Opinion & Analysis
Why the LPGA deserves a major championship at Augusta National
A holy “tradition unlike any other” or a contrived event deliberately cloaked in mystery, whatever your opinion is, Augusta National has represented the pinnacle of golf for years.
The elite southern club’s allure has grown to a crescendo over the years. So much so that it brought Rory McIlroy to declare that the Masters is now “the biggest golf tournament in the world.” It hasn’t all been smooth sailing for the club, however, which has fought hard in recent times to make restitution for its murky past.
One of those moves was made last April when the club announced that it would host the Augusta National Women’s Amateur Championship. However, instead of the groundbreaking step to host a women’s event on the hallowed turf of Augusta National uniting women’s golf, it divided it.
The Championship is due to be held the week before the Masters, clashing with the LPGA’s opening major of the season, the ANA Inspiration, which created unnecessary pressure on the LPGA to move the event. While the announcement also produced jealousy amongst LPGA Tour professionals who long for an opportunity to play a tournament at the Georgian club.
At the time, world No. 5 Lexi Thompson reflected on the news saying, “I think we all as women want to play there. It’s on our bucket list.” While two-time major champion Brittany Lincicome stated, “I wish I was an amateur. I’ve never gotten to play Augusta. I’m super jealous.”
This week, the LPGA announced that in 2019, prize money would rise from $65.35 million to $70.55 million, as the women’s game continues to show its strength and growth. But what the Tour truly needs is a game-changing moment, and that moment will arrive if Augusta National decides to open its doors to the LPGA.
Whether you’re a fan of women’s golf or not, there is little doubt that a LPGA major event hosted at Augusta National would grip golf fans. It may be the one course in the world where the majority of fans would be happy to watch two high handicappers hack their way around for 18 holes, let alone watch the best players in women’s golf battle it out for 72 holes.
The LPGA has global stars such as the likes of Lexi Thompson, Lydia Ko and Michelle Wie, and the quality of golf on display, combined with the continued growth of the Tour deserves to be rewarded by allowing these players the opportunity to compete at Augusta National.
An LPGA tournament at Augusta National would not just be for these professionals, or onlookers who want an extra few days a year to peek inside the hallowed grounds. The event would see ratings that women’s golf has never before seen, and it would be the ideal platform for golf fans, many of whom will have similar swing-speeds to these women, to recognize the excellence that these women possess at one of golf’s grandest stages.
The LPGA players deserve the same equal opportunity as the male players. There may never be the same general interest in the women’s game compared to the men. However, inclusivity is an area that has too often been lacking in the game of golf, and there is now more than enough quality and interest in the women’s game to justify Augusta National staging a women’s major championship.
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The PGA TOUR heads to New Orleans to play the 2023 Zurich Classic of New Orleans. In a welcome change from the usual stroke play, the Zurich Classic is a team event. On Thursday and Saturday, the teams play best ball, and on Friday and Sunday the teams play alternate shot.
TPC Louisiana is a par 72 that measures 7,425 yards. The course features some short par 4s and plenty of water and bunkers, which makes for a lot of exciting risk/reward scenarios for competitors. Pete Dye designed the course in 2004 specifically for the Zurich Classic, although the event didn’t make its debut until 2007 because of Hurricane Katrina.
Coming off of the Masters and a signature event in consecutive weeks, the field this week is a step down, and understandably so. Many of the world’s top players will be using this time to rest after a busy stretch.
However, there are some interesting teams this season with some stars making surprise appearances in the team event. Some notable teams include Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele, Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry, Collin Morikawa and Kurt Kitayama, Will Zalatoris and Sahith Theegala as well as a few Canadian teams, Nick Taylor and Adam Hadwin and Taylor Pendrith and Corey Conners.
Past Winners at TPC Louisiana
- 2023: Riley/Hardy (-30)
- 2022: Cantlay/Schauffele (-29)
- 2021: Leishman/Smith (-20)
- 2019: Palmer/Rahm (-26)
- 2018: Horschel/Piercy (-22)
- 2017: Blixt/Smith (-27)
2024 Zurich Classic of New Orleans Picks
Tom Hoge/Maverick McNealy +2500 (DraftKings)
Tom Hoge is coming off of a solid T18 finish at the RBC Heritage and finished T13 at last year’s Zurich Classic alongside Harris English.
This season, Hoge is having one of his best years on Tour in terms of Strokes Gained: Approach. In his last 24 rounds, the only player to top him on the category is Scottie Scheffler. Hoge has been solid on Pete Dye designs, ranking 28th in the field over his past 36 rounds.
McNealy is also having a solid season. He’s finished T6 at the Waste Management Phoenix Open and T9 at the PLAYERS Championship. He recently started working with world renowned swing coach, Butch Harmon, and its seemingly paid dividends in 2024.
Keith Mitchell/Joel Dahmen +4000 (DraftKings)
Keith Mitchell is having a fantastic season, finishing in the top-20 of five of his past seven starts on Tour. Most recently, Mitchell finished T14 at the Valero Texas Open and gained a whopping 6.0 strokes off the tee. He finished 6th at last year’s Zurich Classic.
Joel Dahmen is having a resurgent year and has been dialed in with his irons. He also has a T11 finish at the PLAYERS Championship at TPC Sawgrass which is another Pete Dye track. With Mitchell’s length and Dahmen’s ability to put it close with his short irons, the Mitchell/Dahmen combination will be dangerous this week.
Taylor Moore/Matt NeSmith +6500 (DraftKings)
Taylor Moore has quickly developed into one of the more consistent players on Tour. He’s finished in the top-20 in three of his past four starts, including a very impressive showing at The Masters, finishing T20. He’s also finished T4 at this event in consecutive seasons alongside Matt NeSmith.
NeSmith isn’t having a great 2024, but has seemed to elevate his game in this format. He finished T26 at Pete Dye’s TPC Sawgrass, which gives the 30-year-old something to build off of. NeSmith is also a great putter on Bermudagrass, which could help elevate Moore’s ball striking prowess.
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After having four of the top twelve players on the leaderboard at The Masters, LIV Golf is set for their fifth event of the season: LIV Adelaide.
For both LIV fans and golf fans in Australia, LIV Adelaide is one of the most anticipated events of the year. With 35,000 people expected to attend each day of the tournament, the Grange Golf Club will be crawling with fans who are passionate about the sport of golf. The 12th hole, better known as “the watering hole”, is sure to have the rowdiest of the fans cheering after a long day of drinking some Leishman Lager.
The Grange Golf Club is a par-72 that measures 6,946 yards. The course features minimal resistance, as golfers went extremely low last season. In 2023, Talor Gooch shot consecutive rounds of 62 on Thursday and Friday, giving himself a gigantic cushion heading into championship Sunday. Things got tight for a while, but in the end, the Oklahoma State product was able to hold off The Crushers’ Anirban Lahiri for a three-shot victory.
The Four Aces won the team competition with the Range Goats finishing second.
*All Images Courtesy of LIV Golf*
Past Winners at LIV Adelaide
- 2023: Talor Gooch (-19)
Stat Leaders Through LIV Miami
Green in Regulation
- Richard Bland
- Jon Rahm
- Paul Casey
Fairways Hit
- Abraham Ancer
- Graeme McDowell
- Henrik Stenson
Driving Distance
- Bryson DeChambeau
- Joaquin Niemann
- Dean Burmester
Putting
- Cameron Smith
- Louis Oosthuizen
- Matt Jones
2024 LIV Adelaide Picks
Cameron Smith +1400 (DraftKings)
When I pulled up the odds for LIV Adelaide, I was more than a little surprised to see multiple golfers listed ahead of Cameron Smith on the betting board. A few starts ago, Cam finished runner-up at LIV Hong Kong, which is a golf course that absolutely suits his eye. Augusta National in another course that Smith could roll out of bed and finish in the top-ten at, and he did so two weeks ago at The Masters, finishing T6.
At Augusta, he gained strokes on the field on approach, off the tee (slightly), and of course, around the green and putting. Smith able to get in the mix at a major championship despite coming into the week feeling under the weather tells me that his game is once again rounding into form.
The Grange Golf Club is another course that undoubtedly suits the Australian. Smith is obviously incredibly comfortable playing in front of the Aussie faithful and has won three Australian PGA Championship’s. The course is very short and will allow Smith to play conservative off the tee, mitigating his most glaring weakness. With birdies available all over the golf course, there’s a chance the event turns into a putting contest, and there’s no one on the planet I’d rather have in one of those than Cam Smith.
Louis Oosthuizen +2200 (DraftKings)
Louis Oosthuizen has simply been one of the best players on LIV in the 2024 seas0n. The South African has finished in the top-10 on the LIV leaderboard in three of his five starts, with his best coming in Jeddah, where he finished T2. Perhaps more impressively, Oosthuizen finished T7 at LIV Miami, which took place at Doral’s “Blue Monster”, an absolutely massive golf course. Given that Louis is on the shorter side in terms of distance off the tee, his ability to play well in Miami shows how dialed he is with the irons this season.
In addition to the LIV finishes, Oosthuizen won back-to-back starts on the DP World Tour in December at the Alfred Dunhill Championship and the Mauritus Open. He also finished runner-up at the end of February in the International Series Oman. The 41-year-old has been one of the most consistent performers of 2024, regardless of tour.
For the season, Louis ranks 4th on LIV in birdies made, T9 in fairways hit and first in putting. He ranks 32nd in driving distance, but that won’t be an issue at this short course. Last season, he finished T11 at the event, but was in decent position going into the final round but fell back after shooting 70 while the rest of the field went low. This season, Oosthuizen comes into the event in peak form, and the course should be a perfect fit for his smooth swing and hot putter this week.
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Of all the clubs in our bags, wedges are almost always the simplest in construction and, therefore, the easiest to analyze what might make one work differently from another if you know what to look for.
Wedges are a lot less mysterious than drivers, of course, as the major brands are working with a lot of “pixie dust” inside these modern marvels. That’s carrying over more to irons now, with so many new models featuring internal multi-material technologies, and almost all of them having a “badge” or insert in the back to allow more complex graphics while hiding the actual distribution of mass.
But when it comes to wedges, most on the market today are still single pieces of molded steel, either cast or forged into that shape. So, if you look closely at where the mass is distributed, it’s pretty clear how that wedge is going to perform.
To start, because of their wider soles, the majority of the mass of almost any wedge is along the bottom third of the clubhead. So, the best wedge shots are always those hit between the 2nd and 5th grooves so that more mass is directly behind that impact. Elite tour professionals practice incessantly to learn to do that consistently, wearing out a spot about the size of a penny right there. If impact moves higher than that, the face is dramatically thinner, so smash factor is compromised significantly, which reduces the overall distance the ball will fly.
Every one of us, tour players included, knows that maddening shot that we feel a bit high on the face and it doesn’t go anywhere, it’s not your fault.
If your wedges show a wear pattern the size of a silver dollar, and centered above the 3rd or 4th groove, you are not getting anywhere near the same performance from shot to shot. Robot testing proves impact even two to three grooves higher in the face can cause distance loss of up to 35 to 55 feet with modern ‘tour design’ wedges.
In addition, as impact moves above the center of mass, the golf club principle of gear effect causes the ball to fly higher with less spin. Think of modern drivers for a minute. The “holy grail” of driving is high launch and low spin, and the driver engineers are pulling out all stops to get the mass as low in the clubhead as possible to optimize this combination.
Where is all the mass in your wedges? Low. So, disregarding the higher lofts, wedges “want” to launch the ball high with low spin – exactly the opposite of what good wedge play requires penetrating ball flight with high spin.
While almost all major brand wedges have begun putting a tiny bit more thickness in the top portion of the clubhead, conventional and modern ‘tour design’ wedges perform pretty much like they always have. Elite players learn to hit those crisp, spinny penetrating wedge shots by spending lots of practice time learning to consistently make contact low in the face.
So, what about grooves and face texture?
Grooves on any club can only do so much, and no one has any material advantage here. The USGA tightly defines what we manufacturers can do with grooves and face texture, and modern manufacturing techniques allow all of us to push those limits ever closer. And we all do. End of story.
Then there’s the topic of bounce and grinds, the most complex and confusing part of the wedge formula. Many top brands offer a complex array of sole configurations, all of them admittedly specialized to a particular kind of lie or turf conditions, and/or a particular divot pattern.
But if you don’t play the same turf all the time, and make the same size divot on every swing, how would you ever figure this out?
The only way is to take any wedge you are considering and play it a few rounds, hitting all the shots you face and observing the results. There’s simply no other way.
So, hopefully this will inspire a lively conversation in our comments section, and I’ll chime in to answer any questions you might have.
And next week, I’ll dive into the rest of the wedge formula. Yes, shafts, grips and specifications are essential, too.
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Larry
Dec 12, 2018 at 3:48 pm
Not to be get into a conversation if this is male vs. female but I think the writer answered his own questions in the first line. “A tradition unlike any other.”
So there you have it, you’re not going to replicate the Master’s, the LPGA should look for another prestigious venue that is not used by the PGA Tour to create their own “Master’s” that girls can dream of playing as theyre growing up, because a Women’s Masters will never compete with the popularity of the Masters.
Blake
Dec 10, 2018 at 10:46 am
No one would watch after day one. WOmen would have to play form the members tees which dont look the same and then they would be playing the second shot from much farther away from the green and less likely to hold the green.
Tom
Dec 10, 2018 at 1:42 am
Ain’t no buyers for what they’re sellin!
Ronald Montesano
Dec 9, 2018 at 11:27 pm
I disagree. Why celebrate a club that kept women out for so long, with an LPGA major? This is a historically short-sighted suggestion. Women should chart their own course, not curry favor with men’s coattails. The women’s open at Sebonack, in 2013, was the type of groundbreaking achievement you should cover, not some regressive ANGC hand-me-down.
a millennial
Dec 9, 2018 at 12:53 pm
Say we have LPGA Masters @ August National, who will watch? What TV channel will broadcast?
If the equality and Deserve are issue, why dont we have one PGA tournaments consisting both sex. Then problem solved?
Of course, some will say it is NOT fair as the most fairness lies.
Thus, I totally disagree with the writer. I rather see women writer, who knows in & out of the golf history commenting on this topic. Not this dude.
Hawkeye77
Dec 8, 2018 at 10:50 pm
Click bait populist nonsense from a writer who continues to demonstrate he really doesn’t have any real sense of golf or the history of the game.
Can we get some interns to start writing here?
noble mind
Dec 8, 2018 at 7:46 pm
Hey, while we’re at it…
Why don’t we speak for the 99.9% of golfers that will NEVER play Augusta National. Yeah, isn’t that unfair? Everyone should play Augusta National – equal golf rights! Inclusivity all the way!
Not. It’s a private club. They have their own rules. They can do whatever they want. Period.
This article attempts to take a “progressive” stance by trying to solve the issue of lack of inclusivity in golf.. but really, this is as backwards as it gets. The American ideals of living in a free country where you can start your own business, create your own opportunity, and call your own shots.. is inherently progressive and what makes our country so great. That means you can start your own Augusta National, make it your own idea of a great golf course, and host a major championship that only women can play on (if you so wish). And that would be totally awesome.
Would it be cool to watch the LPGA play at Augusta National? Absolutely. But don’t ride the political coattails regarding lack of inclusivity.
JP
Dec 8, 2018 at 11:06 pm
Call it what it is… Socialism
ChipNRun
Dec 8, 2018 at 7:09 pm
Augusta National runs its own show for the Masters, so this overlap may indicate a lack of communication among Augusta, the PGA and the LPGA.
As far as slotting the LPGA event at Augusta the week BEFORE the Masters, what would this do to the course having two large tournaments back-to-back? What does the Augusta National greenskeeper think about this? That’s a lot of wear and tear on the course.
Also, coordinating the logistics for a 1+1 would be mind-boggling. Would one overall crew run both tournaments and coordinate two teams of volunteers? How would this work?
Possible the LPGA could come in two weeks AFTER the Master’s.
Bert Gwaltney
Dec 8, 2018 at 6:53 pm
The LPGA deserves nothing! Why? One comment was to have an event at Cypress Point. Good choice.
Johnny Penso
Dec 8, 2018 at 3:11 pm
“Deserve” is absolutely the wrong word to assign to this discussion. Deserve implies entitlement and there is no entitlement to play at a golf course. The discussion should revolve around whether the idea has merit on it’s face, is it good for the game of golf, good for the women’s game? etc. IMO yes it is. Augusta is arguably the most revered golf course in the world and one can argue it’s importance as a tournament as well. I made this argument the other day on a different thread about women’s golf and my point remains the same. I think it’ll be good for golf, good for the women as well and for girls coming into the game. I’d have one caveat though. It has to be a major from Day 1 and they’d have to drop a major, maybe 2. IMO both tours should have 4 majors, 6 is definitely too many.
One can argue about the event’s exclusivity being part of it’s charm but I think that’s bogus quite frankly. There will be no change to the prestige of this tournament for as long as it’s played.
I guess I’m the idiot
Dec 8, 2018 at 7:43 am
Can I ask one simple question? How did you guys feel when they first let black people play there in 1990? Wasn’t that long ago. Was it approached with the same fervent attitude as this proposal?
Brian McGranahan
Dec 8, 2018 at 1:06 pm
Lee Elder played in the Masters in 1975.
Brian McGranahan
Dec 8, 2018 at 9:20 pm
Lee Elder played The Masters in 1975. Again.
Funkaholic
Dec 10, 2018 at 11:20 am
Your guess is correct, you are in fact an idiot.
bk
Dec 8, 2018 at 6:31 am
Deserve’s got nothing to do with it. Did Martha Burke put you up to this? Grow up kid.
Frankie
Dec 8, 2018 at 1:58 am
Have it at Cypress Point instead of Augusta National because a woman found it. There’s your equality right there.
Tom
Dec 7, 2018 at 11:26 pm
LPGA = Asia Ladies Tour….no thanks!
Scott Ivlow
Dec 10, 2018 at 3:39 pm
Your statement is stupid. That like saying the Masters= the European Tour. If paid any attention there are many American women on the LPGA.
Tim
Dec 7, 2018 at 10:26 pm
Well would they have to tame the course for the women? If they did it wouldn’t really be fair would it? If the LPGA were to play it in the condition the men do for The Masters the women would get eaten up. It would not be fun to watch the LPGA women 3-4 jack most of those greens.
Bob Barker
Dec 7, 2018 at 10:01 pm
Leftist progress = Society regress
Pierre Morgan
Dec 7, 2018 at 9:55 pm
Third wave fe minism has become a cancer that is destroying the moral fabric of the West. Women are now fighting their biological imperative and are more miserable than ever trying to behave like men.
Uncle Adolf 1488
Dec 7, 2018 at 9:51 pm
Third wave femini sm pushed by the left had destroyed the moral fabric of our society. Women are natural caregivers and are not leaders, thanks to the lie that they are being held down by the patriarch they have never been more miserable. Fighting your biological imperative is never a good thing. Feminis m = cancer.
Scheiss
Dec 7, 2018 at 3:50 pm
They’ll always have Lingerie Football
Eric
Dec 7, 2018 at 7:45 pm
It’s OK to be a man. It’s OK to be a woman. It’s OK if you’re a PRIVATE club/organization to have your own rules. Go start your own Augusta or whatever and make your own rules. It’s like this country is so adverse to having ANY exclusion. I am a man and there are certain places that only women are allowed to be or join that I can’t…and I’m not going to get upset because they’re excluding me. Their private club, their rules. I’m also a male model. We get paid less than women models. WOMEN models are in higher demand, there are certain events that I can’t go to because I’m a MALE – sorry, when men start to be in higher demand, we’ll get paid more. Until then, I’ll just shut up and keep working and be thankful for the opportunities I do have.
This golf thing isn’t about who is capable of playing well and who’s not and who may or may not deserve to play blah blah. It’s about their rules, their money, their house. Stop complaining and go start your own club. LIfe isn’t fair, get over it.
Dr Troy
Dec 7, 2018 at 10:54 pm
Best post today.
JP
Dec 8, 2018 at 1:42 am
Amen brother!
Bill Parsons
Dec 7, 2018 at 2:58 pm
How many times have you picked up the remote to put on the golf channel and saw it was the LPGA on at the moment and felt super disappointed? It happens to me a lot.
Jordan
Dec 7, 2018 at 3:29 pm
Same. It’s almost like they need to be playing at better courses to make it interesting.
JP
Dec 7, 2018 at 5:36 pm
Haha. They just need to NOT televise it. I’d rather watch reruns of Feherty.
Billy p
Dec 8, 2018 at 3:13 am
They could be playing on the moon. No one cares
george
Dec 7, 2018 at 2:54 pm
Some of these comments is what is wrong with golf. Grow up and let the ladies be a part of it. Geez its just a sport and it is ok to share it with others. Didnt realize a women’s golf tournament at Augusta really gets your depends diapers in a bunch.
Jordan
Dec 7, 2018 at 10:15 pm
Thank you.
Tim Tracks
Dec 8, 2018 at 4:24 pm
Found the cuck right here. If we keep on letting women push more and more there will be nothing left of our once civilized society. Please watch the Black Piegeon Speaks video about “Why women destroy nations and other uncomfortable truths” it will help you.
^^This dude is deathly afraid of women
Dec 8, 2018 at 9:01 pm
Show me on the doll where the women hurt you Tim
Tim Tracks
Dec 9, 2018 at 9:10 am
Not an argument moron. Keep holding your head in the sand Cuck.
Tim Tracks
Dec 9, 2018 at 9:13 am
Not an argument. Keep burying your head in the sand c uck boy. It’s because of weak men like yourself the west is in the mess it is in.
Tom
Dec 7, 2018 at 1:26 pm
LPGA, WNBA same story, nobody wants to watch. No viewers, no advertisers, no interest no money….very simple.
JP
Dec 7, 2018 at 2:36 pm
Preach the TRUTH!
Mike C
Dec 7, 2018 at 1:04 pm
The problem with Augusta National hosting a women’s major is that the whole allure of Augusta is the exclusivity. If it becomes overexposed it loses it’s appeal which is the whole reason you want a tournament there to begin with.
Jamie
Dec 7, 2018 at 12:28 pm
So have a tournament for the sole purpose of catering to women? That’s sexist. Change women to men and you can see why.
Brian
Dec 7, 2018 at 3:14 pm
This doesn’t make any sense. There’s already a men’s only tournament there.
I don’t think this is how sexism works…
James Glenn
Dec 8, 2018 at 8:17 am
To be fair, it’s not specifically “men’s only.” If a woman were able to get herself into the Top 50 of the World Golf Rankings or win on the PGA Tour, they would automatically get an invite.
Fergie
Dec 7, 2018 at 11:50 am
If Augusta consents to it, I think it would be great to have an LPGA Masters there.
We’ve seen Asian players literally dominate the LPGA over the years. More emphasis on womens golf and high visibility televised events may get women more interested in golf in America. Hopefully, it would help grow the game.
At the course I play, I see an occasional female high school or college team player playing practice rounds, or, more often, older ladies playing friendly rounds with their husbands. I’d like to see more young women (not necessarily tethered to husbands) drawn to the game, invested in it.
JP
Dec 7, 2018 at 2:35 pm
Placing emphasis on something nobody cares about is pointless. And it takes away from Augusta National’s allure. It takes something that is held in high esteem and lessens it.
CaoNiMa
Dec 7, 2018 at 3:47 pm
Fergie is racist.
The fastest growing immigrant population in America is Asian
Fergie
Dec 7, 2018 at 6:33 pm
. . . And, Mexican Americans are the second fastest growing demographic.
So what?
I’m not talking about “white” women.
I’m talking about American women.
When I say Asian women, I’m talking about Koreans, Japanese, etc.
Their culture embraces women’s golf.
American culture obviously does not.
About 70% of the responses here testify to that!
Jordan
Dec 7, 2018 at 10:13 pm
Dude how do you get to that conclusion from that statement? Can you even read? Fergie is merely alluding to the challenge with amateur woman’s golf in America and how Asian countries do a better job at creating woman professional golfers currently.
Fergie
Dec 7, 2018 at 11:51 pm
Yeah, and the second fastest is Latino. So what? I said, grow the game in America, not grow the game for white women.
I’ve been married to an Asian for 27 years.
Who’s the bigot, now?
CaoNiMa
Dec 8, 2018 at 1:57 am
Prove it. Links to your home pages.
If not, then you’re just another idiot troll who’s not very smart, who just complains on a place like this, thinking that complaining behind a concealed ID is being intelligent. It’s not. You’re not.
Fergie
Dec 8, 2018 at 3:52 pm
I’m not linking you to anything, Idiot.
She’s half Chinese, half Pacific Islander. 100% naturalized US citizen.
Not a ChiCom.
CaoNiMa
Dec 8, 2018 at 4:16 pm
So no proof. All talk. All BS
I guess I’m an idiot
Dec 7, 2018 at 11:08 am
The Masters is easily my favorite major of the year, but for people to completely ignore Augusta National’s shady, racist past just shows how out of touch people are. The fact that woman who are way better than any of you will ever be, simply want an opportunity to play competitive golf at the #1 course in the world, and that is a future you wouldn’t condone, is unbelievable. What do you tell your daughters?
Jamie
Dec 7, 2018 at 12:32 pm
That you’re an idiot. Are you even capable of procreation, cakeboy? Augusta is a private club and can make its own rules. Women can start their own club and have their own tournaments. But I guess it’s just easier to tell gov to take from others and redistribute?
I guess I’m an idiot
Dec 7, 2018 at 3:28 pm
Dude, so let me understand this. Because I’m arguing that women should have the ability to play an event at the best course in the country, you’re questioning my ability to procreate?
Being a middle aged man with a name like Jamie, I can tell you’ve dealt with some shit. Either that or it sounds like some woman ran an absolute TRAIN on you at some point in your life. Sorry about that man.
Brian
Dec 7, 2018 at 3:21 pm
They tell them how to be submissive to their future husbands. They tell them to learn how to cook and clean. They tell them it’s an honor to be looked upon with desire by men. But they don’t tell them anything empowering, because that might detract from their “masculinity”.
I’m glad we’re banging the same drum here. People know it takes money to make the game grow, but no one wants to be the one to take on the big risk to help the game make money. They’ll only jump on board once it’s safe to do so. Let the women play anywhere they want to. It’s obscene that this is still considered normal and acceptable.
Keep telling the truth. You’re one of the good ones.
Scheiss
Dec 7, 2018 at 3:49 pm
Two words, Idiot:
Lingerie Football
alexdub
Dec 7, 2018 at 10:53 am
Interesting that you reference the need for inclusivity in the sport. Isn’t that what ANGC has done with the amateur women’s event? Although professional women’s golf is noticeably short-sided with respect to coverage and attention in the golf world, women’s golf at the amateur level is discriminated and excluded at an exponentially higher level. Outside of the inclusion of women in USGA events and the widespread adoption of women’s golf at the collegiate level, ANGC’s new amateur event might be considered one of the most significant milestones ever in women’s golf.
Snowflakes suck
Dec 7, 2018 at 10:45 am
It’s a private club. They can do whatever the hell they want.
If you don’t like it, then maybe you should work your ass off and become a millionaire, then get invited by having a select group of friends in the right places and change their ways.
Until then…Get lost, losers.
eric
Dec 7, 2018 at 7:53 pm
“It’s a private club. They can do whatever the hell they want.
If you don’t like it, then maybe you should work your ass off and become a millionaire, then get invited by having a select group of friends in the right places and change their ways.
Until then…Get lost, losers.”
This a billion times over. I’ll never play Augusta. LIfe isn’t fair, I’ll get over it and someday I’ll die.
Clay
Dec 7, 2018 at 10:44 am
It would be fun to watch the LPGA play at Augusta, BUT it is a private club and they hold the right to pick and choose who plays their course. Why do we continue to attack private organizations in this country?
Jordan's still an idiot
Dec 7, 2018 at 10:46 am
Because people are morons.
JP
Dec 7, 2018 at 2:38 pm
These same people would embrace socialism.
Don’t earn it, b*#%ch about it until it’s given to you…
This guy ^^^
Dec 7, 2018 at 3:37 pm
Bahhhhhhhh GET OFF MY LAWN!!!
I guess I’m the idiot
Dec 7, 2018 at 11:13 am
Absolutely let them choose. It’s their club do what they want. Just don’t be surprised to get backlash. It took them until 1983 to stop exclusively using staffed black caddies. So I figure we’re on pace for an LPGA event by 2038?
AL
Dec 7, 2018 at 7:12 pm
News flash shit happened in the past and they corrected it. You dont like it stop watching Augusta events. Im sick of dumb ass people constantly beating a dead horse. I laugh when idiots act like men hate women or something. Women ARE NOT discriminated against. Mens entire lives are dedicated to making women happy. We all have mothers and wives and girlfriends who we love. Hell most of the time its the people crying foul who are really the non tolerant hateful types who cant stand anyone who speaks the truth to them. How about we have real equality and just allow anyone and everyone play in one league?
Jordan
Dec 7, 2018 at 10:41 am
Some of these comments are amazing. I figure we have 20 more years of these old blowhards before they start dying off. After they suck social security dry of course.
Jordan's an idiot
Dec 7, 2018 at 10:42 am
Dear idiot,
They paid into Social Security just like you and I. Are you saying they don’t deserve it?
Jordan
Dec 7, 2018 at 10:55 am
It’s not our problem these good ole boy traditionalists were 1 of 8-10 siblings who all have zero future translatable workforce skills that they have to bleed social programs dry all because the future is “changing too fast for them”. But atelast they’ll get to watch good ole boys play golf at Augusta once a year.
T
Dec 7, 2018 at 10:29 am
How do you write an article supporting the LPGA and not include any of the 4 players ranked above Lexi Thompson that aren’t American as “worldwide superstars”? Nothing against Lexi, Lydia Ko and Michelle Wie but the international players are easily the biggest worldwide draw for the LPGA. This is super transparent and pretty clearly written by somebody who doesn’t watch much LPGA golf.
Thomas A
Dec 7, 2018 at 10:21 am
Bring it on. Let the old guard fade away in their stubborn stupidity as they should.
Yep, Jordan's still an idiot
Dec 7, 2018 at 10:49 am
Private club’s can do whatever they want. It has nothing to do with “The old guard”
Dr Troy
Dec 7, 2018 at 10:09 am
No….No….No….They have their own venues. Sorry, not sorry.
Brian McGranahan
Dec 7, 2018 at 10:05 am
An SJW at his worst.
Why can’t the LPGA have it’s own majors. Why do some women and other SJW think women have to ride the coattails of men, i.e the wnba, lpga, wta?
Why aren’t the 5 majors they already have enough?
Marcus Aurelius
Dec 7, 2018 at 10:31 am
If I could somehow super like this comment.. I would. It is OK to have separate venues for men and women. “Progress” has been overused and weaponized to push leftist narratives and disrupt normal behavior – along with many other made up neologisms of the 21st century, especially those ending in ‘ist’,’ia’ and ‘obe’.
Jordan
Dec 7, 2018 at 10:46 am
Women who are way better than you’ll ever be want to play competitive golf at the best course in the world, and you’re saying this is apart of a liberal narrative? WHAT?!
Also, who the hell are you to say what “normal behavior” is in the first place?
Jesus I hope you don’t have a daughter. She’s probably either a maid, seamstress, or a midwife by now.
JD
Dec 7, 2018 at 10:58 am
Who are you and why are you dictating what normal is?
Marcus Aurelius
Dec 7, 2018 at 11:11 am
Irrelevant comment – I’m not ‘dictating’ anything. Although I know who you are.. A soy-boy that probably cucks on most issues.
JD
Dec 7, 2018 at 11:19 am
Very active republican from the great state of Ohio. I think you’ve floated a little too far right of the bell curve though sir. Come back over a little more towards middle. It’s peaceful over here.
Marcus Aurelius
Dec 7, 2018 at 11:26 am
No bro, you need to wake up. You probably wont and continue your life as an NPC unfortunately.
david forsythe
Dec 7, 2018 at 10:01 am
Who is this kid? “….its murky past”.
Stop please.
sm
Dec 7, 2018 at 10:52 am
Yes murky..http://articles.latimes.com/1990-09-11/sports/sp-437_1_augusta-national-golf-club
JP
Dec 7, 2018 at 9:46 am
I disagree.
I also think it was wrong to ever let a female play Augusta National. The old ways had it right.
Golfer Girl
Dec 7, 2018 at 10:42 am
As a female who has had the privilege of playing Augusta National, to someone who probably never will, kindly f off.
JP
Dec 7, 2018 at 2:31 pm
metoo privileged.
Jordan
Dec 7, 2018 at 3:46 pm
To help you, this was about sexual abuse, and we’re talking about golf here. Keep it together JP!!!
I bet you were real confused when you forgot why you burned all your Nike stuff too.
JP
Dec 7, 2018 at 10:39 pm
I burned my nike shyyt because Kaepernig acts like an unpatriotic pig
Yes sirrr
Dec 8, 2018 at 8:56 pm
I feel like you could benefit from a good ass kicking. I think it would really help you.
Jordan
Dec 7, 2018 at 3:43 pm
Change scares the shit out of these people. That’s awesome you got to play there.
Now I’m going to go play an afternoon 9 with the Mrs. (she’s a 5 handicap, I know I’m blessed)