Saluting the work of the LET

I HAVE written before in this column about what a good job Alex Armas – the executive director of the Ladies’ European Tour – and her staff are doing and I make no apology for doing so again now. Quite simply, they have excelled themselves – the recently-announced 2008 schedule has 28 tournaments, more prize money than ever before in the history of ladies’ professional golf in Europe and five new tournaments.

All in all, with the uncertain and tough economic times that Europe and the world are facing at the moment, this year’s schedule is nothing short of remarkable! Turkey, a relatively young country when it comes to golf, will host a national Ladies’ Open for the first time. It will be played at The National, a wonderful course designed by David Jagger and Tony Martin and arguably the best in Turkey.

I have been taking golfing groups to Turkey for the last six years, and what was a relatively undiscovered golfing destination in Europe is fast becoming a hotspot. It has a great climate, fantastic hotels, and is still relatively inexpensive when compared to the main European golfing destinations.

With Nick Faldo, Colin Montgomerie and Pete Dye all having designed courses there in the last year, I’m sure that, that is all about to change! Another addition is a new team event in Spain that features 24 teams of two. This will kick off the tour when it returns to mainland Europe at the beginning of April. There is a welcome return to Munich for the Ladies’ German Open presented by Audi, a Ladies Irish Open sponsored by AIB, and another event in Sweden in Gothenburg.

Some people might decry the fact that many of the tournaments that have returned in 2008 have not increased their prize money, but considering the economic climate, I think that getting them to recommit is a success in itself. Yes, everyone involved in the LET would like to be playing for millions of Euros every week of the year, but as Joe Flanagan, the
tour’s executive director back in 1990, found out to his cost, telling a sponsor that they need to raise their purses to a minimum amount when they haven’t got the money just results in tournaments being dropped.

Aspiring world-class players and rookies embarking on their golfing careers need to play in regular competition above all else to gain experience and improve their skills. As Armas and her team build a better schedule, that is now possible.
Congratulations to them and good luck to all of the professionals for the season ahead.

One player I will certainly be following closely over the coming months is Suzann Pettersen. The Norwegian is poised to challenge Lorena Ochoa’s domination and I’m sure you’ll enjoy reading our interview with her that starts on page eight. As these two – and hopefully Annika Sorenstam as well – strive to win the biggest events, the scene is set for an exciting year in the pro game.

However, for me the most eagerly anticipated aspect is the prospect of the Curtis Cup, with its new format, being played at St Andrews. The Women’s British Open there last summer was a fantastic week and I expect this to be every bit as enjoyable and, let’s hope, with greater tension in the final stages.

If you are yet to make your holiday plans for the year, can I suggest that a weekend in Fife at the end of May would be an excellent idea, allowing you to combine watching some great golf, playing yourself and also enjoying the wonderful and unique atmosphere of St Andrews and its bars and restaurants. I hope to see you there!