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The LPGA is implementing a program to encourage all it's players to achieve a minimum proficiency in English. Apparently there are more than a few foreign players who have problems interacting with sponsors, Pro-Am players and other competitors. I've had several friends tell me about paying big bucks to get into the Pro-Ams held in conjunction with LPGA events where the pro they played with said "Hello" on #1 tee and "Goodbye" on #18 green with little other communication taking place. I know this is a delicate matter, but it seems to be one that can benefit the players and the tour if handled positively. What do you think?

From the player's perspective, it would be easy to just say "let the clubs do the talking". It is understandable that the player is using the Proam to practice and get familiar with the course and I suppose personallity has a lot to do with the amount of conversation going on. It is understandable with all the pressures of touring and trying to make a living or better that the player has enough to be concerned about without considering language or PR for the tour organization. On the other hand, the players should consider that the needs of the organization likewise benefit them, including PR, for without us, the consuming public, there would be no purse to chase. In that light, it would certainly be wise for the foriegn players to make language a priority, which would only make them feel more comfortable anyway.

What if Tiger Woods did not speak english when he came upon the golf world? Would we say, too bad, you can't play because you can't speak english. I don't think so.

Did Yao Ming speak english right away? Does every baseball player speak english?

What if a player commits a crime or cheats on his wife or hits his wife or is a bad father. Does that person get banned from the PGA or LPGA? I don't think so.

I think the LPGA should be constructively working with the players to improve their PR image and that includes helping them learn english. Restricting players who do not speak english is just not the American way. We are the melting pot and should find a better way.

I can not think of any other major sport in this country that has a language requirement. In a matter of fact, most major professional sports organizations have bent over backwards to draw top international talent to the United States based top level of sports excellence in the world (for most sports, soccer and some others excluded). It does not reflect well on the professionalism of a major United States based pro sports organization to put up barriers to having the best international competitors play on our soil. Should United States golfers be forced to learn a foreign language if they play in a pro tournament overseas? What if France required cyclists to learn French to qualify for the Tour de France?

As a new golfer, I have immediately noticed many of the best ladies on the LPGA tour are Korean. This seems like a move to have better media relations with the top players. Quite frankly, I could care less about the interviews after the game. I say let the play stand for itself. If the Koreans are given the US ladies a run for their money, competition is a great thing. Putting up a barrier that could potentially stifle competition and perhaps level out the playing field for US players is not good for the sport. Learning a second language is tough. These ladies are professional golfers and spend a significant time practicing and touring. I am sure they try to pick up on the language as much as possible (it can only benefit them in doing so by practically and with sponsorships and fans) but requiring a proficiency test could create hurdles for those players that have difficulty learning a second language. I tried to learn a second language once. I failed. Badly.

I presume when the LPGA plays their tournament in China, Caroline Bevins and the players will be fluent in Mandarin or Cantonese?

I guess the policy is well-intended but way OB, imo...they admit that only a handful of members speak little or no English, yet they set an across-the-board policy suspending members of at least 2 years if they don't pass a proficiency test? They also admit that they don't intend to summarily suspend anyone who doesn't pass, instead they'll do what they can to help the member increase their proficiency in English...why the heck don't they just do that in the first place without making it a policy with ultimatums? Oh wait, they have been
Maybe some of the members aren't putting forth enough effort or aren't learning fast enough ...still,
Mandatory for the South Koreans but not for anyone else? In what language did they announce the policy? Bound to be more to the story than meets the press...otherwise this sweeping move smacks of bias. I can't imagine any member not trying to learn at least some English, though I could be naïve and flat wrong about that. Anyone know for sure?

Shade

LPGA says English is required language - USATODAY.com

Loss of sponsors and thinning crowds is focusing the LPGA on any and all complaints or comments about how to keep the business of Ladies golf growing or at least flat.

The S. Korean's have the largest contingency of LPGA players (45) requiring interpretors and I believe that the separate meeting was for their benefit, not to single them out.

Personally, I don't believe its a long stretch for the non-english-speaking players to make an effort to try and learn the language of the country that they've have pursued a career in.

I say that is stupid

Being a Texan in the midst of an illegal immigrant takeover I have to say. If you come to the US to work FULL TIME, learn English. However if you only come over here for the occasional event, welcome, have a good time, good luck, and if you decide to stay LEARN ENGLISH.
I am so tired of listening to spanish it makes me want to puke.

Heard more about this today. The LPGA will suspend non-English speaking players in the future and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) may be taking an interest in this. This issue is going to get pretty heated. I wish the LPGA had made this an offer to help players, instead of a penalty situation.

On the PGA Tour, the policy board is made up of 9 members, 4 of whom are players.

On the LPGA Tour, the policy board is made up of 18 members, 12 of whom are players.

Number of Koreans/Korean-Americans on the latter? That would be zero.

rc-combatPorque?

I agree with Shade and Billyg, I understand the LPGA desiring many of their star players to be able to communicate better in English to promote women's golf in the west. It is probably a necessity for them to survive. The reality is that the rest of the world is changing and golf is growing into a world sport. In time, golf''s epicenter may be in the east.

In my opinion the LPGA is mishandling this if i turns out to be true. They should have used as many resources as they could to provide English instruction to all; but, to discriminate makes it a bit un-American for my tastes. If the truth is: there are currently more young female Asian players with star credentials; then, we are failing in the west to attract enough young girls and ladies to golf.
That is the core problem.

+1

I recently picked up the game after years of saying I would never play golf. If you just watch highlights on sports center, golf movies, swing a club during high school phys. ed. class, or see golf on TV.... it has very little appeal (at least, for me that is the case). The visual history of golf and the "country club" atmosphere and perception of the activity having to be expensive are all turn offs. Turns out actually playing is fun, you don't have to dress funny, and you can do a season fairly cheaply after the initial investment of clubs. Golf definitely needs a face lift to attract more players, but it seems like the LPGA is especially challenged in that realm given the lack of USA ladies stars in the golf world.

Good luck on that Senator Yee, being a Pre-Law major at one point I know the following:

1. The LPGA is a private contractor and hires on a per-tournament basis. Therefore they have the right to deny employment as they see fit.

2. The majority of the effected players hold forgein citizenship, so they get zero protection under US Law.

3. Employer rights allow for the termination or suspension of employees who do not maintain enough profiency in their job to be an asset to the company. (IE someone pays big money for a Pro-am gets a non-english speaking partner and then demands a refund or does not participate in the future based on this experience).

I know from the pro-am standpoint if I drew a non-english speaking pro, after spending several grand to be there I would be furious. I would at a minimum expect someone who could:

1. Tell me about themselves

2. Talk about their tour experiences

3. Possibly give tips and pointers related to the course, my game, or golf in general.