Friday, June 12, 2009

How Would You Fix the LPGA's Approach to Web 2.0?

The LPGA has been talking a good game about social networking and reaching new audiences through new technologies, but so far I'd rate their actual efforts a C- at best. I know a thing or two about blogging, and one thing I know is that they ought to hire Hound Dog as their official blogger. He's informative, interesting, level-headed, and consistently covers a wider range of players and issues than any professional golf writer out there. Plus he could help upgrade the stats and preserve the historical record. What can I say? The guy is multi-talented!

I don't do twitter or facebook, but I watch a lot of youtube with my girls, and I have to say that the LPGA's youtube channel is about as bad as it gets. The Corning weekly wrap, for instance, featured a slow mo slideshow of still photos with a voiceover that sounded like it belonged in a Hollywood movie trailer, but what he was saying was about as interesting as those high school informational films The Simpsons is always parodying. Does anyone at the LPGA actually understand the concept of a viral video? They should hire Stephanie Wei right awei away, who's done more with video blogging in a couple of months than the LPGA has in a couple of years. With the number of great personalities on tour and full access, Wei would have a field day.

She certainly could do better than this guy, who's light years ahead of the LPGA:



Sorry, we're leaving Okinawa in a few hours, so had to slip in that little tribute to Ai and Mika Miyazato (who are sisters only in the sense that the Seoul Sisters are). Seriously, as much as I appreciate this better-designed video page at LPGA.com, it's way too soon for them to give up on youtube.

Now, since hiring new personnel is probably around about #168 on the LPGA's priority list, may I humbly suggest that we in the golfosphere donate a few suggestions to help the tour improve its social networking efforts? How can we help the LPGA get Web 2.0?



I know, so 2007, right? So what's the deal for 2010 and beyond? Beyond, like, updating their Players on the Web page, encouraging the rookies to write more interesting blogs, keeping all stats at every single tournament, and getting more live streaming video from tournaments on the site (put all that footage Golf Channel won't be using to work for the tour)....

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