By Vartan Kupelian
Reprinted with Permission after first appearing in Global Golf Post
Here’s a sure-fire way to win a grill room wager. Name the three states that have the greatest presence in women’s professional golf.
I’ll even give you two – California and Florida.
For No. 3, you’re on your own. Good luck.
There’s one LPGA event in Florida, where the organization has its headquarters, with another scheduled to come onboard next year. There are three Symetra Tour events in Florida.
There are four LPGA events in California and one Symetra Tour stop. 
Michigan has two LPGA events – the Meijer LPGA Classic for Simply Give in Grand Rapids. It follows the Volvik Championship in Ann Arbor. A third is coming next year to Midland – the Dow Great Lakes Bay Invitational.
Michigan is also host to a pair of Symetra Tour events. And, of course, there’s the Marathon Classic, just south of the Michigan-Ohio border which may as well be draped in maize ‘n’ blue. Quite likely that would create a furor down there but that’s a discussion for another day.
That’s a total of five events in California, five events in Michigan beginning next year and four in Florida.
LPGA Commissioner Mike Whan said Michigan’s involvement is a “pretty well-kept secret.”
But the why of it is no secret at all.
“Great golf courses, great fans and companies that respect the value of what golf means to their business and to their communities,” Whan said.
“We don’t circle a state or a city and say, ‘That’s the one, let’s go after that.’ We talk to check writers. We’ve been talking to Dow on and off for four or five years. Didn’t know it meant Midland or somewhere else. Sometimes you don’t know where you’re going to end up.”
But anytime it happens to be Michigan, that’s quite OK with the LPGA.
“The good news for us is Michigan golf courses are unbelievable and these are golf people with pride in their hometown,” Whan said. “In my days at TaylorMade, Michigan and Minnesota always caught me off-guard. Those two markets were always overwhelmingly high in anything we did. Anybody who has ever taken a golf trip to Michigan understands how good the courses are.”
Besides, golf is an outdoor sport and Whan knows only too well that Michiganders have an outdoors mentality with their affinity for hunting and fishing. Whan noted an interesting tidbit.
“We don’t do as many bleachers in Michigan because so many walk with the groups,” he said. “And the fans know our players are from all different parts of the world and want to experience all of it.”
The hospitality factor also is huge in Michigan and duly noted by the players and tournament staff.
“An overwhelming majority are staying in home housing,” Whan said. “(Michigan) opens up not only its course but its home. As a commissioner, that warms your heart.”
The Michigan formula is working for the LPGA and there is no reason for Whan to think that might change anytime soon.
“I would just tell you, when we talk about the LPGA fan base, there’s nowhere better than the Midwest and there’s nowhere better than that than in Michigan,” he said.
Given all we know about ladies professional golf in Michigan, what’s next?
How about the Solheim Cup?
The U.S. Women’s Open was held at Indianwood Golf & Country Club in 1989 and 1994. Both prospered and produced great champions – Betsy King in 1989 and Patty Sheehan in 1994. In 1929, the legendary Glenna Collett Vare won the U.S. Women’s Amateur championship at Oakland Hills Country Club.
It’s time to start thinking about another signature event in women’s golf coming to Michigan, the sooner the better.
