Speak English To Collect Our Golf Purses, Says The LPGA

A major group in my

favorite sport, golf,  just decided to put forth
a rule which doubtless will be contested, debated,
and possibly ignored, but I can`t wait to hear the

screams.

The Washington Post`s piece,

English Will Be the Official Language of the LPGA Tour,
[August 27, 2008]says, "The

LPGA (Ladies Professional Golf Association) will
require players to speak English starting in 2009, with
players who have been LPGA members for two years facing
suspension if they can`t pass an oral evaluation of
English skills. The rule is effective immediately for
new players."

Apparently, the LPGA is as tired as
most Americans of seeing too many good jobs going to
offshore players, mostly Asians, who are taking away
large portions of the LPGA purses, although the story
doesn`t admit that. 

However,

"There
are 121 international players from 26 countries on the LPGA Tour, including 45 players from South Korea.

The
South Koreans were informed of the rule; however, LPGA
Commissioner Carolyn Bivens has not given them—or
anyone—a written explanation, Galloway said.

But the
message already appears to be lost in translation. The
magazine said every
South Korean player it interviewed believed she
would lose her card if she failed the English
evaluation.

Angela
Park,  born in

Brazil of South Korean heritage and raised in the
United States, said the policy is fair and good for the
tour and its international players.

"A lot
of Korean players think they are being targeted, but
it`s just because there are so many of them," Park told
the magazine."

A more practical reason–and one I
find legitimate–is the fact that sports figures are
entertainment and heroes who cannot speak the sponsors`
language can`t become the kind of personalities that
made players like Arnold Palmer,

Juli Inkster, and, yes,

Anika Sorenstam, the

Swedish star now just retiring, top drawing cards
for TV and product endorsements, fully capable of
charming interviewers with their comments. As one
tournament director noted,  "This is an American
tour. It is important for sponsors to be able to
interact with players and have a positive experience."

My point: America is being picked
over by many foreign countries, gnawed at like a carrion
by vultures for its technology and its buying power for
the goods and services being made in
cheap labor nations.  We have long suffered because
we didn`t

demand English be America`s official language,
seeing many other languages (and their cultures) gaining
free rein here, just like allowing foreign golfers to
play in our open tournaments.

As former Colorado Governor  Richard
Lamm  so eloquently noted in his famous October 2003
speech on how to destroy America,
"I would encourage all immigrants to keep their own
language and culture."  These golfers come here
to make far more money than they could make playing golf
at home, creating a reverse twist to the cheap labor in
their home countries which is costing Americans jobs. 
Further, to compete, these golfers must spend
substantial time here.  They are in fact cherry-picking
American jobs.  If they want to be here to earn a
living, fine, but the new LPGA rule strikes me as very
fair. Betcha if the purses get bigger overseas and
comparable to purses here, our players will be required
to learn the languages of those countries` sponsors.

Donald A. Collins [email
him], is a freelance writer living in Washington DC and a former long time member of the board of FAIR, the Federation for American Immigration Reform. His views are his own.