victory in 2005.