USGA and the Rules of Amateurism...

[Bob_Huntley]

There is a good article here on Wie and expenses etc.

See:

http://www.pjstar.com/stories/071005/GRE_B6UDBDMF.077.shtml

I've always felt that the young man who lost to Tiger Woods in the latter's last US Amateur, was the real amateur champion.

[John_Conley]

This is another case where Wie will bring out an issue, yet somehow much of the scorn gets directed toward her.

Baseball's draft is a joke.  College players have agents.  Everybody knows it.  This is kind of the same.  

Wie is a pre-professional, and that is not an amateur.

[Patrick_Mucci]

Bob,

The USGA has lost its way with respect to "Amateurs" and golf.

[Craig Sweet]

"The USGA has lost its way with respect to "Amateurs" and golf."

I'm not sure why golf should be any different than any other sport in that regard. Tennis, track and field,and skiing, just to name a few, have "been there, done that" regarding dealing with the problem of "amateurs".

[Craig Sweet]

Perhaps the $750 limit is a tad low given the costs of travel, lodging,meals and equipment these days?

[Nate Golomb]

The line is far too fine these days and the USGA is just dancing on it...the way Wie's travel expenses have been explained is that they are not being received because of her play or to improve her play and thus not deemed to violate the $750 value and her amateur status...one can agree or disagree, but it is a fine line and will be debated until she turns professional and probably after her with other teenage standouts...

[Kyle Harris]

Nate,

I think the minute she turns professional consideration of the problem goes away (she turned pro... who cares anymore).

If she were to remain an amateur and absolutely clean up on that circuit through her 20s, that's when I feel her benefits and dealings would be problematic.

What if she decides to play college golf?

[PThomas]

Nate -- pls clarify your explanation

I don't know why she just doesn't turn pro RIGHT NOW and get some guaranteed millions...

[JohnV]

There is no $750 limit on expenses.  The $750 is on prizes you can win.  The author this article is so uninformed he doesn't even know that.

A junior golfer can receive expenses to play in amateur events, but no professional ones, but housing is frequently available to golfers playing in professional events.

As for the Publinx and expenses, expect to see a big change in the allowance of expense payments for all amateurs coming soon.

How much do you think a "transportation professor" would have to pay for airline tickets?  I bet he got comped long before his daughter could play golf.

[Nate Golomb]

Paul ~ There are two reasons why she doesn't turn pro now...first being that her dream is to be the first woman to qualify to play in the Masters and her only chance at that right now is to win the men's USGA PubLinx, or US Amateur (or runner-up)...Secondly, the LPGA Tour's 18 year old age requirement which will likely be waived if she does decide to pursue a professional career in the next two years. But that process may involve some time to be approved. She may decide to play in the PGA/LPGA Tour qualifying school this year as an amateur and make a decision based on her finish...

All the controversy over the amateur status will cease when she turns professional but surely will resurface if another teen phenom (male or female) comes along to follow in her footsteps...John is correct in saying there is no $750 limit on expenses, but amateurs are also allowed to accept equipment as long as they are not receiving money/prizes...

Hope this clarifies it, if not let me know...  

[rgkeller]

There is no reason for Ms.Wie to join the LPGA in order to cash in on the millions awaiting her endorsement signature.

Six or seven LPGA tournaments including the majors and a few PGA tournaments - all on sponsors exemptions - along with some tournaments in the Far East (with big appearance money) will be sufficient to support the Nike ad campaigns.

And this limited schedule will dovetail neatly with her education demands.

[Patrick_Mucci]

There is no $750 limit on expenses.  The $750 is on prizes you can win.  The author this article is so uninformed he doesn't even know that.

Neither does Craig Sweet.[/color]

A junior golfer can receive expenses to play in amateur events, but no professional ones, but housing is frequently available to golfers playing in professional events.

As for the Publinx and expenses, expect to see a big change in the allowance of expense payments for all amateurs coming soon.

How much do you think a "transportation professor" would have to pay for airline tickets?  I bet he got comped long before his daughter could play golf.


John,

I think the USGA let this one get away from them.

It created a favoritism that caters to the elite players to the detriment of good players or average players.[/color]

[Craig Sweet]

I was merely using the information the author of the article used. Did I know $750 was the limit? Nope. Do I care? Nope.

I think the distinction between amateur and professional needs to be further blurred. much as it has been with other sports where pro's and am's compete together.

[ForkaB]

As I've said many times previously, this Professional-Amateur distinction is a not to be revered relic of the past.  Golf has always been full of "shamateurs" and "pre-professionals," just as tennis, track and field, skiiing etc. used to be, as Craig rightly notes.  Anybody still thinking that the Am/Pro distinction adds anything to the game of golf is just smoking their own exhaust.  IMHO, of course....