LPGA’s Votaw Pushing for Schedule Reduction

So next year’s LPGA Tour is going to be a leaner version of itself, if Commissioner Ty Votaw has his way, axing the Florida part of the schedule in January. But Votaw has a job to do first. He has to convince the players. Votaw took the first step two weeks ago in a heart-to-heart chat with the players at the LPGA event at Augusta, Ga.

Contraction is becoming a regular talking point in pro sports right now and the LPGA is no different, which is exactly what Votaw pointed out to the players when he recommended a shortening of the schedule. What’s the argument?

“Is more more?” Votaw said. “No, less is more.”

In other words, Votaw figures on trimming back the number of official LPGA events from 38 this year to about 32 next year, while maintaining close to the same level of prize money.

He may have some convincing to do, which is why he embarked on a calculated mini media blitz this week to spread the word. There are two camps of players.

“The top players, naturally, want fewer tournaments, and the rank and file, naturally, say they want to schedule as many as we can,” Votaw said.

It’s a public-relations issue with the media and a political issue with the players, Votaw says, but a vital issue nonetheless and central to the LPGA’s strategic planning to become stronger in the marketplace. Given the current state of business affairs in pro sports, the LPGA is on the right track and there seems to be little downside to the plan.

At the same time, Votaw wonders why the LPGA is often portrayed as flailing when it loses title sponsors, but that the PGA Tour and the Senior PGA Tour are not subject to the same scrutiny when they have sponsorship losses.

Bruised feelings aside, Votaw believes the LPGA has no other choice but to contract and sort out its schedule, which now looks as if it would begin with two events in Hawaii in February.

Stay tuned.

All Together Now?

It was a rare moment, even by the standards of golf, sometimes the most fractious of sports because of its divergent interest groups.

We’re talking about the European Ryder Cup Board’s decision last week to stage the 2010 matches in Wales, a move that managed to upset virtually everyone in Europe--with the exception of those with a postal code in Wales, of course.

The Scots were mad because they wanted the matches. Swedish golf officials also are steamed because they’re shut out until at least 2018, at which time Jesper Parnevik will be what, 74? Meanwhile, the media had a field day with the entire selection procedure. Ken Schofield of the European Tour got torched for brokering the deal. Scotland soon felt better because it got the 2014 matches, sort of the door prize for having to wait around for four years.

As for the European media, the hissing was needless. Wales and Celtic Manor got the matches because they offered the most money. The fact that the European Ryder Cup board awarded the matches to the highest bidder, in this case Welsh financial heavyweight Terry Matthews, is hardly news because that’s what has been going on since 1997 at Valderrama in Spain and happened again for the 2006 matches at the Kildare Hotel & Country Club in Straffen, Ireland.

Say what you will about the PGA of America, but it doesn’t do business that way, with solid choices such as Oak Hill in 1995, the Country Club in 1999, Oakland Hills in 2004 and Medinah in 2012. The only wobble in the delivery is 2008 at Valhalla--a course the PGA of America owns and has a stake in promoting, not to mention the additional lure of saving a rights fee.

Au Revoir, Jean

The bad news of the week is that Jean Van de Velde is going back to Europe. He is quitting the PGA Tour, where he is 155th on the money list, missed eight cuts in 17 events and hasn’t been in the top 10 in a tournament since the first week of January. He’s still going to be missed, though. Van de Velde is one of the brightest, most refreshing pros out there. We remember him for his infamous meltdown on the 72nd hole at Carnoustie in 1999, but also for his attitude, such as “People want to know what goes through my head, which surprises me, because not a lot goes through my head.”

Doubtful. When he was asked about being the club pro at EuroDisney, Van de Velde said he had certain responsibilities, such as testing all the rides and posing for pictures with Minnie and Goofy. So good luck in Europe, Jean, and hurry back.

Money Talks

The quote of the week is from Jim Thorpe, on how money has changed the game:

“When I won my first tournament, I won $40,000. Now they pay you $40,000 just to show up, even if you finish dead last.”

Tiger Update

What’s Tiger Woods’ next appearance? Not on a golf course, but on Oprah Winfrey’s television show, where Tiger is going to flack his new instruction book, “How I Play Golf.” (It should be subtitled “Better Than Everybody.”) After he tapes “Oprah,” which is supposed to air Monday, Tiger will tape “Larry King Live.” Soon, though, it’s back to golf.

Chances are that Woods will commit to next week’s Invensys Classic at Las Vegas by Friday’s deadline, basically because he’s bored silly by not playing. Woods’ last tournament was the Bell Canadian Open, Sept. 6-9.

If Woods doesn’t decide on a trip to Vegas, then he’ll play in the National Car Rental Classic at Walt Disney World Resort, Oct. 18-21. He won’t play the Buick Challenge the following week, but he will be at both the Tour Championship, Nov. 1-4 at Houston, and the World Golf Championship/EMC World Cup, Nov. 15-18 at Shizuoka, Japan. Woods and David Duval are the defending champions in the World Cup.

After that, Woods has the PGA Grand Slam of Golf, Nov. 20-21 at Kauai, Hawaii; the Skins Game, Nov. 24-25 at Indio and his tournament, the Williams World Challenge, Dec. 13-16, at Sherwood Country Club.

Justin Time

Further proof that it’s the equipment: Notorious light-hitter Justin Leonard averaged 301.4 yards off the tee last week when he won the Texas Open. That’s nearly 30 yards longer than his average a year ago when he ranked 104th in distance. By the way, Leonard plays the Titleist 975 J Driver and the Pro V1 ball.

The Open Book

It’s still six years off, but the 2007 U.S. Open was awarded to Oakmont Country Club by the USGA this week. It will be Oakmont’s eighth Open, the last one in 1994 when Ernie Els won his first of two.

Upcoming U.S. Opens: 2002 at Bethpage Black Course, 2003 at Olympia Fields, 2004 at Shinnecock Hills, 2005 at Pinehurst and 2006 at Winged Foot Golf Club.

Norman Update

News item: Reebok Golf’s Greg Norman Collection of apparel announces a new cost-conscious line “targeted at a hip, young consumer ... men, 25-40.”

Reaction: Wonder if Norman, 47 in February, will be wearing any of it.

Birdies, Bogeys, Pars

The third Panda Cares Open tournament will be played Oct. 22 at Oak Valley Golf Club in Beaumont. The event benefits the United Way of Greater Los Angeles. Details: (626) 396-6631.

MountainGate Country Club’s $5.5-million renovation of its clubhouse opened last weekend.

Sylvester Stallone, Joe Pesci, Chris O’Donnell, Andy Garcia and James Caan are expected to play in the third Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation celebrity tournament Oct. 22 at Riviera Country Club. Details: (310) 491-3170.

Callaway Golf donated $100,000 to the National Minority Golf Foundation.

Jenna Daniels of San Diego, the 2000 NCAA champion at Arizona, and Candie Kung, the 2000 Pacific 10 Conference champion at USC, are among the 132 players in the LPGA’s final qualifying tournament, Oct. 10-13 at Daytona Beach, Fla.