LPGA Innovations Worthy Of Applause

When Golf Channel producer Beth Hutter arrived at Inverness Club in Toledo, Ohio, for the Drive On Championship, the LPGA Tour’s first event since February, the first thing she noticed was the lack of gallery ropes. Odd to see even though she knew it was coming. With no fans at any top-level event for at least the next month, buildouts for golf look different. No grandstands, no entry gates, no ropes. Just Lydia Ko and Alison Lee teeing off for a practice round as if they were at home playing a casual game. What Hutter didn’t expect was Linnea Ström walking by with a pushcart. “I kind of went to a rules official, and I was like, 'I didn't know,' ” Hutter said. “I knew they didn't have to take caddies, but they can absolutely take a pushcart if they want and there are a handful of players in the field doing just that, that do not have a caddie. That was kind of interesting.” That’s just one of the creative and flexible modifications the LPGA should be applauded for implementing. Unlike the PGA Tour, where most of the players live in th...