By Tom Lang
Beth Ann Nichols became the first female president of the Golf Writers Association of America in 2021, while in her role as Senior Writer at GolfWeek and contributor at the Golf Channel.
She played collegiate golf at Florida Southern College, then married Michigan native Ben Nichols and has been at GolfWeek for more than 20 years since.
Q: You garnered a lot of attention this spring in suggesting the LPGA Tour tournaments are not equitable in the set up compared to men's tours/events. Please give a summary of that concept.
A: “I’ve been frustrated for some time now with how courses are often set up for elite women. Too many times women hit long irons or hybrids into greens that were designed for wedges and 9-irons for approach shots. In many cases, it seems that officials get caught up in setting up courses to a certain number rather than looking at what club is required for the second shot.
“The other element that seems to separate the modern men’s game from the women’s game is a lack of enough risk/reward opportunities on the LPGA. What the LPGA considers to be a reachable par 5 is, in fact, not reachable for the majority of the tour. Meanwhile the men often hit low to mid-irons into par 5s on their second shots.
“There’s only been one 59 on the LPGA (Annika Sorenstam, 2001) and a total of six scores of 60 or better.* On the PGA Tour, there have been 52 scores of 60 or better.* There’s no reason that LPGA players can’t bring fans to the TV more often for a 59 watch. As Angela Stanford said, ‘Let them light it up!’” (* = as of Covid)
Q: How would you describe the public's response to your opinions?
A: “I’ve been amazed by the number of people who responded to the story. This isn’t just an LPGA problem. It’s an all of women’s golf problem. Too many courses lack enough teeing options for women to be able to reach par 4s in regulation.
“I loved it when men told me they had a lightbulb moment after reading the story: It’s not about making it so that a woman (their mom, daughter, friend) lands her tee shot in the same general area as them. It’s about making sure they have a similar club in on the second shot.”
Q: Is there any one or two big issues involving women and the game of golf that you think every man needs to know?
A: “Most male amateurs can learn more about the game from watching the LPGA than they can watching the PGA Tour. The way Dustin Johnson or Rory McIlroy attack a golf course is unrelatable to mere mortals. Yet there’s so much to gain from studying the fundamentals of the best women in the world, who hit it 250 to 280 with the most enviable tempo. Go see a women’s event in person. You’ll be hooked.”
Q: What's your prediction for the future of women's interest in the game of golf recreationally?
A: “Golf during the pandemic became a family-oriented activity, and I hope it stays that way. For golf to thrive in the U.S., women and girls are the path forward.”
