Twitterific

Last month, Ron Sirak published an excellent article on the use of Twitter by professional golfers. His major contention was:

"The main benefit players derive from Twitter is an immediate connection with their fans. This can also provide another platform on which to promote the various goods and services with which they have lucrative endorsement deals. That makes both the player and the sponsor happy, and it helps cement the bond between the player and the fan. The tweets help to humanize the celebrity."

With the advances of social media, individuals, corporations, and organizations are increasingly able to provide transparency for their constituency (fans). Traditionally, public relations practitioners strive to control the frame in which their organization is viewed; to manipulate, exploit, and portray their organization in a light that best advances a respective cause. In the case of individuals, the ability to send exact, well-conceived messages to an audience permits one to establish a lens for a constituency to view them through; a "cyber-personality" of sorts.



Ultimately, the content of a "tweet" isn't entirely significant, as long as it provides some sort of insight into a golfer's life that a fan wouldn't have access to otherwise. Rather, its significance lies within the perception that an audience gains from it.

For instance, yesterday evening PGA Tour player Bubba Watson (@bubbawatson) tweeted:

Meow a chip n on the plane! #yourwelcome ;-) http://tweetreel.com/?nmaxm

Not only does his "tweet" entail a comical video, but it's equally an advertisement for NetJets.


Similarly, LPGA sensation Michelle Wie (@themichellewie) tweeted after her recent victory:

wooooOoooooooooohooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

She's also kept her fans up to date with her injured ankle:

Thank you all for your support. I was so sad to pull out from this tournament. I am going to go to my doctor tomorrow to get it checked out

Off to la to see my doctor today and take some Mris and scans. Wish me luck... Then I'm off to Stanford for the big game!! Cheeeheeee

Over the last five years, perhaps no athlete in this country has been vilified to the extent that Michelle Wie has. In her precarious position of maintaining the youthful exuberance which has brought her fame since she was 13 while balancing the desire to portray herself as a mature competitor, it seems that Twitter allows for this dueling proclivity.


I also found a list of the golfers using Twitter.

I can be found on twitter at Michael_R_Ott


Photo(s): Twitter