Speak English, or you're out!

[Konnan511 1,736]

I know this is chick golf and I bet no one watches it, but I found this article interesting to be honest

linkski

I wouldn't mind if they did this to baseball, and who knows, it could start becoming the norm for all pro sports in the next decade.

[Guest Shoreline]

I'm all for this, in the U.S., since this is an organization based in the U.S.

However, they do tour outside of the country so should probably exercise a bit of tolerance for those not amongst the most talented in English.

Edited August 26, 2008 by Shoreline

[Jwo 7]

That reminds me of the jobs that I have been looking in my IT field around the Troy/Pontiac area. You must be fluent in Spanish or German in order to get the job. Also some you have to be fluent in Korean.

Edited August 26, 2008 by Jwo

[Yzerfan1999 81]

"Why now? Athletes now have more responsibilities and we want to help their professional development,"

Jesus, am I the only one who find this ridiculous? What sense does it make to suspend these players for not being fluent in English? Help their professional development? Bulls***. If they are forcing foreigners to learn English at the risk of suspension by claiming it helps their professional development, the same should be done for the American players. Make them learn German, French or Spanish to further THEIR prof. development too. I understand the importance of being able to understand English, especially if the tour is mainly in N America, but this comes across as a bit pig headed to me.

[Hockeytown Red Wings 245]

I think this is ridiculous, slightly racist, and a slap in the face to those who don't speak English that have done very well in the sport. I'm all for people learning English if they're going to be over here because it helps them adapt to our culture, but it should be their choice.

[sibiriak 84]

If they are really concerned about future development of their game, they all should start learning Chinese.

[Dawgs 0]

I dont have a problem with the LPGA requiring foreign athletes to speak english well enough to give a simple interview. Its American dollars they are shoving in thier pockets doled out by mostly American sponsors and the American golf fan. How is it racist in the least to expect the winners to give something back to those that are supporting thier profession?

[Hockeytown Red Wings 245]

I dont have a problem with the LPGA requiring foreign athletes to speak english well enough to give a simple interview. Its American dollars they are shoving in thier pockets doled out by mostly American sponsors and the American golf fan. How is it racist in the least to expect the winners to give something back to those that are supporting thier profession?

To me it sounds like the typical redneck response, "It's America, if you don't like it, get out!".

[SouthernWingsFan 854]

Speaking English in U.S. is important obviously, no need to explain...

However I don't think this should be the end-of-all end solutions to play or not to play on the LPGA Tour, I don't think it should even be too important of a requirement. Heck, hire a translator if you can't grapple the English language in time to deal with fans or the media. Even further, why would this be such a huge requirement. Golf, probably more than any other sport, is a "Me me me, I, I, I". sport where there really is no "team", outside of you and your caddy. If you and your caddy can best understand each other in Russian or sign language or Sandskrit, use Russian or sign language or Sandskrit.

If this is a requirement, then there should be requirements for playing professionally in any country regardless of where it is then. You want to play professional sports in Brazil, learn to speak Portuguese. If you want to play in Spain, speak Spanish. If you want to speak in Russia, speak Russian then. And so on, and so forth.

[Izzy24 44]

Those are the official languages of those countries, though. English is not the official language of the U.S.

[betterREDthandead 58]

Jesus, am I the only one who find this ridiculous? What sense does it make to suspend these players for not being fluent in English? Help their professional development? Bulls***. If they are forcing foreigners to learn English at the risk of suspension by claiming it helps their professional development, the same should be done for the American players. Make them learn German, French or Spanish to further THEIR prof. development too. I understand the importance of being able to understand English, especially if the tour is mainly in N America, but this comes across as a bit pig headed to me.

Why? The tour isn't based in Germany, France, or Spain.

I'm not really sure why the need for the requirement. I haven't heard of the LPGA having to deal with a lot of translators for foreign golfers, and it's not like LPGA golfers are marketing idols, exactly. But I fully support their right to require English if they so choose.

[Yzerfan1999 81]

Why? The tour isn't based in Germany, France, or Spain.

I'm not really sure why the need for the requirement. I haven't heard of the LPGA having to deal with a lot of translators for foreign golfers, and it's not like LPGA golfers are marketing idols, exactly. But I fully support their right to require English if they so choose.

Sorry, those were just examples of other widely spoken languages in the world. I could have said Mandarin, Cantonese, or Japanese. In this case maybe Korean was appropriate seeing as there are so many Koreans in the LPGA. I was just saying its a dick move to make it a requirement that all LPGA players speak English and then suspending them if they don't pass the test whe. Whats wrong with a translator for tournaments? I doubt half of those women live in the United States year round. Odds are they return home when tournaments are finished.

Nevertheless, I think its an unnecessary request to force all of them to take English lessons with such a severe punishment for not complying.

[haroldsnepsts 4,826]

I dont have a problem with the LPGA requiring foreign athletes to speak english well enough to give a simple interview. Its American dollars they are shoving in thier pockets doled out by mostly American sponsors and the American golf fan. How is it racist in the least to expect the winners to give something back to those that are supporting thier profession?

Would you feel the same way if the NHL instituted a similar policy and Datsyuk and Holmstrom were suspended as a result?

I think it's a good idea for the players to learn english. It would likely help their careers. I just don't see why the LPGA feels the need to mandate it.

[timothy1997 0]

does anyone realize that of like 120 foreign players, 45 of them are from South Korea?? That of the top 30 money leaders, 11 of them are from South Korea??

More importantly, does anyone care about the LPGA?? The answer is obvious NO. Thats why they are doing this. Make them learn English, make them be human-like and make them interact with fans and sponsers.

NASCAR is one of the most successful individual sports out there. Why? The players are marketable. They interact with fans and sign autographs...meet and greets and all that jazz. For NASCAR it is working, and the LPGA is trying to do the same.

Don't laugh at this NHL fans, but the NHL might not be that far off. The NHL isnt exactly #1 to a lot of sports fans. Perhaps if they talked to fans more or interacted with fans more, it actually might do good for the game.

[Yzerfan1999 81]

does anyone realize that of like 120 foreign players, 45 of them are from South Korea?? That of the top 30 money leaders, 11 of them are from South Korea??

More importantly, does anyone care about the LPGA?? The answer is obvious NO. Thats why they are doing this. Make them learn English, make them be human-like and make them interact with fans and sponsers.

NASCAR is one of the most successful individual sports out there. Why? The players are marketable. They interact with fans and sign autographs...meet and greets and all that jazz. For NASCAR it is working, and the LPGA is trying to do the same.

Don't laugh at this NHL fans, but the NHL might not be that far off. The NHL isnt exactly #1 to a lot of sports fans. Perhaps if they talked to fans more or interacted with fans more, it actually might do good for the game.

The whole of the WNBA speaks English, and nobody cares about them either. Sad to say, but its not a language barrier, its a sex barrier. Making these women speak English won't help them. The best case scenario would be for the LPGA to turn out like womens tennis, where many of the female players are foreign and speak little English, and none are suspended for not knowing the language - they get attention because of their mini-skirts, but I just don't see the LPGA mimicking the success of womens tennis...ever.

And your comment that 45/120 foreign players are South Korean, along with the fact that 11 of the top 30 money leaders are S Korean makes me think the LPGA should stop worrying about making them all speak English and start hiring foreign translators to work with the players. If they really want to make these women speak English, it seems like forcing them isn't the way to go. Why not hire several ESL teachers to provide free lessons to the players. They should be helping their athletes, not scolding them because they come from different countries.

[LeftWinger 4,951]

...would this include outlawing ebonics in the NBA?

[datsyukismyfriend 4]

this is ridiculous.

[Inultus 12]

Would you feel the same way if the NHL instituted a similar policy and Datsyuk and Holmstrom were suspended as a result?

Honestly, I think they speak English well enough that they wouldn't be suspended. And yes, I think that foreign players of all sports should speak English if they are based in the US.

[vangvace 12]

longest time for a comeback evar!