LPGA Adopts English-Proficiency Rules

In an exclusive report posted on Golfweek.com, Golfweek senior writer Beth Ann Baldry reveals that the LPGA has become the first golf tour in the world to adopt an "official language." Beginning at the end of 2009, members of the LPGA Tour will undergo "oral evaluations" of their proficiency at speaking English. Those who fail will be suspended from the tour.

Presumably, this rule will apply only to golfers for whom English is not their native language, although the Tour may want to test all players and also suspend those with too many ums, you knows, likes and whatevers.

While there are 121 international players on the LPGA Tour, 45 of those are Korean, and many more Asian, and this rule is surely aimed squarely at the Asian players. English and Korean (or Japanese, or various Chinese dialects and other languages spoken in Asia) are completely dissimilar from English, evolved from different language families, and for an adult who speaks one to learn the other is, well, hard.

Add in the nerves that many young Asian players surely feel trying to conduct interviews, add in the whole cultural consideration of living in a new country, add in - in some cases - a good dose of basic shyness, and doing your interviews in English or chatting up your pro-am playing partners is a difficult thing.

But that's what the new rules are about: interviews, pro-ams, pleasing the sponsors ... marketing, in other words. The LPGA is desperate to improve its marketing, to fans, for sure, but especially to existing and potential sponsors.

The specifics of the new rules have yet to be set down in writing. Baldry reports that some players were first notified at a mandatory meeting for Korean players on Aug. 20. The Tour has been notifying players on the Futures Tour, plus college programs, of the new English proficiency requirements. And all players will be required to conduct interviews and press conferences in English, without the aid of an interpreter.

Golfweek's report said that every Korean player they spoke with believed they would lose their Tour card for failing the language test. But most of them said, publicly anyway, that they understood or even supported the new rules. A sampling:

• Se Ri Pak: "We agree we should speak some English. We play so good overall. When you win, you should give your speech in English. ... Mostly what comes out is nerves. Totally different language in front of camera. You're excited and not thinking in English."

• Seon Hwa Lee: "The economy is bad, and we are losing sponsors. Everybody understands."

• Jeong Jang: "We are fine. We just need to get confidence in (front of) the camera. ... When Cristie Kerr won (in 2005) at Michelob (Ultra Open), first thing she said to the camera was, 'I need a beer.' I still remember that. Sponsors must be proud."

The LPGA has been moving in an international direction for many years, with its membership becoming less homogeonous all the time. And recently, Commissioner Carolyn Bivens has been steering the tour into more overseas stops. There are almost as many tournaments outside the U.S. now as inside the U.S.

Is the LPGA Tour the best golf tour in the world for all female golfers, one that welcomes everyone who is qualified to play it, or is an "American tour" that doesn't want too many of those foreigners involved?

Golfweek quoted Kate Peters, executive director of the LPGA State Farm Classic, saying it's the latter: "This is an American tour. It is important for sponsors to be able to interact with players and have a positive experience."

Marketing. But Commissioner Bivens has been focusing strongly on Asia, where women's golf is big business. In fact, the LPGA's television deals in Asia are the only ones on which the tour actually makes money.

So should the Tour be cognizant of marketing to Asian sponsors, too? Should the Americans all be required to learn Korean and Japanese?

Most of the Asian players (and other internationals) on the LPGA Tour are already fine speaking English. And the LPGA has had a language program in place for many years to help non-English speakers.

Hopefully, the new rules will simply light a fire under those players who have not been taking their English studies as seriously as they should, and no player will ever need to be suspended.

Read the Golfweek report

See also:
• "The Challenge Of Speaking English On Tour" - This is an article written by Gina Umeck, an American golfer (currently playing the Futures Tour) who also speaks Korean, Japanese, Spanish and Italian.