The girls in question are Australians Nikki Garret and Kristie Newton, pictured here with Jan Stephenson, winner of three majors, and one of Australia's greatest greatest golfers ever.
Despite her wins and her extraordinary golf skills Jan is best known for her 1980's golf ball bubble bath photo...and that's the whole point.
Instead of lamenting that fact as demeaning, Ms. Stephenson acknowledges the current reality (70% of golf's audience are men, and men are ... "visual") and encourages Australia's up-and-coming young golf stars, like Nikki and Kristie, to play up their looks and personalities for the good of women's golf.
Jan's message clearly resonates in the current environment because, as reported last week in Waggle Room, Women's golf in Australia has been having a rough go of it, with sponsorship issues and tournament cancellations.
Ultimately, in her own inimitable way, what Jan Stephenson is pushing for is more support from women for women's golf, because that's what it's going to take to move away from the overriding emphasis on sex appeal; more women buying tickets, more women in the galleries.
Apparently, women are less "visual".
WOW, after all of these years I am still in love with Jan Stephenson.
ReplyDeleteJan is outspoken, no doubt about it, but what she say's makes sense.
ReplyDeleteAdditionally, she's one of the few women in the course design business and, it seems, that's her real passion.
"Women are less visual" ??? Hmm - I doubt that retail clothing marketers would agree with that one.
ReplyDeleteCome on GG - there are more male golfers than women golfers...men are less impressed with women athletes (though I am one who recommends that men watch the women golfers to learn), so most men don't go watch womens' sports.
However - men ARE impressed with the female form - so a guy will occasionally watch women's sports.
Women go see men play golf - some go to check out the male form (especially if he has a large wallet)
Jan is right - if the women's tours are going to grow in popularity, it's going to have to be because more women are playing the game and going to watch the women pros. I don't know how much that's going to happen - women who suck at a game are more likely to give the game up than are men who suck at the game.
It seems to me that it is going to take another generation to see how the Tiger Effect works on women. There have to be more young girls playing now than 10 years ago - but they aren't in the business world yet.
I'm a fan of the LPGA and hope it gets the support it needs to grow - but generations of men who only watch the men's game tell me that it's not going to be easy.
Court...I think Jan was just being polite when she used the word "visual" to describe men.
ReplyDeleteWhat she meant, I'm guessing is:
visual = pervy, libidinous, lustful, lecherous, superficial, licentious...all those good things.
Ashley, keep it simple:
ReplyDeletevisual = horny ;0)
Nice racks on those golf MILF's. Even the old one on the right is still worth seeing naked. Are they lesbo's?
ReplyDeleteJudging from the comment above, Jan was being much too polite when she used the work "visual" to describe men. "Neanderthal" is what comes to my mind. I know it doesn't apply to all men, but jeez.
ReplyDeleteSo, what women's golf needs is more female supporters? And the way to get that is pandering to the "more visual" men? Sounds like a contradiction and a vicious cycle.
ReplyDeleteWomen just like to be considered "hot" whether or not they play golf well. Some go further than others to achieve or promote that.
Golfchick, you can hardly blame the girls and the promoters for pandering to the "visual males". Their survival depends on it, because for the foreseeable future they're not going to survive on the good will of serious female golf fans. Granted it is a vicious circle but there's really not a way around it that I can see.
ReplyDeleteI went to an LPGA event last year on the east coast and it was like watching The L Word (which I happen to like very much, thank you). All these gay women were openly flaunting their gayness with their partners - making out, dry humping each other as well as lots of hugging and hand holding.
ReplyDeleteI'm male and to tell you the truth it was a big turn on for me (you know the male lesbian fantasy and all) but it was not a place where lot's of straight women would want to hang - there was also quite a bit of lesbian interaction between players and fans. Again, I thought it was very cool but I'm kinda out there anyway and I don't think this kind of open gay behavior is condusive to growing the game.
The LPGA has an issue here and they need to figure out a way to calm these girls down and create more of a family friendly atmosphere. One of my thoughts leaving this event was that the TV producers who cover the LPGA must go to great lengths to hide this dynamic from the viewing public. I sure as hell never have seen this behavior in crowd shots on TV.
Having said all this I am eagerly awaiting this event for 2008 and I am seriously considering becoming a lesbian.
Australia rocks!!! I think men are more visual. Women are more sensible. Did I say that?
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I'm with Mr. Business ... Jan is still a main attraction, and I had never seen the golf ball tub before....
ReplyDeleteRed dress looks pregnant, the middle babe is totally hot and the old broad on the right looks to have a serious case of Cooper's Droop.
ReplyDeleteIf the Paulas and the Natalies keep coming, the LPGA'S marketing plan will be pretty well set.
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