OPINION: Amateur Sponsor Changes Show USGA Did The Right Thing

While COVID has made something about three years in our past feel like a decade ago, it wasn’t that far back when California’s Lucy Li was the 8th ranked amateur golfer in the world. Li was also the youngest to ever qualify for the US Women’s Open (she accomplished this feat at the age of 11).

It was also when the USGA said Lucy had broken Rule 6-2, prohibiting amateur golfers from using their name, image, or likeness in promoting or advertising a product.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Lucy Li (@lucyli_golf)

How did this happen? On January 2, 2018, Apple released a video featuring Li wearing their Apple watch while practicing golf and spending time with her friends. The USGA was immediately in contact with Ms. Li and her family to discuss the violation and what to do moving forward. 

Talks progressed quickly and an apology was made by Lucy to the USGA as she was not seeking to hurt her amateur status. The USGA agreed that she violated Rule 6-2 but would be allowed to maintain her status.

All of this over 15-seconds of video and a smartwatch. 

But why? In 2018, and now 2021, why?

Think about your own life path. Have you ever had a dream you always wanted to pursue further but felt extremely limited by circumstances or resources? 

We’ve all had these things we’ve dreamt about in our lives. All too often, the biggest reason we haven’t or no longer continue to follow these wants and passions and, in some cases, needs all boiled down to a five letter word: money. We didn’t have enough money to (insert here) so a dream goes on the shelf, we settle for good enough with things, or we tell our passions to ride the pine.

The R&A and the @USGA have announced proposals for significant changes that would modernise the Rules of Amateur Status ⛳️

Read more 👉 https://t.co/aoQgNiR66L pic.twitter.com/66m91tqpfa

— The R&A (@RandA) February 22, 2021

That all being said, I have to tip my cap to the governing bodies in golf for doing the right thing by amateur golfers. After a four-year strategic initiative was undertaken to modernize amateur status, the USGA and R&A have jointly made a number of changes that include two leaps from the past to the future for the most elite of amateur golfers. 

A significant but smaller jump forward, the boards approved raising the prize limit for amateurs to $1,000 which allows for cash prizes to be accepted in “scratch” tournament competitions. Play in “handicap” based events will still allow for cash prizes but on a much smaller scale.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by NCAA (@ncaa)

The bigger of the enchiladas in this new dish prepared for golf’s amateurs is following a new ability that just launched in NCAA sports. Amateurs will now have the same opportunities as those in the college sports world have: the right to be paid and sponsored by golf brands and other companies in exchange for using the amateur’s name, image, and likeness.

While this technically applies to all amateurs, we know this new provision will go almost exclusively to exceptional amateur players who are seeking a career path of playing on the world’s major professional tours.

Previous agreements by golf companies with players were for use of equipment only, most often at free or heavily reduced cost, in hopes of offsetting expenses. College golfers seeking product from their golf business friends for whom they started working with as junior players also created quite an interesting and convoluted path to get what the athlete needs. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by College Golf Girls (@collegegolfgirls)

But when you add in the cost of driving, flying, meals, lessons, greens fees, and more, and then seeing nothing beyond experience and some gear as a payout just doesn’t work in the modern world economy. And with the new changes, the ability to find a greater swath of companies interested in joint marketing and branding partnerships with top amateur golfers expands tenfold. 

Honestly, the costs amateurs face aren’t dissimilar to that of many mini tour or sub-PGA upper level tour professionals who are trying to make their way up the golf ranks. Maybe this could lead to a trickle down effect to their cost reductions and increase payouts, too.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Lucy Li (@lucyli_golf)

The rules on payments to exceptional amateurs and others in the game of golf had to change with the times. Lucy Li may have inadvertently swung the golf administration boards into the 2020’s because of a quarter minute video display of her sporting an Apple watch. This in itself is quite a feat as the rules before were straight out of the 1960’s. 

So if you see a top amateur golfer on the official world rankings today who in a few months attaches his or her name, face, and style to marketing (insert product name here), it won’t be an illegal thing any more. And that is a damn good thing.

Cover Image Via Instagram