Things are not at all like the LPGA would want them to be. Getting more press for what goes on off the course than on is not a good sign for the world's most recognized ladies professional golf tour.
Yesterday, LPGA Commissioner Carolyn Bivens announced a new policy requiring her tour players speak "conversational" English, or else face suspension. If ever the sport of golf wished it had a mulligan, it would be now.
The issue is simple, should a professional sports organization have the right to legislate a requirement for its members to speak a certain language? The LPGA feels the sponsors deserve to have the players speak English- that it would help keep their installed base and help grow more interest from corporate America. But isn't the requirement to get on the LPGA based on skill not language? Or should they just hand out tour cards to those who speak perfect English? Or better yet, why not just give cards to those they feel are the prettiest- certainly that would entertain the sponsors. After all, sex sells in America.
I'm close to this issue. I walk down the range each morning at our academy training facility watching closely as our young men and women work hard to pursue their dreams. We educate our students, who come from all over the world, at our private school. Those challenged with English take ESL classes (English as a Second Language) so they can assimilate into our educational system. They choose to do this to get the training only Hank Haney can provide. School is part of the deal. But to suggest that someone must speak conversational English when it has nothing to do with their skill is very short-sighted.
Fans want to see talent. Great play trumps language. The drama of athletic competition is based on the human spirit, not what country they're from or what language they speak. Did we cheer less for the Olympic champion who couldn't speak English or marvel less at their accomplishment?
I realize the LPGA has a challenge marketing foreign players with similar sounding foreign names and little personality. But do we really feel being able to say, "how are you," "nice shot," and "you're away," will drive interest and ratings to significant new heights? I differ in that opinion. The challenges the LPGA faces are greater than that and their focus should be on solving those issues instead of getting their players to say "thank you" in English.
Interestingly, the LPGA conducts quite a few "away games"- tournaments outside the USA. Should we require English speaking players to speak conversational Spanish when playing in Mexico? Or how about French at the Evian Masters?
I'm glad our foreign students at the academy are learning English. It's one less hurdle they have to cross when pursuing their goals. They can focus on their golf and let the powers to be find the time to come up with legislation that makes no sense in the world game.
Let's hope in the coming weeks the folly of this position will be corrected and we can return our attention to skill, talent and sportsmanship- the universal language of athletic competition.
That's my view on the game.
Mark Gonsalves
CEO
Hank Haney IJGA
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Monday, August 18, 2008
The First day of the Rest of Their Lives
Today marked the start of another year at Hank Haney IJGA. Another year unlike any other year.
You can feel the difference in the program from this past year to now. Lots of change has taken place as we strive to be recognized as the #1 academy in the world for serious junior golfers.
The operative word here is "serious." In the past, many considered us a place wealthy parents dropped off their children without a great deal of expectation as to results.
That all changed last year when Tiger's coach, Hank Haney stepped into the picture.
My relationship goes back to the mid-to-late 90's when I was living in Dallas working for Adams Golf. We had a research and club fitting studio at Hank's Golf Ranch in McKinney, just north of the city.
I'd go to the Ranch each weekend as I was getting my feet on the ground at Adams to learn about equipment to assist me in my responsibilities back at the office. That's where I saw first-hand the genius of Hank Haney. He was obsessed with ball flight and getting his students to produce their best shots more often. He looked at teaching differently from any teachers I had ever encountered- of which there were many.
What impressed me about Hank is I always felt what he talked about was from his own efforts to understand what was happening in the swing, not just a regurgitation of someone else's view. He had done his own homework and came to his own understanding of how to produce the best results.
Now Hank is taking these talents to his students at our academy. Other than Tiger, these are the only students he teaches.
Imagine being a teenager and having Hank work on your game. Unlike the other big name academy, Hank comes each month to be with, and work with, his students. And with his addition of friend and 2005 PGA Teacher of the Year, Peter Krause, to his team of instructors, students are now working daily with arguably the best instructional team in golf.
Our students still need to bring the right attitude and sense of responsibility to practice, but they now have a road map to follow from a man who has figured out what it takes to be the best in the world.
Our players can make this the start of the rest of their golfing lives by following the game's best teacher and showing a real commitment to the plan.
It should be quite a year!
That's my view on the game.
Mark Gonsalves
CEO
Hank Haney IJGA
You can feel the difference in the program from this past year to now. Lots of change has taken place as we strive to be recognized as the #1 academy in the world for serious junior golfers.
The operative word here is "serious." In the past, many considered us a place wealthy parents dropped off their children without a great deal of expectation as to results.
That all changed last year when Tiger's coach, Hank Haney stepped into the picture.
My relationship goes back to the mid-to-late 90's when I was living in Dallas working for Adams Golf. We had a research and club fitting studio at Hank's Golf Ranch in McKinney, just north of the city.
I'd go to the Ranch each weekend as I was getting my feet on the ground at Adams to learn about equipment to assist me in my responsibilities back at the office. That's where I saw first-hand the genius of Hank Haney. He was obsessed with ball flight and getting his students to produce their best shots more often. He looked at teaching differently from any teachers I had ever encountered- of which there were many.
What impressed me about Hank is I always felt what he talked about was from his own efforts to understand what was happening in the swing, not just a regurgitation of someone else's view. He had done his own homework and came to his own understanding of how to produce the best results.
Now Hank is taking these talents to his students at our academy. Other than Tiger, these are the only students he teaches.
Imagine being a teenager and having Hank work on your game. Unlike the other big name academy, Hank comes each month to be with, and work with, his students. And with his addition of friend and 2005 PGA Teacher of the Year, Peter Krause, to his team of instructors, students are now working daily with arguably the best instructional team in golf.
Our students still need to bring the right attitude and sense of responsibility to practice, but they now have a road map to follow from a man who has figured out what it takes to be the best in the world.
Our players can make this the start of the rest of their golfing lives by following the game's best teacher and showing a real commitment to the plan.
It should be quite a year!
That's my view on the game.
Mark Gonsalves
CEO
Hank Haney IJGA
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
Without Playing, Tiger Shows His Greatness
Anyone that watched the final rounds of the US Senior Open, the World Golf Championships and the Nationwide Tour's Cox Classic this Sunday witnessed an incredible number of "melt-down's" by top players coming down the stretch.
At the US Senior Open, golf's most accurate driver, Fred Funk, hits a tee shot on hole number 13 into a lie that he could not properly advance. Result- a fast triple bogey and effectively the end of his chances to capture senior golf's most coveted trophy.
John Cook suffered a back nine 39 on way to 77. Kite was within striking distance as the day started, but 75 shots later he finished 12th. Romero, this year's Senior Open survivor, won by shooting a three-over 73.
At Firestone, the perennial site of the World Golf Bridgestone Invitational, Vijay Singh didn't exactly ooze confidence over those short final putts, the last one slithering in from four-feet for the victory. As shaky as Vijay looked coming down the stretch, Phil Mickelson looked even worse bogeying three of the final four holes to hand over the title.
The Cox Classic in Omaha, Nebraska saw 54-hole leader David Branshaw succumb to Sunday afternoon's mounting pressure bogeying three straight holes to start his final nine, finishing with 40 on that inward side. He ultimately lost in sudden-death to Ryan Hietala on the first playoff hole when his 5-footer had no chance of falling.
OK, so what does all this have to do with Tiger? Just that it makes us all realize how inhuman he is on Sunday. Tiger finds a way to get it done. He does it over and over again. We've come to view his greatness as ordinary for him.
When you see some of the game's top players, in form, or they would be in the chase on the back nine late Sunday, falter this dramatically it just reaffirms how truly special Tiger is.
Did you ever doubt Tiger would win at Torrey Pines? That the putt on 18 Sunday afternoon would lip out versus lip in? That he would make another tournament saving putt on 18 Monday afternoon?
Somehow I just don't have that same vibe when watching Phil or Vijay or the rest. That to me is what makes Tiger, Tiger. We have come to expect the remarkable. And he keeps on delivering.
I can't wait to have Tiger back to show us more.
That's my view on the game.
Mark Gonsalves
CEO
Hank Haney IJGA
At the US Senior Open, golf's most accurate driver, Fred Funk, hits a tee shot on hole number 13 into a lie that he could not properly advance. Result- a fast triple bogey and effectively the end of his chances to capture senior golf's most coveted trophy.
John Cook suffered a back nine 39 on way to 77. Kite was within striking distance as the day started, but 75 shots later he finished 12th. Romero, this year's Senior Open survivor, won by shooting a three-over 73.
At Firestone, the perennial site of the World Golf Bridgestone Invitational, Vijay Singh didn't exactly ooze confidence over those short final putts, the last one slithering in from four-feet for the victory. As shaky as Vijay looked coming down the stretch, Phil Mickelson looked even worse bogeying three of the final four holes to hand over the title.
The Cox Classic in Omaha, Nebraska saw 54-hole leader David Branshaw succumb to Sunday afternoon's mounting pressure bogeying three straight holes to start his final nine, finishing with 40 on that inward side. He ultimately lost in sudden-death to Ryan Hietala on the first playoff hole when his 5-footer had no chance of falling.
OK, so what does all this have to do with Tiger? Just that it makes us all realize how inhuman he is on Sunday. Tiger finds a way to get it done. He does it over and over again. We've come to view his greatness as ordinary for him.
When you see some of the game's top players, in form, or they would be in the chase on the back nine late Sunday, falter this dramatically it just reaffirms how truly special Tiger is.
Did you ever doubt Tiger would win at Torrey Pines? That the putt on 18 Sunday afternoon would lip out versus lip in? That he would make another tournament saving putt on 18 Monday afternoon?
Somehow I just don't have that same vibe when watching Phil or Vijay or the rest. That to me is what makes Tiger, Tiger. We have come to expect the remarkable. And he keeps on delivering.
I can't wait to have Tiger back to show us more.
That's my view on the game.
Mark Gonsalves
CEO
Hank Haney IJGA
Saturday, August 2, 2008
My Wish For My Daughter
I love golf.
I love playing, love practicing, love the history, love the architecture, love the equipment, even love finding golf balls for less skilled playing partners.
And I'd love to see my eight-year old love the game too.
But that hasn't happened yet.
My wife, who's quite an accomplished player, and myself have tried our best to introduce the game to her. When she was an infant, we would place her car seat in the golf cart and play nine. Then it was clubs, summer camp where we were members and taking her out to the range to hit a few.
We've come up with all sorts of games, from running around the putting green to see who can drop golf balls into the cups the fastest to hitting old balls into the lake- on purpose.
We've taken her friends out to the golf course to see if that might light the spark for the game. Even introduced her to Hank Haney. Nothing yet.
So, it got me thinking. Why do I want my daughter to play golf? Is it because we think she'd be really good at it? Or maybe that we think its a sport she'd have for a lifetime? Maybe we think she'd be more likely meet the "right" boy at the club. How about being able to go on vacations and share the game as a family? I could go on...
What I've come to realize is, although there's some truth in all the above thoughts, the real truth is I just want my daughter to find something that she can love as much as I love golf. I know how much the game has given me, taught me and meant to me. In the end, I just hope she could have that same blessing.
She's only eight. There's still time.
That's my view on the game.
Mark Gonsalves
CEO
Hank Haney IJGA
I love playing, love practicing, love the history, love the architecture, love the equipment, even love finding golf balls for less skilled playing partners.
And I'd love to see my eight-year old love the game too.
But that hasn't happened yet.
My wife, who's quite an accomplished player, and myself have tried our best to introduce the game to her. When she was an infant, we would place her car seat in the golf cart and play nine. Then it was clubs, summer camp where we were members and taking her out to the range to hit a few.
We've come up with all sorts of games, from running around the putting green to see who can drop golf balls into the cups the fastest to hitting old balls into the lake- on purpose.
We've taken her friends out to the golf course to see if that might light the spark for the game. Even introduced her to Hank Haney. Nothing yet.
So, it got me thinking. Why do I want my daughter to play golf? Is it because we think she'd be really good at it? Or maybe that we think its a sport she'd have for a lifetime? Maybe we think she'd be more likely meet the "right" boy at the club. How about being able to go on vacations and share the game as a family? I could go on...
What I've come to realize is, although there's some truth in all the above thoughts, the real truth is I just want my daughter to find something that she can love as much as I love golf. I know how much the game has given me, taught me and meant to me. In the end, I just hope she could have that same blessing.
She's only eight. There's still time.
That's my view on the game.
Mark Gonsalves
CEO
Hank Haney IJGA
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