PGA Tour Created Content (I)

Going forward, I'll will be posting on potential content ideas for in-house produced content by the PGA Tour. Last week, I proposed a sub-site to PGATour.com where Tour players' social media would be syndicated, blog (diary) entries would be posted, and potential video blogging could be housed.

 As I'll regurgitate in the weeks to follow, technological advances have provided for an ease in producing in-house content. A single camera, with a single, skilled individual is capable of filming and producing revealing, humanizing pieces that can advance the story-telling interests of the PGA Tour. The ability to remove a journalist, mainstream media lens should be desired; the content can be controlled, a more uniform message can be relayed, and, most importantly, the right probing questions and direction can be managed and facilitated by an individual with an expert golf background that isn't looking for commercial success via readership.


Today, I'd like to discuss resurrecting the "In his Words" 1997 Tiger Woods Masters Special.

Following a PGA Tour event, the winner would be invited (depending on support, perhaps mandated) to give a 5-15 minute interview to the PGA Tour.

The interview, ideally, would be filmed with a single camera positioned over the shoulder of the interviewer -- perhaps catching a glimpse of them just as a means to keep direction. The interviewer probably should be shown a few times during the interview, just to provide that context, but the raw focus should be the event winner.

The interviewer would simply walk the player through their winning round (maybe multiple rounds depending on context), while guiding them with specific, probing golf questions. The respective shots would be spliced throughout the filming.

For instance, assume that the eventual winner made a crucial birdie on the 17th hole to take a one-shot (and ultimate victory margin) advantage. Here's a scenario Q&A:

After "player x" hooked it in the left bunker before you hit, what where your thoughts? Did you play a conservative shot? It looked like you tried to curve it left-to-right away from that bunker? Where you thinking about forcing a maybe two-shot swing here?

Response.

Talk about the birdie putt you had here. Slippery downhill left-to-right putt; were you worried about it getting away from you?

Response.

How did you re-focus after the birdie? Adrenaline running?

Response.

This type of interview would provide golf fans with the behind-the-scenes access their looking for, while also giving them golf advice and a better analysis of the game than they would traditionally find elsewhere.

Obviously, different players (personalities) would provide for better interviews, but its also likely that the quiet, soft-spoken, humble Tour player may provide a more candid interview than would be expected from, say, Tiger or Phil Mickelson.

Ultimately, the show is an exercise in creating precise, well-formed soundbites for syndication. Better interviews, more golf specific questions and comments than would be found in a press conference. Also, it is the type of content that, once one begins watching, I don't believe that they're likely to turn off. It is the epitome of a humanizing interview while relaying expert golf commentary and analysis, from the player themselves, that a journalist is unlikely to provide for.

In terms of monetizing, the obvious standard side-bar advertisements, or even the brief 15-second commercial interruption could be used for online viewing and, I'd assume, the same syndication policies for other media agencies would be applied.

A take on Tiger Woods

Ordinarily, I wouldn't post an article by a basketball writer, but, I believe Bethlehem Shoals to be one of the best non-mainstream basketball writers today in his style and in his undoubted intellect. He echoed several of my attitudes in the following piece and I believe that he wrote them in better style and cadence than I would have.

Will Tiger Take the Kobe or MJ Road to Redemption?

Thursday, December 03, 2009

Posted By Bethlehem Shoals 

I'm not sure if Tiger Woods even cares about the NBA. I know he's been known to roll with Jordan and Barkley. But if he wants to make it through this sudden rough patch, he'd do well to look at a couple of examples from basketball's not-so-distant past. The advertising cult of personality surrounding him seems straight from the basketball superstar playbook. Thus, any attempt to salvage his public image necessarily relates to what happens with disgraced NBA players.

The poster child for image rehab is Kobe Bryant, who went from top pitchman, to celebrity indicted on sexual assault, to the more subtle, less ostentatious corporate presence we see today. Bryant's earning power certainly took a hit, but he's reconstituted himself as someone more concerned with basketball than celebrity—exactly what his career arc needed, and in fact, great for the public perception of him. Yet at the same time, plenty of people reviled Kobe Bryant before the Colorado case. His squeaky-clean image always rang hollow; anyone could tell the man has issues. Now, he earns grudging respect, since his rep is based largely on his performance on the court.

Kobe had the advantage of only having so far to fall; you could argue that, had it not been for a certain massive criminal charge, his commercial viability would've collapsed at some point anyway. The bubble had to burst; there was too much tension between Kobe's supposed likeability and the vibe he gave off. The better point of comparison might be Michael Jordan himself, who incidentally, is the only living athlete who can claim Tiger's level of greatness. For advertisers, Jordan was the original anodyne African-American athlete, a man whose skin color never got in the way of his capitalizing on his achievements. In large part, that was because MJ portrayed himself as the nicest, and possibly most boring, guy you'd ever meet.

But for all that's come out over the court of Jordan's career—for starters, the gambling problem, womanizing, ruthless competitiveness and arrogance in every situation, and inability to accept failure in himself or others—that public Jordan has remained largely unchanged. To a large degree, MJ has served as a model for Tiger. And as with pre-Jordan Rules Jordan, we pretty much figured Woods was that nice guy. Hook, line and sinker, it just seemed to make sense. Unlike Kobe, who was miscast from the beginning, this week's revelations force us to rethink Tiger Woods. And that's never fun, or good for the famous person involved.

Why doesn't Jordan ever change his advertising face? He has nowhere to go. Those ads with Charlie Sheen today make him look like a boor, but to change course would be an admission of defeat—an admission that he'd lied to the public. He's just gambling on the fact that he can continue to keep enough people in the dark about what a difficult person he really is. At the same time, Jordan has taken things a step further than Kobe. Bryant seems to have issues that extend far beyond simply wanting to be the best. As Jordan showed at his Hall of Fame speech, it might be impossible to separate his bad behavior from his athletic excellence—the very same thing that makes people pay attention in the first place.

Jordan doesn't lose ground, but he makes us inclined to see athletes as pathologies, not heroes. And isn't that the slippery slope Tiger's so afraid of? That it could all come crashing down and we might actually be surprised? If he goes the Kobe route, he risks only his short-term reputation. But if he toughs it out, and glosses things over, like Jordan, then the ultimate prize might no longer be there when he finally works his way back.

My only qualm with the article, is that I don't believe he stated his conclusion well enough. I would have added:

"Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods share an uncommon competitiveness and self-confidence that has propelled them to achieve, perhaps, unprecedented success in their respective sports and commercial interests. Where their persona is the epitome of athletic excellence to some, it is viewed as narcissistic by others. Based on incidents in their off the course/court lives, it may be appropriate to say that they each struggle to turn their respective "game faces" off when not in competition -- it's as if they are always proving their infallibility, their superiority to themselves and whoever is watching in some fashion."

A PGA Tour Response to Tiger

As allegations have morphed into seemingly factual claims, the Tiger Woods aura going forward is going to be somewhat tarnished as he will likely go from a private family man to a man with a reputation of promiscuity and profligatory behavior.

Unlike team sports like football, baseball, soccer, etc., golf institutionalizes its players; where no single football player is larger than the NFL or no baseball player is larger than the MLB; the PGA Tour is not as much a "league" (in that sense) as it is a competitive home for the world's best individuals (golfers). Basketball and golf are related in that commercial success is found in its superstars (visibility, marketability, public perception). The revelations of a less-than sound moral compass for Tiger Woods is, obviously, a knock to the PGA Tour's marketability of its best player, most famous star.

Tiger will need to be active going forward in restoring his public perception; although I believe that this will be best accomplished by a strict "no comment" policy on the matter. When probed about it, Tiger should respond with ambiguous, bland statements; "It's a family matter between Ellin and I. I apologize. Her and I are working forward together."

But, let's not for a second forget the greatest recipe for alleviation in controversy surrounding sports, winning.

However, the PGA Tour will need a response. With calls for the Barbara Walters, half-hour prime-time tell-all, conversations breaking out in talk show and radio circles from The View and Glenn Beck to jokes made during half time of NBA games, with sports and editorial writers alike calling for a moral response from Tiger, the Tour has found itself in a public relations whirlwind -- one that I'm sure they are hoping fades further into the depths than the Tim Donaghy scandal, Kobe or Ben Roethlisberger's rape allegations.

The exact predicament that the Tour needs to avoid is the Pete Rose saga -- where a league related backlash and censure (band from the Hall of Fame) recycles the story.

Perhaps the Tour, if they haven't before, needs to set a precedent with regard to the personal lives of its players; "The PGA Tour does not comment on the personal matters of its players. We support our players and if they desire will provide them with professional support. We will continue to support and privately provide them with any needs they may have in the future."

Photo(s): Tiger Woods

Race & Gender in Professional and Amateur Sports Hiring (Class Assignment)

Professor Richard Lapchick’s 2006-07 Racial and Gender Report Card addresses the hiring practices of people of color in leading American professional leagues and college sports. Principally, it focuses on the lack of representation of people of color in coaching and administrative positions as compared to the high concentration of such demographics in composition of players.

While in my political beliefs I support affirmative action policies throughout education, in particular, I have generally believed that the persistent racial gap in sports hiring practices cannot be looked at through the classic affirmative action lens. Though same may argue, affirmative action policies in education are not aimed to produce a better product through the advantages of diversity, but rather to "level the playing field" in breaking down cultural socioeconomic barriers. Contrarily, in the context of sports, I believe such a policy to be designed to improve the workings of an athletic team and as a result improving that team's performance in competition.

Perhaps the most distressing find in Professor Lapchick's study is the lack of professional team ownership by people of color. As he mentions, Arturo Moreno is the only Latino majority owner in professional sports (Anaheim Angels) and Robert Johnson is the only African American majority owner (Charlotte Bobcats). Though, as of May, Johnson was looking to sell his majority stake in the franchise. In appearance, this phenomenon speaks greater volumes about cultural socioeconomic concerns of corporate success and social status than an under-representation of people of color in professional coaching positions. Where society welcomes a black man that can run a 4.4 second 40-yard dash, score 35 points in a game, sell jerseys; where a society welcomes a Latino man that can dominate on the soccer pitch or bat .300 for the season, society seemingly does not accept them to an equal degree in the conference room.

Though Lapchick doesn’t mention golf in his study, one can only take a glance at the PGA Tour to notice the remarkable lack of racial diversity. Where the PGA Tour is characterized by massive diversity in ethnicity and nationality, the same cannot be said for race. Where I’m aware of history of Charlie Sifford, Calvin Pete, and Jim Thorpe, in recent history I can’t recall many instances of African Americans in professional golf. Obviously, the Tour is currently dominated both on the course and in marketing success by Tiger Woods (who is bi-racial), but with the exception of Tim O’Neil – who was made famous by having Will Smith has a financial backer, but has not had any mentionable success – I’m not aware of any other African American golfers of note.

Unlike the leagues in Lapchick’s study, I’m not sure that professional golf can be scrutinized in the same fashion – there is a greater cultural gap in competitive golf participation that can be observed at the junior, high school, college, and amateur golf level. Where skill and talent in basketball, baseball, football, etc. are color-blind, in golf there, quite simply, have not been as many prominent African American golfers as there have been Caucasian golfers. Hence, the gap in golf needs to be addressed from a larger, cultural perspective than it does in a simple context of hiring practices.

My proposal: "www.pgatour.com/tour-zone"

As I enjoyed the Thanksgiving break and reflected on upcoming career conversations I'm hoping for, I spent a truly embarrassing amount of time playing with the Twitter application "Echofon" on my iPhone. For the dual followers of my @Michaelott23 twitter account and "Never Three Putt," you'll undoubtedly attest to the bombardment of tweets you got from me; although many of them were about European soccer.

Regardless, I noticed the --bordering on addict level-- twittering going on by some Tour stars; most noticeably Bubba Watson, Trevor Immelman, Paula Creamer, and Ian Poulter (future Tour star Rickie Fowler is worth mentioning as well). While their tweets ranged from Paula Creamer (and I'm not being misogynistic) talking about her new hair style, Bubba Watson talking about his Thanksgiving day charity work and religious services, to Trevor Immelman's fan hood of the Orlando Magic, each Tour star brought an interesting component to the twitter and social media world.


On Twitter, I currently follow:

Grame McDowell (@Grame_McDowell), Jamie Lovemark (@jamielovemark), Rich Beem (@richbeem), Kevin Streelman (@Streels54), Natalie Gulbis (@natalie_gulbis), Stewart Cink (@stewartcink), PGA Tour (@pgatour), Suzann Pettersen (@suzannpettersen), Annika Sorenstam (@annika59), Davis Love III (@Love3d), Geoff Ogilvy (@geoffogilvy), Trevor Immelman (@trevorimmelman), Paul Casey (@Paul_Casey), Peter Jacobsen (@Jake Trout), Chris DiMarco (@ChrisDiMarco), Brittany Lincicome (@Brittany1golf), Bubba Watson (@bubbawatson), Rickie Fowler (@rickiefowlerPGA), Rory McIlroy (@rorsmcilroy), John Daly (@PGA_JohnDaly), and more . . .

While at times I may over-discuss the Twitter phenomenon, its symbolic powers of transparency and fan-courtship are undeniable. Twitter is not alone in its powers from the social media world: Facebook, personal websites, video blogging, etc. each bring similar, but distinct, notions to the athlete/fan relationship.

With that said, my recommendation for a capitalization by the PGA Tour on social media, and similar online exclusive, player driven content is a sub-site to the PGA Tour's web site: "www.pgatour.com/tour-zone."

Create the exclusive home for Internet content created exclusively by PGA Tour stars. Just as I have on the upper-part of the right-hand column on "Never Three Putt," the site would have RSS feeds of the Twitter accounts of PGA Tour stars, links to their personal web sites, their Facebook accounts. That's the easy and perhaps most powerful part; providing a well-detailed access for fans to their favorite golfer's social media.

The next component would be an online diary and online video blog.

Each week, one to as many as is appropriate PGA Tour star would devote time to online blogging (100-300 word posts) perhaps as many as three times a day (before the round, after the round, and again in the evening). The posts would not need to be scholarly or literary works, but rather a brief, even run-on sentence of what the golfer is doing to prepare, where they had dinner, their thoughts on the round, what they worked on at the range afterward, what they were going to watch on television, etc.. Obviously these posts could be edited and uploaded by a single PGA Tour employee -- and probably should be.

For a video blog, one tour player would be selected each week and a single PGA Tour employee would shadow them and shoot raw footage to be uploaded to the site. While there may be some editing for fluidness and quality control, the raw nature of the video blog would be its most appealing attribute.

I hope everyone enjoyed the holiday.

Look for a detailed post this week concerning the Nationwide Tour's eligibiliy requirements and field composition.

Do not look for a detailed post or commentary this week on the Tiger Woods saga. I have always disclosed my affinity for him; that he has been nothing short of a hero to me, and I adamantly refuse to comment on speculation -- particularly because it involves matters that are none of my business.

I'll be posting later today on a social media/player visibility proposal I have for the PGA Tour.

Lag it closer to the hole, assuming you're still playing golf. . .

-Michael

For those who follow me on twitter, sorry for the recent troubles.
Not sure why, but Twitter decided to revert me back to my old user name.

I've now updated the account and changed names, I can now be found @michaelott23

Tiger Woods' 2000-2009 Dominance. . . .

Great observation by ESPN's Jason Sobel on his twitter feed:

@JasonSobel: Tiger Woods led the PGA Tour with 121 top-10s this decade. Three more than No. 2 man Vijay Singh . . . in 95 fewer starts.

So, I thought I'd do a little research into the subject . . .

Tiger Woods:
       2009 - 17 events, 14 top-10s, 6 wins
       2008 - 6 events, 6 top-10s, 4 wins
       2007 - 16 events, 12 top-10s, 7 wins
       2006 - 15 events, 11 top-10s, 8 wins
       2005 - 21 events, 13 top-10s, 6 wins
       2004 - 19 events, 14 top-10s, 1 win
       2003 - 18 events, 12 top-10s, 5 wins
       2002 - 18 events, 13 top-10s, 5 wins
       2001 - 19 events, 9 top-10s, 5 wins
       2000 - 20 events, 17 top-10s, 9 wins

      * 121 top-10s in 169 starts (72 percent), 54 wins (32 percent)

Phil Mickelson
      2009 - 18 events, 7 top-10s, 3 wins
      2008 - 21 events, 8 top-10s, 2 wins
      2007 - 22 events, 7 top-10s, 3 wins
      2006 - 19 events, 8 top-10s, 2 wins
      2005 - 21 events, 9 top-10s, 4 wins
      2004 - 22 events, 13 top-10s, 2 wins
      2003 - 23 events, 7 top-10s, 0 wins
      2002 - 26 events, 12 top-10s, 2 wins
      2001 - 23 events, 13 top-10s, 2 wins
      2000 - 23 events, 12-tops 10s, 4 wins

      * 96 top-10s in 218 stars (44 percent), 24 wins (11 percent)

Vijay Singh
     2009 - 21 events, 3 top-10s, 0 wins
     2008 - 23 events, 8 top-10s, 3 wins
     2007 - 27 events, 7 top-10s, 2 wins
     2006 - 27 events, 13 top-10s, 1 win
     2005 - 30 events, 18 top-10s, 4 wins
     2004 - 29 events, 18 top-10s, 9 wins
     2003 - 27 events, 18 top-10s, 4 wins
     2002 - 28 events, 11 top-10s, 2 wins
     2001 - 26 events, 14 top-10s, 0 wins
     2000 - 26 events, 8 top-10s, 1 win

    * 118 top-10s in 264 starts (45 percent), 26 wins (10 percent)

Jack Nicklaus:
      1962 - 26 events, 16 top-10s, 3 wins
      1963 - 25 events, 17 top-10s, 5 wins
      1964 - 26 events, 17 top-10s, 4 wins
      1965 - 24 events, 20 top-10s, 5 wins
      1966 - 19 events, 13 top-10s, 3 wins
      1967 - 23 events, 15 top-10s, 5 wins
      1968 - 22 events, 13 top-10s, 2 wins
      1969 - 23 events, 11 top-10s, 3 wins
      1970 - 19 events, 12 top-10s, 2 wins
      1971 - 18 events, 15 top-10s, 5 wins

      * 149 top-10s in 225 starts (66 percent), 37 wins (16 percent)

Lessons learned:

- Tiger simply dominated the PGA Tour in the 2000s. Consider how often he won -- 32 percent of the time . . . are you kidding me?

- Don't ever say that Nicklaus dominated more than Tiger did; just compare the numbers. Oh, by the way, I chose Jack's best 10 year period of his career.

Side note:
 I wanted to compare the figures against Arnold Palmer, Sam Snead, and Ben Hogan but I was unable to find adequate statistics. If anybody finds them, send me a link.

Statistics via: PGA Tour & Nicklaus

What to do without Tiger Woods . . .

VIEWERSHIP OF PGA TOURNAMENTS MISSED BY TIGER WOODS DUE TO INJURY IN 2008-09 (via: Nielsen)

TOURNAMENT	NETWORK	# OF VIEWERS P2+, 2007-08	# OF VIEWERS P2+, 2008-09	% CHANGE
BRITISH OPEN-SAT	ABC	3,040,000	3,278,000	7.8%
BRITISH OPEN-SUN	ABC	5,147,000	4,463,000	-13.3%
AT&T NATIONAL-SAT	CBS	2,630,000	1,442,000	-45.2%
AT&T NATIONAL-SUN	CBS	3,615,000	2,164,000	-40.1%
NEC WORLD SERIES GOLF-SAT	CBS	3,250,000	1,793,000	-44.8%
NEC WORLD SERIES GOLF-SUN	CBS	**4,541,000	3,018,000	-33.5%
PGA CHAMPIONSHIPS-SAT	CBS	5,947,000	^^1,298,000	-78.2%
PGA CHAMPIONSHIPS-SUN	CBS	**9,165,000	3,885,000	-57.6%
BUICK INV PGA GOLF-SAT	CBS	3,761,000	1,601,000	-57.4%
BUICK INV PGA GOLF-SUN	CBS	**6,193,000	2,868,000	-53.7%
DEUTSCHE GOLF CHAMP-SUN	NBC	3,658,000	1,960,000	-46.4%
DEUTSCHE GOLF CHAMP-MON	NBC	4,936,000	2,116,000	-57.1%
BMW GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP-SAT	NBC	3,113,000	1,091,000	-65.0%
BMW GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP-SUN	NBC	**4,358,000	1,678,000	-61.5%
TOUR CHAMPIONSHIP-SAT	NBC	3,573,000	1,372,000	-61.6%
TOUR CHAMPIONSHIP-SUN	NBC	**4,231,000	2,183,000	-48.4%
TOTAL		4,567, 000	2,430,000	-46.8%
source: The Nielsen Company 2009 ** – tournament won by Tiger Woods ^^ – play suspended by inclement weather

As anyone who followed golf during the 2008-09 season can attest, the noticeable lack in the intensity of media coverage of the PGA Tour, the lack in water-cooler discussions about the PGA Tour, and the general dwindled interest of professional golf were directly caused by an absence of the world's number one player, who happens to be the world's most popular athlete, the world's first athlete-billionaire, and one of the world's most recognizable people.

But, none of this is news. 

As someone who came of age in the Tiger-era, witnessing, firsthand, the impact that he had on a generation of young golfers has been profound.

Where I started playing golf perhaps before I could stand, watching, as a child, as my friends became intrigued by the game, began to notice the game -- I should say notice Tiger -- and began to take an interest in a game so long associated with everything non-progressive and non-youthful. As a generation of fist-pumping golfers emerged, so did an obvious resentment from the golfing status quo. Where much of the ambivalence surrounding Tiger has since disappeared, at times a certain negative cloud surrounds him -- whether it's racial considerations, doubting his accomplishments as he's never faced, what many consider, a single formidable opponent (Hogan vs. Snead, Nicklaus v. Palmer, etc.), or questions regarding the contemporary, distance-driven characterizations of golf (while some say this is a transmogrification of the game, I consider it progress).

Yet, as golf's popularity has seemingly dwindled over the past few years, a certain question has arisen, at least in my mind. What is golf going to do when Tiger is no longer able to capture the world's youth?

In ten years, Tiger will be 44-years-old and, at least in the opinion of some, he will likely continue his worldwide dominance of the game. But, it's doubtful that Tiger will remain the imposing force in drawing new (young) golf fans that he currently is (although, arguably, he's already lost some of his allure). What 14-year-old is going to idolize a 44-year-old?

My question, and the basic premise behind much of the conversation on this blog, is how is the PGA Tour going to reestablish a youthful audience without Tiger -- someone that has escalated the PGA Tour greater than anyone before him, with the possible exception of Arnold Palmer?

Is Ricky Fowler, Anthony Kim, Jamie Lovemark, or Rory McIlroy going to fill his shoes?

This is a conversation that golf's leading institutions need to have.

It is my belief that the advents of technology in the media are going to prove to be the greatest tools in golf's arsenal, assuming that golf embraces them. Today, golf needs to establish young stars that are, at least in a small possibility, able to serve as a fan's "favorite golfer." These young stars need to have their characters established throughout the golfing community; they need to not have yachts named "Privacy,"they need to provide an unlimited access to their fans, and they need to embrace stardom in a fashion that both the young and old, progressive and conservative can invest themselves in.

Twitterific (Update)

Great example of corporate golf twitter use yesterday:

@nikegolf http://pic.gd/7e0f78 @suzannpettersen testing the Nike Method Putter, it reduced her skid distance by 3" as compared to her current gamer

Combining both the specifics of how the Nike Method Putter improved Suzann Pettersen's roll with the putter and providing insight into LPGA Tour star Suzann Pettersen, this type of tweet should, literally, serve as a paradigm for future corporate golf twitter use.

I was disappointed to see that Suzann Pettersen did not follow up on her Twitter account with any reference to the putter, although she did inform her followers that she would be spending the day with the Nike Golf department.

Well played Nike . . .

Anything less would be unexpected from the powerhouse that is Nike.

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

Monday Morning Reader

John Huggan writes an excellent, classic golf-essay, (Rory) "McIlroy's decision to play two tours is a risky strategy"

GIVEN HIS endearingly mop-topped combination of jauntiness, natural charisma and respectful politeness that is a credit to his rightfully proud parents, it has never been hard to like and admire Rory McIlroy. But this past week that already less than onerous task got even easier. 

On top of the prodigious physical gifts that produce his beautifully natural and rhythmic action and a subsequent array of shots superior to perhaps everyone except that Tiger fellow, the Belfast boy revealed a powerful strength of character that can only augur well for his future.

Against the advice of his manager and at least three vastly more experienced players, the 20-year-old officially announced his intention to join the PGA Tour next year.
"I want to challenge myself against the best," confirms McIlroy, who today may well become the winner of the inaugural "Race to Dubai" and so don the mantle of Europe's number one golfer for 2009. "The only way to do that is by playing in the best fields possible. I think I'll become a better player by playing a bit more over there. I'll be playing with better players and obviously you can learn a bit from that."

While duly respectful and betraying not a whit of boastfulness, that is a comment containing more than a hint of steel. This, one suspects, is a man with the self-belief to not only take on Tiger but, at least occasionally, beat him. To which the world's best player will no doubt counter: "bring it on."

Anyway, starting at the WGC Accenture Match Play Championship in February, McIlroy will play a maximum of 17 times on the PGA Tour next year. His schedule contains only blue-chip tournaments like Arnold Palmer's Bay Hill Invitational, Jack Nicklaus' Memorial Tournament, the Players' Championship, the three US majors, the World Golf Championships and, providing he plays to his own and everyone else's high expectations, the four Fed-Ex Cup play-off events. Over that feast of goodies he will sprinkle a few visits to the European Tour that will remain his home.

Jay Busbee compiles "The 10 Worst Golf Chokes of the 2000s"

Connell Barrett (golf.com) writes a, almost funny, "Top 5 'Seinfeld,' 'Curb' golf Moments" tribute.

Jason Sobel (ESPN.com) tweets:

@JasonSobel Lee Westwood called his Dubai win "the biggest moment of my golfing career." Bigger than those missed putts to join playoffs at two majors?

Thanksgiving Day Post Preview

Friends,

While I'm typically of the school that Thanksgiving only presents an opportunity to drink massive amounts of wine and consume absurd amounts of food before 3:00p.m., I'd like to open "Never Three Putt" to all who have a golf story that represents the nature of Thanksgiving. I'm not looking for tales of conquer and submission, but rather want to know a story that symbolizes why you are thankful to have golf in your life.

I'll be collecting stories over the next week (expect to see this reposted as a reminder) and will post them throughout Thanksgiving Day.

Until then, be well.

Stories can be e-mailed to me directly at MichaelOtt23@gmail.com . . .

Photo(s): Thanksgiving

LPGA Tour 2010 Schedule Update (II)

The LPGA Tour's 2010's schedule of 23 events is down from 2009's 27 events, and 2008's 34 events.
Unveiled Tuesday night, here is the 2010 LPGA Tour Schedule (via: ESPN):

Feb. 18-21 -- Honda LPGA Championship (Thailand)
Feb. 25-28 -- HSBC Women's Champions (Singapore)
March 25-28 -- J Golf Classic (La Costa, Calif.)
April 1-4 -- Kraft Nabisco Championship
April 29-May 3 -- Corona Championship (Mexico)
May 10-16 -- Bell Micro LPGA Classic (Alabama)
June 10-13 -- State Farrm Classic (Illinois)
June 17-20 -- ShopRite Classic (Atlantic City)
June 24-27 -- Wegman's LPGA Championship
July 1-4 -- Jamie Farr Owens Corning (Toledo)
July 8-11 -- U.S. Women's Open (Oakmont)
July 22-25 -- Evian Masters (France)
July 29-Aug. 1 -- Ricoh Women's British Open (Royal Birkdale)
Aug. 20-22 -- Safeway Classic (Pumpkin Ridge, Ore)
Aug. 26-29 -- CN Canadian Women's Open
Sept. 10-12 -- P&G Beauty NW Arkansas Championship
Sept. 30-Oct. 3 -- Acapulco LPGA Classic (Mexico)
Oct. 7-10 -- Navistar LPGA Classic (Alabama)
Oct. 14-17 -- CVS/pharmacy LPGA Challenge (California)
Oct. 28-31 -- China
Nov. 4-7 -- Japan
Nov. 11-14 -- Lorena Ochoa Invitational (Mexico)
Nov. 18-21 -- LPGA Tour Championship

My questions are:

- As I suggested (not to pat myself on the back, although I will), is the Oct. 28-31 event scheduled in China going to be the Ladies Asian Golf Tour's Suzhou Taihu Ladies Open, scheduled for the same date in China?
- Why would the LPGA want to schedule an event in Thailand the week before the Thailand Ladies Open?
- Is the Nov. 4-7 event going to be the LPGA of Japan's Mizuno Classic -- which was scheduled for the same weekend in 2009?

 As Jason Sobel (ESPN.com) pointed out on his twitter feed:

@JasonSobel More on LPGA sked: Those 24 events take place over 40 weeks. Good news? Time to overcome jetlag. Bad news? Momentum is a thing of the past.

While a schedule spread out over so many weeks will definitely affect the practice and preparation schedules for many on the LPGA Tour, it may prove to be more lucrative in the long run. Frequently, professional golfers (PGA & LPGA) will make appearances at corporate outings throughout the country -- put on a clinic, maybe play with a group, give a speech afterwards. The open schedule definitely allows for more of this, which I happen to be an adamanet supporter of. To be honest, LPGA Tour players are more friendly than the PGA Tour guys. They are, quite simply, better at corporate outing gig than their male contemporaries. I hope that the women jump at this opportunity.

In terms of golf performance, the spread out schedule will be difficult for some. Some professionals prefer to play nearly every week (Dana Quiqley comes to mind) as a means to keep their game sharp, while others (like Tiger/Nicklaus) prefer to take time off between events to practice and prepare. Fortunately, these are the best women in the world and they will adapt.

Beth Ann Baldry (Golfweek) wrote an excellent piece on the 2010 Schedule.

LPGA 2010 Schedule Update I

Thanks to Wisconsin Reader for pointing this out.

LPGA's 2010 Schedule: 24 Events, 11 Foreign by Gene Yusada

International events continue to increase their influence on the schedule, a result of greater overseas demand for the LPGA and a smaller number of total events. Of the 24 tournaments, 11 – nearly half – will be staged outside of the U.S. As recently as this year, LPGA officials have said they prefer international events to account for one-third of the tour’s schedule.

But in a depressed U.S. economy where title sponsors are hard to come by, the LPGA had little choice but to seize global opportunities. Though critics likely will focus on the diminished schedule overall, a case could be made that the tour saved more U.S. events than expected. Of the eight tournaments that had title-sponsorship contracts expiring this year, five renewed their deals. The three exceptions: LPGA Corning Classic, Michelob Ultra Open at Kingsmill and Sybase Classic are gone.

The LPGA, however, still has work to do. Three events on the calendar – one in China, another in South Korea and the LPGA Tour Championship – have not yet announced their sponsors nor tournament sites.

This sounds similar to the plan that Annika Sorenstam suggested and I followed up with earlier this week.