Are Asians taking over women’s golf?
A look at the leaderboard of any golf tournament reveals a curious fact. Majority of the names are Asians. The next major group is of the Europeans. Have the Asians taken over women’s golf?
The statistics seem to be in the favour of the question. The top positions on most of the rankings lists now belong to players from the Far East.
Can you name this player?
She has been named LPGA Player of the Year for two seasons. She has 26 wins to her credit and she is just 23 years old. Chances are that many fans may not name the player with such outstanding record.
She is Yani Tseng, a Taiwanese golfer, now living in the US. She is not an isolated example. The number of Asian players on American, European and international tours is on the rise steadily.
Take the example of Ladies Professional Golf Association. It is an American body, which was once dominated by American golfers.
With the steady influx of foreign players since the 1970’s, the tour has its share of foreign players. However, the recent sharp increase in the number of Asian players is a surprise for many commentators and fans in the US and Europe.
What are the reasons behind this trend? Experts say that it is a cultural phenomenon.
The success of the Asian golfers in the 1990’s revealed a new way to fame and success to the Asian women.
Players like Se Ri Pak from South Korea performed very well on the international tours. This brought the Asian players in the limelight.
This success inspired many young girls to take up golf in order to attain a similar level of success and income. Golf has become an increasing popular sport, particularly for the young ladies, who dream of success and fame outside the borders of their native
countries.
But what do Asians do that Americans or Canadians do not? Why do Asian players perform well while their Caucasian counterpart fails to deliver?
Experts say that the difference lies in the way golf is treated in both cultures.
For an American family, golf is just another sport. If a girl shows promise, she would be taken to play in a school level event and then into an amateur tournament. Not many girls make it beyond the early amateur years to really learn the game.
Golf requires a great deal of competitive play. The game is improved mostly in tournaments, not in a practice round.
Asian girls, with golf talent, are given complete support of the family. In extreme cases, golf takes precedence over school. This mindset is the main reason why Asia is producing quality players in such large numbers.
Sponsorships are another sore point for the American and European players. Golf is a costly game. It requires expensive equipment and memberships to golf courses.
The cost could easily get beyond the resources of an amateur. This is where Asian players take the lead. Many companies in Asia willingly sponsor amateurs, giving them the peace of mind to focus on their game.
Ask any Asian player and she would give a similar story of how her family gave her full support and then a local sponsor foot her bills.
These two foundations, family support and sponsorships, launch a successful amateur career that translates into an equally brilliant pro career. The golf bodies need to concentrate on these lines if they wish to promote a local golf superstar.
The views expressed in this article are the writer's own and in no way represent Bettor.com's official editorial policy.
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