The LPGA Experience (EDITOR’S NOTE)

If you could have bought stock in the Ladies Professional Golf Association five years ago, you could sell it today and do very, very well.

As a commodity, the LPGA Tour is flourishing, thanks largely to the leadership of Mike Whan, who is now in his sixth season as commissioner.

Whan and I spoke recently, and he’s quite an easy-going guy. You can read about our conversation in one of the cover stories in this issue.

Whan will be in Rogers during the early part of the week in the run-up to the LPGA event at Pinnacle Country Club. If you get the chance to visit with him, do so. He has terrific insight. For example, one of the things he explained to me — in comparing the PGA Tour to the LPGA Tour — is how each survives.

The PGA is driven more by television viewers, and has the weekend ratings to do so. The LPGA has a great partnership with Golf Channel, but thrives more on the corporate hospitality experience, specifically through its pro-am events before the tournament begins.

Amateurs mixing with professionals has never been real popular among the PGA pros. The LPGA pros embrace it.

I had the chance to play in one of the LPGA pro-ams at Pinnacle a few years ago, and it’s one of the more memorable rounds an amateur will ever play.

Before I teed off, someone announced my name — and that was applauded by a small crowd.

I played a course set up for a professional tournament. And we walked, in between the ropes. There was only a smattering of people watching, but it was definitely a different vibe than your typical scramble event.

In a word, spending four hours playing with a professional golfer is fun — especially if your team finishes second with a 57. Paul Gatling, Matt Nelson, Todd Towery, Bob Quinlan and Jee Young Lee were formidable.

And so, too, is Mike Whan. He gets it, knows how to add value to the product, and in five years has proven himself more than capable of upgrading the LPGA into an admired sports league.