I may have to support the LPGA now

[Anthony]

thanks to this excellent rule:

Report: LPGA Tour will suspend memberships if players don't learn English
ESPN.com news services

On the Tee: The LPGA Language BarrierThe LPGA will require its member golfers to learn and speak English and will suspend their membership if they don't comply, Golfweek reported on its Web site.



According to the report, the new requirement was communicated to the tour's growing South Korean membership in a mandatory meeting at the Safeway Classic in Portland, Ore., on Aug. 20.



Players were told by LPGA commissioner Carolyn Bivens that by the end of 2009, all players who have been on the tour for two years must pass an oral evaluation of their English skills or face a membership suspension. A written explanation of the policy was not given to players, according to the report.



"Hopefully what we're talking about is something that will not happen," Libba Galloway, the tour's deputy commissioner, said of the potential for suspensions, according to Golfweek. "If it does, we wouldn't just say, 'Come back next year.' What we would do is work with them on where they fell short, provide them the resources they need, the tutoring … and when we feel like they need to be evaluated again, we would evaluate."



Every Korean player who spoke with Golfweek about the meeting came away with the understanding she would lose her tour card if she failed the test rather than face suspension, according to the report. But Korean players who spoke about the policy supported the tour's position, though some, including Se Ri Pak, felt fines would be better than suspensions.



"We agree we should speak some English," Pak said, according to the report. "We play so good overall. When you win, you should give your speech in English."



Betsy Clark, the LPGA's vice president of professional development, said a team of evaluators will assess players on communication skills including conversation, everyday survival phrases and "golfspeak." Players must be able to conduct interviews and give acceptance speeches without the help of a translator, she said, according to the report.


Galloway said the policy takes effect immediately, but that players' English proficiency would not be measured until the end of 2009, according to the report. The LPGA's membership includes 121 international players from 26 countries; 45 are South Koreans.



"This should be a priority in their professional development just the way working on their short game is a priority," Galloway said, according to Golfweek. "We just wanted to be clear about our expectations."




Angela Park, a Korean-American who was born in Brazil and speaks three languages, said it's difficult to "come to a foreign country and be yourself." She also supports the rule and says it's fair, according to the report.





"The LPGA could come out and say they only want 10 Koreans, but they're not," Park said, according to Golfweek. "A lot of Korean players think they are being targeted, but it's just because there are so many of them."



And Seon-Hwa Lee, who said she is working with an English tutor during the offseason and plans to brush up for the evaluation, thinks everyone "can do a simple interview," according to the report. Her ability to answer questions without a translator has improved during her time on the tour.



"The economy is bad, and we are losing sponsors," she said, according to the report. "Everybody understands."

[johnnyshaka]

I hope the next rule involves fitting into nothing more than a size 2 followed by more viewable cleavage and shorter skirts.

[Marc Vaughan]

Errr isn't this an international organisation or do all players have to learn chinese to play @ Grand China Air LPGA, Hainan Island, China

(sorry but for that reason I heartily disagree - if its an international setup then it should allow people to communicate in the way most natural to them - what next Olympians having to speak in the language of the host country?)

Oh and what about Hana Bank • KOLON Championship 2008, Incheon, Korea ....

[gottimd]

Originally Posted by johnnyshaka

I hope the next rule involves fitting into nothing more than a size 2 followed by more viewable cleavage and shorter skirts.

can this rule be enforced per golfer? The site of Nancy Lopez in something like this makes me vomit and laugh at the same time.

[johnnyshaka]

Originally Posted by gottimd

can this rule be enforced per golfer? The site of Nancy Lopez in something like this makes me vomit and laugh at the same time.

If she can't fit into a size 2...SHE'S OUT!!!

[BrianD]

Originally Posted by johnnyshaka

I hope the next rule involves fitting into nothing more than a size 2 followed by more viewable cleavage and shorter skirts.

Nice in theory, but the first part pretty much makes the second part nonexistent...without some surgery at least.

[johnnyshaka]

Originally Posted by BrianD

Nice in theory, but the first part pretty much makes the second part nonexistent...without some surgery at least.

BINGO!!! If they can do it naturally, great...if not, well, doctor up!!!

[Galaril]

Originally Posted by johnnyshaka

I hope the next rule involves fitting into nothing more than a size 2 followed by more viewable cleavage and shorter skirts.

Michelle Wie and Natalie Gulbis

[gottimd]

[johnnyshaka]

Everybody seems to forget about Paula Creamer...especially when we all know she already likes to play with pink balls!!

[MikeVic]

[Galaril]

Originally Posted by MikeVic

[gottimd]

Google Image search her......fantastic.

[Young Drachma]

Meh. The tour is doing this in response to criticism that they didn't bother to hire enough translators on tour for their swarm of Korean women. Interesting rule, but it'd be way better if they'd had LPGA paid training for them to attend and then said "if you don't go and fail our test, you don't get your card."

I realize they are desperate, though.

[gottimd]

I'd let Sun from Lost play even if she didn't speak the language.

[johnnyshaka]

Gottimd...who are we kidding...we'd let just about anybody "play" so long as she did NOT speak the language!!!! Why the hell would we want to ruin everything by having them speak???

[Ryan S]

Originally Posted by Dark Cloud

Meh. The tour is doing this in response to criticism that they didn't bother to hire enough translators on tour for their swarm of Korean women. Interesting rule, but it'd be way better if they'd had LPGA paid training for them to attend and then said "if you don't go and fail our test, you don't get your card."

I realize they are desperate, though.

I suspect that it has more to do with their sponsors being unhappy. It is hard for a non English speaker to promote your brand, and they will not be able to interact with sponsors/guests at the pro-am.

[miami_fan]

Originally Posted by Ryan S

I suspect that it has more to do with their sponsors being unhappy. It is hard for a non English speaker to promote your brand, and they will not be able to interact with sponsors/guests at the pro-am.

I wonder how many of the sponsors have any interest in speaking to the non English speakers in the first place.

[Autumn]

Originally Posted by MikeVic

Apparently I have been incorrect in having no interest in watching women's golf. Thank you for setting me straight.

[SFL Cat]

Wow...that's one stiff push-up bra.

[miami_fan]

It is kind of late to support them for the hot women now. That was the last ad campaign!

[MikeVic]

Yes I like that pic very much.

[stevew]

Good thing they didn't have this rule in the NFL or emmitt smith would have been debacled out of the league.

[TCY Junkie]

Don't be talking shit about Emmitt, Walter, or Tony

[Groundhog]

Originally Posted by gottimd

I'd let Sun from Lost play even if she didn't speak the language.

God bless Korea.

Regards,
Groundhog (who is off to meet up with his Korean 'friend' tonight)

[MJ4H]

I sort of half-way understand the Asian-fetish thing, but that is not an example of one that I understand it about.

[hhiipp]

Originally Posted by MJ4H

I sort of half-way understand the Asian-fetish thing, but that is not an example of one that I understand it about.

+1

[Galaril]

Originally Posted by MJ4H

I sort of half-way understand the Asian-fetish thing, but that is not an example of one that I understand it about.

Originally Posted by hhiipp

+1

To each his own. I for one having married an asian (Korean) can see other point of view. It is the same for me about people who think Lena Headey from 300 and Terminator tv show is hot. I don't get it?

[DanGarion]

I might have to watch the LPGA if it's just Natalie all the time...

[korme]

Everybody loves an asian girl

[Anthony]

yowzers, looks like Natalie is in the running to be the Anna Kournikova of female golf. that's an impressive picture. Corporate America loves its products to be endorsed by barbie dolls.

[Dr. Sak]

Natalie is better in golf than Anna ever was in Tennis.

[Ryan S]

Originally Posted by Dr. Sak

Natalie is better in golf than Anna ever was in Tennis.

I strongly disagree. Kournikova was a top 10 player at her peak, and Gulbis has not reached that level yet.

[hhiipp]

They're both 10s in my book.

[Galaril]

Originally Posted by hhiipp

They're both 10s in my book.

Agree.

[Dr. Sak]

Originally Posted by Ryan S

I strongly disagree. Kournikova was a top 10 player at her peak, and Gulbis has not reached that level yet.

Gulbis has a win on tour. Kournikova never got one.

[DanGarion]

Originally Posted by Dr. Sak

Gulbis has a win on tour. Kournikova never got one.

And Anna's face is ugly...

[Ryan S]

Originally Posted by Dr. Sak

Gulbis has a win on tour. Kournikova never got one.

Kournikova's ranking got her into the top tournaments, and with the likes of Hingis, Davenport and the Williams sisters in the draw she was always going to struggle to make it past the semis. She may never have won a WTA tournament but she was a good player.

If she had played some more lower tier WTA tour events at her peak I think she would have won a few tournaments, but she probably made a lot more money doing it her way.

[MJ4H]

Anna had several wins in doubles.

[DanGarion]

Originally Posted by MJ4H

Anna had several wins in doubles.

Oh yeah, I know several men that won with her in doubles.... Oh wait you are talking about tennis!

[MJ4H]

Anna is still one of my pleasures. Eff the haters.

[Tekneek]

Originally Posted by Marc Vaughan

Errr isn't this an international organisation or do all players have to learn chinese to play @ Grand China Air LPGA, Hainan Island, China

(sorry but for that reason I heartily disagree - if its an international setup then it should allow people to communicate in the way most natural to them - what next Olympians having to speak in the language of the host country?)

Oh and what about Hana Bank • KOLON Championship 2008, Incheon, Korea ....

It's an American xenophobic thing. It's a fairly strong attitude here that everyone in the US must speak English, and then that Americans should be able to speak English everywhere else in the world as well. It doesn't really make sense, but it seems to be a very American attitude to have.

Love the pics, though...

[cuervo72]

hxxp://czabe.com/the_daily_czabe/blog/just-dont-ask-emmitt-smith-to/

Blog opinion from Czaban on the matter.

(and a Theron/Johannsen poll too!)

[Oilers9911]

Only a moron would think this was an excellent rule. Oh...hello HA!

[Marc Vaughan]

Originally Posted by Tekneek

It's an American xenophobic thing. It's a fairly strong attitude here that everyone in the US must speak English, and then that Americans should be able to speak English everywhere else in the world as well. It doesn't really make sense, but it seems to be a very American attitude to have.

Love the pics, though...

I can understand people within a county expecting people to at least attempt to use the language while there; however in an international sport especially where legs are played in various countries I think its truly bizarre to try and force English upon it.

It'd be a bit like FIFA announcing that the World Cup could only be played by players who could speak English ...

The fact that this announcement hasn't cause an outcry everywhere in the news is very disappoint to be to be honest as I think its an apalling idea and discriminates against people horribly on no other basis language (which is no better than discriminating on race imho).

To 'excuse' this because of the sponsors would be a bit like disqualifying the minor countries from winning anything at the Olympics because that wouldn't help the sponsors as much ...

PS - I wonder how they'd deal with someone playinig who spoke English but with such a cultural accent that it was unintelligable to the American audience (I remember some UK shows in America having subtitles for just this reason).
PPS - Pics are great

[cuervo72]

Originally Posted by Marc Vaughan

It'd be a bit like FIFA announcing that the World Cup could only be played by players who could speak English ...

Except that the World Cup is already huge worldwide, the game is a TEAM game, and the players on each team are all stars in their own right in at the least their own countries.

It makes sense to me. Every league needs marketable stars. If most of the good players aren't marketable in a non-team sport (this isn't the NFL where you can root for a jersey)...it's not really good for the league. And while the LPGA plays international events, it's still really a US entity. with primarily US event locations.

[lungs]

All foreigners should learn English. If I'm visiting a foreign country, I don't want to hear them speaking whatever gibberish they speak. That also goes for all those people that supposedly speak English but I can't understand a damn word they say. They need to learn to speak American English.

[Anthony]

Originally Posted by Oilers9911

Only a moron would think this was an excellent rule. Oh...hello HA!

go to Russia, you damn communist. in this country we speak English and LPGA as a company has the right to demand its employees present themselves in a certain way and communicate themselves in a certain way. only a moron would think a company doesn't have the right to impose certain restrictions and guidelines.

i'm in the financial services industry - should i expect to get a job at Morgan Stanley or Merril Lynch if i couldn't speak English?

[Anthony]

Originally Posted by Marc Vaughan

It'd be a bit like FIFA announcing that the World Cup could only be played by players who could speak English ...

except i don't think anyone would expect an organization called "The Fédération Internationale de Football Association" to have English as it's sole language. i don't even think it's based in the US, whereas the LPGA is.

[Anthony]

Originally Posted by Marc Vaughan

The fact that this announcement hasn't cause an outcry everywhere in the news is very disappoint to be to be honest as I think its an apalling idea and discriminates against people horribly on no other basis language (which is no better than discriminating on race imho).

so if there was a very lucrative job in Mexico where you would be named the CEO of your own gaming company, the only caveat being you would need to be able to communicate in spanish - you would cry "discrimination"? so you would feel discriminated against if there was a job you wanted that required you to speak the language of the country where that company was based? you just gonna waltz into a company in Sweden and expect to be hired based solely on your ability and not based on your ability PLUS communication skills? you would demand to have a translator present at meetings? you would expect to be hired and have the company pander to your requirements?