Sexing Up Down Under

In Australia this week, Karrie Webb looks to complete the Australian Double in her home nation by winning the ANZ Ladies Masters. She won the Women's Aussie Open by six strokes last weekend. While she was a big story at the event last week, just as big of an event was a fairly provocative calendar featuring Natalie Gulbis and a number of Australian female golfers. The calendar and sales of it were banned from the Aussie Open despite claims by some that such a calendar would help ensure the future of this event in question.

According to this article in The Australian, 21K people came through the gates at the Aussie Open - at least some intrigued by the calendar.

According to the same piece, the ANZ Ladies Masters has decided not to "glamorize" the event this week. LPGA of Australia general manager Warren Sevil said yesterday, "The players that play have been glamorous, but it's never been a focus like it was last week. We're not going to glamorise the Ladies Masters."

The controversy brings back an interesting debate from former LPGA Commissioner Ty Votaw's 5 Points of Celebrity: should sex be an active part of the marketing campaign for women's golf? To me, I would say no. For as much help as it could provide, tournament organizers should not focus on sex to sell events. Let the players themselves do that if they so choose, though. Natalie Gulbis is an attractive woman and if she wants to put out a calendar for personal gain and it drags some more men to a tournament, then I am all for it.

The key difference between individual competitors and tours/tournaments promoting sex is the comfort level involved. Sexiness is probably not on the minds of most female golfers - same for male professionals. But, that's not to say that we should prohibit that kind of thinking from professionals that want to flaunt what they have in some fashion. That's the beauty of golf: each individual can be just that in terms of how they play, act, dress, and approach the game. That unique identity and its expression should never be repressed. BUT, tournament organizers and tours should leave that expression to the players themselves and focus their marketing efforts on the golf, the course, and the event.