OPINION: Fine With The Penalty But Not Fine With This Fine

Golf is already a disproportionate sport favoring men when it comes to sponsor dollars, Nielsen ratings, tournament purses, crowd sizes, merchandise sales, and even opportunities after a player’s prime tour years have passed them by.

The LPGA Tour doesn’t get a lot of the advantages that the PGA Tour does. An already uneven playing surface should not be making the game more uneven with what amounts to a draconian penalty which eliminated two-thirds of her already paltry winnings compared to the men’s tour.

Last week’s Kia Classic was won by…was won by…well you know what, you probably had to Google it. Not because you and I aren’t golf fans, but all you and I have heard since last weekend’s tournament was the overblown fine amount leveled on LPGA Tour rookie Yealimi Noh.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Yealimi Noh (@yealiminoh)

For those who didn’t know, Inbee Park took her 21st career LPGA win as she cleared the field by five strokes. For her efforts, Park received a big check for $270,000.

Now $270K is nothing to sneeze at. I’d love $270K for doing a week’s worth of work, too. 

That being said, Billy Horschel pocketed $1.82 million for his win the same weekend at the WGC Dell Match Play Championships. The PGA Champions Tour often pays a winner’s prize similar to the LPGA events at most stops, with Kevin Sutherland winning $255,000 for his three days’ work, one less than Park and her competition played. Several of their events surpass this number by a wide margin.

Because of everything I stated in my opening sentence of this article, I know the realities of the financial situation. However, when a massive five digit fine gets leveled at a women’s tour rookie for slow play that obliterates her paltry payout when the PGA Tour doesn’t do nearly enough to combat the issue is both comical and patently unfair.

Was Yealimi Noh taking too much time? Yeah, probably.

Was the penalty of $10,000 warranted when the LPGA winners usually make one-fifth of what the men’s top players can earn? Not a chance in hell.

Golf Magazine did the math and found Noh, who tied for 61st in the event, actually lost $5,000 because she made the cut and was fined 10-G’s for her slow play.

The pro tour can be an absolute grind. Unless you have a really solid financial base from sponsors or patrons to travel, be coached, eat, and more, well playing pro golf can cost more than you make. And this goes for players on mini tours, the better next step tiers, and even the PGA and LPGA Tour. It’s not as glamorous as many may think.

But the LPGA Tour needs to look in the mirror on this one. If one fine can blitz a player’s minimum made the cut earnings down to virtually a pro sports minimum wage, then your tour has one hell of a problem on its hands.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Yealimi Noh (@yealiminoh)

The simple and best way for the LPGA Tour or any Tour for that matter is to level a fine is percentage based. Let’s take a look at my slow play penalty option for each event:

First offense: verbal warning.

Second offense: 5% of week’s earnings.

Third offense: 10% of the week’s earnings.

Fourth offense: 20% of the week’s earnings.

Fifth offense: pull them off the golf course and attach a Corvette’s engine to their back.

If a player fails to make the week’s cut, make the fine 5 to 10% maximum of what the lowest paid player who makes it to the weekend would earn.

Slow play is a massive problem on the Tour. I have repeatedly written about all major tours using a shot clock on the course that was visible to all, much like the NBA. It needs to be addressed, monitored, and penalized. There is no argument from me on this end.

But leveling massive fines on any Tour that can literally penalize you in such a way that making the cut is a penalty in itself? That’s just asinine and completely unfair.

The LPGA should reduce Yealimi Noh’s fine yesterday.

Cover Image via Instagram