Monthly Archives: June 2012

The Legends of the LPGA still got game!

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This weekend my friends and I decided to take a road trip to Maine to see the Legends of the LPGA.  I was excited to see Nancy Lopez, Pat Bradley, Val Skinner, Hollis Stacy, and all the other LPGA golfers; after all, I grew up watching these ladies on TV!

We arrived at the course just as Pat Bradley and Christa Johnson were coming to the 10th tee.  Obviously, living in New England, we were excited to see Pat Bradley so we decided to follow her group for a few holes.  Bradley had a tough first round score 78 (6 over par); and in the second round was 2 over for the day when she came to the 10th.  But the great thing was she was smiling and friendly.  In fact, as she walked off the green (after a bogey) she spoke to us and said “It’s a tough day at the office today.”  I thought to myself, I’d smile too if this was my office!

We walked with Bradley for two more holes and then walked over to the 16th tee to wait for Nancy Lopez and Donna Caponi to arrive.  I was so excited to see Nancy Lopez.  We were sitting on the bench by the tee box and Nancy drove by us in the cart and said “Anybody got a birdie I can buy?” and gave us that famous smile.  Nancy was also not playing well.  She shot a first day score of 83 and was struggling again on Sunday.  I’m happy to report she did par the 16th (par 3) hole we saw her play.

A funny thing happened, my friend has Nancy Lopez golf clubs and she noticed that Nancy was playing with Titelist clubs.  My friend announced to us — “She doesn’t play her own clubs” (I must admit I was hoping Nancy did not hear her because we were not too far from Nancy sitting in her cart.)  As we were walking to the 16th green a man came up to us and explained that Nancy doesn’t play her clubs because they are designed and manufactured for beginner and intermediate golfers and so they do not fit a professionals game; and then he walked on.

We met up with the man again at the next hole and I took the opportunity to thank him for his insight.  He said he usually doesn’t interject but felt compelled this time. I asked him if he worked with Nancy.  He said “No, I’m her boyfriend.”   I asked him what was wrong with Nancy’s knee (she was wearing a black brace).  He said “Her knee is basically bone on bone and it’s been that way for years.  It is hurting her today.”  Then we stopped talking because Nancy was about to putt.  O.K., I must admit — it was fun to talk to Nancy Lopez’ boyfriend.

We watched Lopez and Caponi tee off the 18th hole and then we walked across the cart path to the 10th hole.  We camped out at the green for the 10th hole to watch the next 10 groups come by (and we could easily walk over to the 18th tee to see the early groups coming to tee off on 18).

As we sat and watched the players putt on the 10th hole I said to my friend that the hole location must be really tough because we have seen player after player miss their putts.  Then came the group with Sherri Turner and Val Skinner. They both started the day at one under par.  Sherri Turner shot a 32 on the front nine holes and was now 5 under par and leading the tournament.  Turner hit a beautiful shot on to the green and birdied the hole.  I said to my friend, she is the only player we have seen birdie this hole so I think she will win today.

After watching all the groups on the 10th hole we headed to the 18th green to see everyone finish. See the slide show at the end of the post — it has a photo of Sherri Turner putting for the win!  Her final score was 6 under par.

We watched the award ceremony and it was wonderful to see Sheri Turner so happy.  Below is a great video of her speaking about the win (she states many of the things she said when she was accepting her trophy.)  What is thrilling for me is Turner talks about the birdie on the 10th hole and how it was a big deal for her.

My only expectation in attending the tournament was to enjoy a warm summer day in New England and to see some great golf.  What I did not expect was the interaction with these famous golfers.  There were no ropes (expect on the 18th green).  I did not expect the players to talk to us or stop to take a photo with an eager fan in the middle of their round (my friend got a picture with one of her favorite players).  It is clearly a more relaxed tour then the PGA or LPGA (where the players are still making their mark in their sport.) Although these “legends” do not have to interact with the fans, it is wonderful that they are so open and it is a great service to the game of golf.

If you love golf, have a non-golfer friend you want to introduce to golf, or a child interested in golf — go to a  Legends of the LPGA tour event.  It will be a relaxed and fun day for everyone. I know my friends and I will remember our visit to Maine.  Finally, here are some photos taken at the event. Photos taken with my iPhone…

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Karen Palacios-Jansen delivers a fun and informative online golf class

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The Golf Channel Program, Morning Drive, is one of my favorite shows and that is where I first saw Karen Palacios-Jansen providing tips to improve one’s golf game.  I loved the combination of swing tips and off-course exercises Karen provided and thought it would be great if I could find someone like her (golf pro and certified personal trainer) locally.  Well, now I don’t have to look because I can work with Karen online.  Yes, from the comfort of my own home, I can work with a LPGA teacher of the year.

At first I was skeptical when I saw that Karen was providing online golf instruction via the web. I have participated in plenty of online courses but they did not involve any physical activity.  I was curious to see if it would be possible to create the interaction of a face-to-face golf lesson or workout session online.  Here is what I experienced:

The Technology for the Class

I did not recognize the website, Powhow and so I read the “about us” section of the site, the terms & conditions, and the refund policy. The company is new and their focus is providing great technology for online classes.  The terms were fairly standard and I was pleased to see the refund policy was in plain English and seemed very reasonable.  Please make sure you read the terms and policies anytime you use a website for the first time.

It was easy to sign-up and email reminders were sent with technical requirements and instructions on how to log-in.  The day before the class, I did go to the website, speedtest (provided in my reminder email) to test my internet speed.  It was easy to do and it put me at ease knowing my internet access exceeded the speed requirements.

The day of the class, I just opened the email reminder and clicked on the link for the class. When I arrived on the landing page, I chose to log-in via Facebook and it was fast and seamless. Within less than a minute I was online with Karen.

Any concerns about the technology quickly left me within the first few minutes and I was completely focused on Karen.  The image was clear, I could hear Karen clearly, and she could see and hear me.
The ultimate “thumbs-up” test was that I never had any delay in the video or voice transmission during the class. 
The Class:  Swing Essentials – Tips & Drills for Distance and Consistency
We chatted for a few minutes and I told Karen I had a shoulder injury.  Karen began the class and it was easy to follow along.  Karen started off the class with a warm-up you can do before you play.  I did all the moves along with her and I could ask a question at any time.  But, given Karen’s expertise in teaching, I really did not need to ask too many questions.  It seemed like every time I thought “what should this feel like” Karen would say “you should feel this in your…”  I guess I could say she was reading my mind but I just think she knows her stuff.  When she came to an exercise involving the shoulders she paused and said “Catherine, you probably should not try this one.”
Karen went over some of the common swing issues.  One issue I have had is coming out of my golf stance. Karen explained the role of the hamstrings in maintaining the position.  I am happy to report that I have been doing the strength and stretching exercises she showed us and it has made a big impact on the course!
Karen frequently reminded the class that she can see us so if we were wondering if we were doing an exercise correctly, she could look at us and give us feedback on what we were doing. This is where Karen’s skill at verbal instruction comes into play.  For example, she can’t physically take your hands and place them on the grip for you but she can say move your left had a bit to the right.  That is the unique aspect of this class and what makes it better than a video. Don’t get me wrong watching a video is great but you don’t get feedback.
When I started the class I felt a bit funny standing in my home office doing the exercises while watching Karen on my computer screen but it didn’t take long for me to just focus on what I was doing.
I think a good sign that you are engaged is if the time flies by and that is what it felt like taking this online class with Karen.  I learned a lot and enjoyed the class; and was so pleased with what I learned that I got her iPhone App. 
Grade for my experience:  A
The class exceeded my expectations.  I don’t think it replaces my face-to-face time with my local golf pro but it is definitely a nice addition to the tools I use and lessons I take to improve my game; especially her insights on off-course exercises based on issues with the swing.  Finally, if you live in a cold climate and want to work on your game in the winter — mark your calendar to take an online class with Karen Palacios-Jansen.
 
 

The LPGA’s Marketing Challenge

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The LPGA has a challenging issue in the American market.  The challenge is to change the perception of the LPGA in the mind of the average American golf fan.

What is really behind this challenge?  Let me share a recent conversation I had with other golfers on the Wednesday before the Wegmans LPGA Championship.  I was playing golf with a group of women (all play a lot of golf and are passionate about their sport).  I asked if they watched the LPGA and they all said no because the top 10 women golfers are all Korean.  Their perception is that the LPGA is becoming an Asian tour.  Their declaration that the top 10 players are all Korean is not correct. They were surprised when I told them both Stacy Lewis and Christie Kerr are in the top 10 of the world rankings; and that Stacy Lewis had won two of the last three LPGA events.

On Thursday, I started watching the Wagmens LPGA Championship.  It looked like an American might actually win this major tournament; Paul Creamer, Christie Kerr, and Stacy Lewis were playing well.  Then, on Sunday,  a Chinese player, Shanshan (Jenny) Feng shot an amazing 67 and won.  She is the first Chinese player to win but this means that the current title holders for the four LPGA majors are all Asian (from Korea, Taiwan, and China), and this is “the story” that is focused on in the media.

On the golf channel, both Ron Sirak and Tom Rosenforte raised the issue of what Feng’s win means for the LPGA.  Ron Sirak even suggested that it might mean the LPGA Championship could be held in China in the near future.  In Beth Ann Baldry’s GolfWeek online article she also pondered what Feng’s win means… “For all we know, decades from now this tour might be based in China. Crazier things have happened.”  These golf commentators are adding fuel to the fire and provide even more proof of the “image battle” facing the LPGA marketing team.

So what’s the LPGA to do?  They have tried very hard to position the tour as a “global” tour and promoted Yani Tseng so that fans can embrace her.  This is an important message because the huge growth in golf will be from markets like China.  But frankly, that doesn’t really help with the immediate (and sensitive) image issue facing the tour in its key market, the United States.

It is important to give credit where credit is due and the leaders of the LPGA are reinvigorating the tour overall. For example, they have added events, gotten new sponsors, and they have a really great new marketing campaign for 2012 —  “See why it is different out here.”  I promise, you will enjoy the video below.

They also have embraced social media as I highlighted in my previous blog post “Funny Tweets from LPGA Golfers.”

Now this is all great but the problem is that the message is not getting out to the average golf fan (at least not where I live).  The ads I see for the LPGA are only on the golf channel and mostly shown during coverage of the LPGA.

So what is the LPGA to do?  Well, here are a few suggestions.

  1. Get the Golf Channel to show the new ad campaign during broadcasts of the other tours; especially the PGA.  I get why the new ads are shown during LPGA coverage, but to me this is “preaching to the choir.”  As a marketing professional, this has always been a “pet peeve” of mine — showing ads that are intended to reach new customers to viewers already engaged with your product.
  2. Target an ad campaign to the viewers that “long for the days of Nancy Lopez.”  Heck, get Nancy to do some ads to promote the new breed of American players.  The message is that if you liked Nancy Lopez, then watch Stacy Lewis.  Which brings me to the next issue.
  3. Promote the heck out of your top American players.  Stacy Lewis is #2 in the Rolex world rankings — make a big deal of it.  Play off the developing competition between Stacy Lewis and Cristie Kerr to be the top American.  It’s great that the golf announcers talk about it during the broadcast but take advantage of it in your marketing (use all that great TV footage for some great viral videos).
  4. Expand social media and create a Pinterest strategy.  First, I give credit to the LPGA for having an official Pinterest page; but it has no strategy to engage Pinterest users. The strategy right now looks like they just put up some images as placeholders. They are missing a huge opportunity to brand the LPGA (as well as women and golf)  on a social media site whos biggest demographic is women. I can think of lots of quick wins for their Pinterest presence.
  5. It’s great that the LPGA has embraced Twitter with their players; but now it’s time to see if they can get some love from their brothers on the PGA. The young golfers on the PGA tour “are champions” (excuse the pun) at tweeting and some of the PGA players have huge followings.  I am curious if PGA players follow the LPGA.  If yes, see if they will tweet about it.
  6. Focus on grassroots marketing (and not just when the LPGA is in town for a tournament).  Basically create an outreach program with content that golf associations can use in their eMarketing channels.  There are many golf organizations that are key influencers in their markets and could be the local cheerleaders of the LPGA but they need to be given the messaging and the stories to push.

This blog post may seem like I’m on my soapbox but it just irks me that the golf media has to keep the focus on the large number of Asian players on the LPGA.  Since the media is determined to keep it as a top story; it is up to the tour to create the stories to give the home fans something to embrace.  Many of the American LPGA players are trying hard to step-up and compete (should I say it again, Stacy Lewis is #2 in the world) so they are doing their part.

Golf fans are passionate about their sport and usually have a favorite player (or players) that they follow.  For golf fans that like to cheer for the “home town players,” the LPGA has a lot of great American players to promote in the US market.  Golf fans love to watch great drama unfold during tournament play.  The LPGA has all these things, but right now it seems to be the best kept secret from the average golf fan.