Last summer, 1.59 million viewers watched the final round of the US Women's Open golf course at California's majestic Pebble Beach golf course. This is remarkable and among the best television ratings for women's golf in history. Also this summer, sexy influencer Grace Charis, who has never played professional golf, posted a video of her swing online, showing off a large portion of her chest, and 27 million people watched it.
The Internet brings many more good things than bad things into our lives. But when it comes to what lights up our collective idiocy, it's hard to beat the popular phenomenon of the “Golf Babe,” or golf influencer.
These are young women who have never played at a professional level and film themselves while playing in very sexy clothing. Sometimes they give tips, sometimes they make jokes, otherwise they just say nothing and film themselves in slow motion. Some have an OnlyFans account where they can show off a little more.
Golf Monthly editor Alison Root recently published a brave column just before Christmas in which she walked on eggshells. She wrote that she supports women expressing their opinions, but that appearing half-naked as a golfer may not be in the best interest of women's golf.
She claims that sexy photos and videos do no harm to anyone. And if you don't like it, you can just ignore it. But she rightly points out that it has become difficult to ignore algorithms in social networks.
In other words, if you like golf, this content about sexy female golfers might appeal to you. In short: Do you want to stop trying to hit every eighth note on your tee shot, or do you want to see a pro player's swing in slow motion? There's a good chance you'll find content about golfers in bras on your social media.
- Listen to the journalist's interview with Richard Martineau above QUB :
Do you know the best in the world?
Have you been to Atthaya Thitikul? At just 20 years old, she is currently the best golfer in the world. 52,000 people follow her on Instagram.
The current best player in the world on the LPGA, Atthaya Thitikul, was photographed at a tournament in Florida last November. Getty Images via AFP
Do you know Paige Spiranac? She never played a single round on the LPGA. She is followed by 4 million people on Instagram, which is 76 times more. When she sneezes, she often makes tabloid headlines. I'm hardly exaggerating. A bit like Eugenie Bouchard in Quebec, but high 1000. And with the big difference that Eugenie is a professional athlete, while the other has never played among the best.
An American gossip media dedicated an article to Grace Charis on January 11, saying that looking at the young woman's chest as she runs on a golf course is like poetry.
If we take the top 10 LPGA players today, they have a total of 2 million followers on Instagram.
If we instead take the 10 most popular golf influencers (none of whom have played on the LPGA), they have more than 12 million followers on Instagram.
They spread the word on all social networks.
Most are millionaires and much richer than the majority of professional golfers.
Grace Charis has become so popular that she now invites her admirers to play a round of golf with her for $100,000. This includes the water bottle and the bodyguard.
Companies are getting on board
And if these influencers are so rich, it is also and above all due to the companies that work with them.
Major brands such as Callaway, Lululemon, Emirates, PXG Golf, energy drinks, beers, lingerie or automobile companies choose to invest in advertising with these women. As for visibility, we can understand it very well.
Nelly Korda is one of the best players on the LPGA Tour. Getty Images via AFP
But it shares the companies' advertising pie. And that means there is less for real professional players.
On the LPGA in 2023, 50 players received less than $55,000. They probably didn't have a single cent left over from the costs of transport, accommodation, bus and equipment.
On the Epson Tour (professional tournament before reaching the LPGA), 155 of the 188 players won less than $50,000 in 2023. And 113 earned less than $20,000.
It's harder for these players, who are among the best in the world but not the best in the world, to get sponsorship.
But if they showed half of their butt and chest, we think they would increase their chances of getting a sponsorship deal. Even if they stopped golfing.
Is this all serious? No not at all.
But it's sad. Inspiring players who have always worked hard to reach the top are increasingly being overshadowed by models in bobettes who even collect advertising from golf companies.
Women's golf has never been more popular. In the US, young women imitate their favorite influencers by filming themselves on practice grounds. Golf videos featuring women have never been watched more often than they are now.
But first: is it golf or sex? And secondly, is this really good for women's golf? We don't see that in men. I can't imagine a man who plays shirtless and in boxers making more money than some PGA players.
The only losers in all of this are the professional players, who no one cares about and who have no chance of drawing attention to themselves against the golf role models.
Are they pathetic? NO.
But they must think we're fat.
“It is sad”
The best Quebec golfer in the world, Maude-Aimée Leblanc, fully understands that this influencer phenomenon gives visibility to women's golf, but believes it “devalues” what professional players do.
Maude-Aimée Leblanc archive photo, AFP
The 34-year-old golfer is training very hard to prepare for her 2024 LPGA season, which will begin in March. She also aspires to represent Canada at the Olympics. Canada will send two players and it is she who is currently at the front of this race along with the other machine Brooke Henderson.
Anyone who follows Leblanc's career knows that she is not the most active on social media. And they’re not particularly interested in the golf influencer phenomenon.
Although the LPGA advises players to post content on social media to make it easier to find sponsors, the Sherbrooke athlete says she simply doesn't have the time.
“Most players really don’t have time to dedicate to it. “We’re working on our game,” she told me in a phone interview.
What makes her sad about all of this is “the fact that talent and work gets less attention and sponsorship than these influencers.”
Speaking of sponsorship, even though Leblanc is one of the best hitters in the world (averaging over 277 yards in 2023) and among the world's elite in her sport, she tells us that “he's extremely dead.”
“It’s not easy for many players,” she regrets.
In her opinion, there is no question of her bullying the players.
“I would rather use the word loser,” she said. I find the image it conveys sad.”
She says she doesn't know of any player on the LPGA who has been tempted to produce influencer-like content. But in the lower level, the Epson Tour, “where it is much more difficult to make a living, I would tell you that there are certainly some who are thinking about it,” laments the Quebecer.