Women qualifies for men's PGA Tour event

Washington Post ^ | Sept. 19, 2002 | Leonard Shapiro

[Phantom Lord]

A Historic Tee Time, if She Takes It
Woman Qualifies for PGA Tour Event, Weighs Decision to Play

Suzy Whaley, a teaching golf professional in Connecticut, has become the first woman to qualify to play in a Professional Golfers' Association Tour event and now must decide whether she will follow the encouragement of the tour, her family and fellow competitors and play in next summer's Greater Hartford Open

Whaley won the PGA of America's Connecticut sectional championship tournament to earn the automatic qualification at a time when Augusta National Golf Club is manning the barricades to keep women from even joining the all-male club that is the site of the prestigious Masters tournament. Whaley must weigh the merits of being a pioneer against the possibility of being overmatched on a lengthy PGA Tour course.

Rest of the story...

[Phantom Lord]

Aside from there being a PGA and an LPGA, women do NOT have the ability to compete on the PGA Tour. They flat out do not have the physical strength to compete on the courses on the PGA Tour.

Lets look at hard numbers. The avg. length of an LPGA course is 6,200 to 6,300 yards. The avg. PGA Tour course is @ 7,000.

The avg driving distance on the LPGA is 248 yards. The leader in driving distance on the LPGA is Akiko Fukushima at 269 yards.

The SHORTEST driver on the PGA Tour is Pete Jordan and he avgs. 257.8 yards. While John Daly leads at 305 yards and the PGA Tour driving distance avg. is 280 yards.

The best of the best on the PGA, Annika Sorenstam, Se Ri Pak, Karrie Webb, etc... could not compete on the PGA Tour solely because of their lack of length and the length of PGA Tour courses. Many par 4's and Par 5's will have 250 yard plus carries off the tee.

But if the ladies want to start competing on the PGA, then they better not bitch when some BUY.com Tour guys start entering LPGA tour events and kick their asses.

[Phantom Lord]

Also, follow the link and there is a poll by the article asking if she should play or not. Yes is leading.

[RAT Patrol]

Okay. Now let all the men who aren't quite good enough to qualify for the PGA start competing on the LPGA and snatching some of those prizes. Bet the ladies want this to work only one direction.

[ravinson]

Aside from there being a PGA and an LPGA, women do NOT have the ability to compete on the PGA Tour. They flat out do not have the physical strength to compete on the courses on the PGA Tour.

She's not going to win, but I bet she'll beat a few men if she enters. Her average drives are 230 yards, which is long enough to reach all of the greens in regulation at the short TPC at River Highlands course -- and her husband is the director of golf there so she will be much more familiar with the course than many touring pros.

But if the ladies want to start competing on the PGA, then they better not bitch when some BUY.com Tour guys start entering LPGA tour events and kick their asses.

Being a male is not a requirement for entering a PGA event, whereas being a female is a requirement for LPGA events (as implied by the name "Ladies Professional Golf Association").

It would be interesting to see a competition between LPGA players and PGA players on a pitch and putt course. I think the men would still dominate because I believe that there is more to their golf superiority than just strength. Women feel better but men have a better feel for sporting events.

[Lou L]

Clearly, if she plays in the PGA event and is competitive; i.e., makes the cut, it'll be see as a great victory for women.

However, if she plays in the PGA event, finishes near the bottom, and never sees the weekend--what will the spin be?

[Phantom Lord]

and her husband is the director of golf there so she will be much more familiar with the course than many touring pros.

While in theory thats true, thats not something that truly can be counted on. I was a member at En-Joie Golf Club for 9 years. They play the PGA Tour event The BC Open on it. One year when I was a member there the Club Pro was able to Monday qualify for the BC Open. He missed the cut by more than 10 strokes.

[Balata]

As long as she plays from the same tees what does it matter? However, I doubt she would make the cut.

[Phantom Lord]

With an avg. drive of 230 there are few courses on the Tour that she would be able to break 90.

Where as if the top men played in LPGA events, they would be able to hit 7 iron, wedge to most of the Par 4's and driver, sand wedge or lob wedge into most of the par 5's. Many they would be able to hit an iron off the tee and reach. They would tear the courses up and breaking 60 would become an almost regular occurance.

[Howlin]

Didn't she qualify from the womens' tees? Surely she cannot play from them in a PGA event, can she?

[ravinson]

I was a member at En-Joie Golf Club for 9 years. They play the PGA Tour event The BC Open on it. One year when I was a member there the Club Pro was able to Monday qualify for the BC Open. He missed the cut by more than 10 strokes.

I guess he just wasn't able to "En-Joie" any success when the pressure was on, huh?

[Phantom Lord]

She would NOT play from the ladies tees as that would be a violation of the rules of golf. She would be playing a course shorter than her other competitors.

[Phantom Lord]

Yes and no. He shot great on Thursday but on Friday he blew up and almost shot 90.

[deport]

Interesting article... I saw a clip on The Golf Channel about it. Whaley played from forward tees that were on average some 10% shorter than the ones the men played from. Whaley made a come from behind win when the leader crashed and burned....

Whaley started the day two strokes behind Bob Mucha, then fell three back when Mucha birdied the No. 10 hole. Mucha then made three bogeys and a double bogey over the final six holes to finish second with a 213.

Whaley made her move on No. 16 with a birdie on the 430-yard par-4 hole, dropping a 30-foot putt after hitting a 7-wood approach shot.

[toddst]

As long as she plays from the same tees what does it matter?

It doesn't. However, let's keep everything equal and allow men to play in the LPGA. That happens and the LPGA will go the way of the DoDo.

[ravinson]

I was a member at En-Joie Golf Club...

By the way, what do they call club members who hit it left there, "En-Joie Hookers"?

[Howlin]

Well, what kind of victory would that be if she won by playing a "different" course than the rest of them played? For all intents and purposes, she could just play at another course, right? One of her choosing?

Sorry, but "some" women will eventually ruin everything, IMO.

[tjg]

"I think the men would still dominate because I believe that there is more to their golf superiority than just strength. Women feel better but men have a better feel for sporting events."

I think it's a simple aptitude for hand-eye coordination.

[patent]

Aside from there being a PGA and an LPGA, women do NOT have the ability to compete on the PGA Tour. They flat out do not have the physical strength to compete on the courses on the PGA Tour.

Who cares?

Neither do I, but you can bet everything you own that if I qualified for a PGA tournament by some stroke of luck I would sure go play in the tournament.

If women truly can’t compete then a competitive qualification process will keep them out. This woman won that though, so she should go play.

patent  +AMDG

[my_pointy_head_is_sharp]

If women golfers want to play with the men, they need to put on long pants! What's with the shorts?? Most women golfers are ugly, and seriously need to cover up.

[patent]

Okay. Now let all the men who aren't quite good enough to qualify for the PGA start competing on the LPGA and ing some of those prizes. Bet the ladies want this to work only one direction.

As far as I can tell it’s the PGA, not the MPGA.

patent  +AMDG