This Labor Day weekend women's golf had a marvelous opportunity to showcase their game and convert the casual golfer into a regular follower. The premier event for ladies golf is The Solheim Cup. The best from the Ladies European Tour (LET) against the best from the LPGA on display at the famous Inverness Club in Toledo Ohio.
For three days we could see the best talent women's golf has to offer. Unfortunately, they laid an egg. I know the final score was close but honestly, it really wasn't that close at all. In fact the only reason that it was as close as it turned out, was the very reason that I believe they laid an egg.
Both teams made the same mistakes off the tee all weekend. Most of the ladies hit a draw because that gives them more distance. Unfortunately, under pressure they cannot control it and it ends up being a snap hook into trouble. I give them credit for sticking to their plan because for many of them they had the same result each round on the first hole. Either left into the rough or left into the bunkers.
The fact that they hit it there over four or five rounds makes you scratch your head and wonder why not try something else? On the rare occasion that they tried to hit a fade they either hit a huge slice or miss hit it so bad that it hurt them even worse.
The world number one, Nellie Korda of the US, hit at least ten fat chunks from the fairway or rough this weekend. The number one golfer does not hit chunk shots. The friendly foursome on Saturday hits chunk shots.
But what was really disappointing, and ugly to watch, was the play of these professional golfers around the greens. If you are a regular reader you know how much I love the LPGA and women's golf, but I'm sorry to tell you that these ladies cannot chip, cannot putt, and cannot read greens.
The men's PGA tour pros have given lip service to their support of the LPGA, in fact a few of them were at the Solheim Cup cheering on the ladies, but if they really want to help, they should offer the LPGA a two week camp in chipping and putting.
Compounding the embarrassment was the ridiculous commercials all weekend. 99% of the breaks, at least locally here in the desert, had either a PSA, network promotions, or low budget spots. 1% of the ads were national brands, and only one was golf related, and it was Ping, the brand owned by the namesake of the tournament, Karsten Solheim.
In three weeks when the men play in The Ryder Cup the coverage will be wall to wall and the advertising will be from top shelf brands and companies. If the ladies ever want to get to that level they need to improve the product in these events.
All in all, an opportunity wasted.
One quick thing regarding the continuing national outcry from a portion of the country regarding Covid.
The very idiots complaining about a mask mandate, a vaccine mandate, stay at home orders, and keeping kids home from school, are the same idiots who are responsible for all the above to be in place because they refuse to get vaccinated, or wear a mask, to stop the spread of this virus.
Let me see if I can get this through your thick skull into that pea sized thing you call your brain.
If you would just get vaccinated and wear a mask this will all go away. The longer you fight this the longer we all have to suffer through it.
Either get vaccinated or die alone at home. Stay away from the rest of us and do not go to a hospital.