Twenty years ago, the LPGA looked a lot like it does today. Sponsors and tournaments were dropping off like flies. The Commissioner was being removed from duty. Players were unhappy. Then the organization made a winning move by replacing Bill Blue with Charles Mechem. He developed a good relationship with the players and the media, conciliated the sponsors, grew the tour with more events and ultimately got the LPGA back on track and thriving. We need a Charlie Mechem for 2009. Charlie’s still involved in the golf world to a fashion, though I doubt he could be lured back to his old post at this point.
I recently spent a day with Charlie – talking, eating, and of course, playing golf. He is a charming, amiable man with a gracious spirit. When my golf ball rolled off the fairway and wedged into a dicey lie in the plants, he casually kicked it out and humorously issued a “commissioner’s ruling.” I wouldn’t accept that with anyone else, but who am I to argue with the commish? I think you’d be hard pressed to find anyone who doesn’t like this man.
I told the story of how he became commissioner and saved the LPGA in this article (starts on page 12) for Jackson Hole Golfer Magazine, an annual publication issued in a beautiful hard cover book as well as a glossy magazine.
With Carolyn Bivens on her way out, the LPGA needs to find someone who can pull off what Charlie did, and I suspect it won’t be easy. (Hey Charlie, how about filling in while they conduct their search?)
In his article on what went wrong with Bivens, Alan Shipnuck offers up Judy Rankin as a suggested replacement with the logic that she’s “basically a female Mechem.” Sounds good to me.
Photo from Golf.com (David Cannon/Getty Images). Perhaps If Ms. Bivens appeased all the sponsors like she must have with this homage to Ronald McDonald, she’d be in less trouble today.
Next post.
The Commish that Saved the LPGA
Twenty years ago, the LPGA looked a lot like it does today. Sponsors and tournaments were dropping off like flies. The Commissioner was being removed from duty. Players were unhappy. Then the organization made a winning move by replacing Bill Blue with Charles Mechem. He developed a good relationship with the players and the media, conciliated the sponsors, grew the tour with more events and ultimately got the LPGA back on track and thriving. We need a Charlie Mechem for 2009. Charlie’s still involved in the golf world to a fashion, though I doubt he could be lured back to his old post at this point.
I recently spent a day with Charlie – talking, eating, and of course, playing golf. He is a charming, amiable man with a gracious spirit. When my golf ball rolled off the fairway and wedged into a dicey lie in the plants, he casually kicked it out and humorously issued a “commissioner’s ruling.” I wouldn’t accept that with anyone else, but who am I to argue with the commish? I think you’d be hard pressed to find anyone who doesn’t like this man.
I told the story of how he became commissioner and saved the LPGA in this article (starts on page 12) for Jackson Hole Golfer Magazine, an annual publication issued in a beautiful hard cover book as well as a glossy magazine.
With Carolyn Bivens on her way out, the LPGA needs to find someone who can pull off what Charlie did, and I suspect it won’t be easy. (Hey Charlie, how about filling in while they conduct their search?)
In his article on what went wrong with Bivens, Alan Shipnuck offers up Judy Rankin as a suggested replacement with the logic that she’s “basically a female Mechem.” Sounds good to me.
Photo from Golf.com (David Cannon/Getty Images). Perhaps If Ms. Bivens appeased all the sponsors like she must have with this homage to Ronald McDonald, she’d be in less trouble today.
Next post.