Michigan Golf Journal April 2020

33 April 2020 www.michigangolfjournal.com turn to say, ‘okay, are we making a difference that is meaningful when it comes to pace of play?’ “With all the volunteers and marshals on the course, they usually don’t waste too much time looking for golf balls, but they’ll (extend) the time golfers will stand over a shot they have to hit out of the rough to green speeds of 13, 14 each week. That is a very big challenge.” Power of the LPGA Tour: I asked Kann what he felt the LPGA Tour offers golf fans that the PGA tour might not. “In one word I would say ‘connection.’ I believe that the LPGA players are the best ambassadors for their sport in all of professional sports,” Kann answered. “The only problem they’ve had over the years is they don’t have a big enough stage or high enough mountain from which to shout their message, so it’s an awareness issue, and it’s certainly not from a lack of dedication amongst the players or the organization. “The players will not only raise their hand and say ‘yes’ to helping when asked, they will raise their hand (in advance) and say, ‘how can I’ or ‘when can I help you?’ That’s the major difference I saw with the LPGA Tour compared to other sports organizations I have worked with.” Elevation : Kann has quietly become one of the industry’s most influential corporate coaches and prolific public speakers. He is parlaying his on- air experiences from Golf Channel and his years in sports communications into an ever- expanding career as a sought-after speaker, expert communications and media consultant and renowned leadership workshop facilitator. He believes it’s not a coincidence that the game of golf often puts people in a place to succeed more often than other sports. “I think the game of golf provides, at its greatest value, an opportunity to connect with people,” he said. “Through my career at the Golf Channel and the LPGA, I had the opportunity to have conversations with some pretty influential people. I’m completely blessed to have flown in an airplane with Arnold McLendon Photography