Dear Mike,
Women’s golf is a topic near to my heart. My oldest daughters were on state high school championship teams. Back when they were junior golfers, you took over the LPGA tour. I have followed women’s golf closely since. I’ve long admired the leadership and vision you’ve brought to women’s golf.
When you started in your current role at the USGA you did an interview with the NLU podcast. One of your priorities and stated goals was growing women’s golf, specifically raising overall participation numbers from the current 10% up to ultimately 50% over the next 30 years. With these lofty goals in mind, I humbly recommend you consider adding an event that would have an immediate and lasting effect.
MIXED FOUR BALL CHAMPIONSHIP.
We’ve seen amazing stories emerge from the Four-Ball since the first one at The Olympic Club 10 years ago. Family stories every year, fathers and sons, mothers and daughters, brothers, sisters, but not brothers and sisters.
Think of the impact on women’s golf when a generation of young women qualify and compete in matches, matches they care about, with their family. If 90% of golfers are men, let’s assume the demographics hold, that means 90% of girls are brought to golf by dad or another male. These father-daughter scenarios are obvious coming from a girl dad of five but what other stories are we missing out on?
There is a rich history of golfing families competing at a high level, Gabbi and Ryan Ruffles, Anna Davis and her twin brother Billy, are some recent examples. What about mother and son? While these stories are rarer, they are out there. Eric Cole was taught by his mom so was Willie Wilcox. Keegan’s aunt Pat. The idea of this is thrilling, a mother sharing her love of golf, accomplishing this her son. Mike, it just ‘hits different,’ so to speak.
What about a whole family qualifying together? Summerhays/Summerhays Vs Summerhays/ Summerhays isn’t far-fetched knowing how deep the talent runs in that family.
Even attempting to qualify. The striving to accomplish this as a family, this grows the game, grows it in hearts and minds. Golf becomes bigger and more meaningful when moments like this can be shared, the emotion is infectious.
Losing always hurts, losing to a girl shouldn’t sting any more. Girls sinking putts to win matches against their male competitors. This would normalize boys getting beat by girls to a generation of competitive golfers.
Imagine the compound effect it will have on young girls, a simple ‘I want to do that with my dad,’ could tip the scales in favor of golf. This event could be the difference for a Serena Williams, or Caitlin Clark type of athlete to choose professional golf over other sports.
Mike, Looking 30 years ahead sometimes means looking ten years behind. I urge you to take action. Bring this event to life so stories like this can become actual possibilities.