Dollar soars, halting golf events in Thailand<\/p>\n
BANGKOK (Agencies): Golf has become the latest victim of
\nThailand's economic crisis, with at least three Thai PGA Tour
\ngolf tournaments canceled after sponsors pulled out because of
\nfinancial difficulties, a Thai PGA official said Wednesday.<\/p>\n
Three tournaments with total purses of 5.5 million baht
\n(US$181,800) were canceled and a fourth worth 1.5 million baht
\nmight also be pulled, said Thai PGA secretary general Pongnat
\nVatanasak.<\/p>\n
\"It is because of the economic situation. All the major
\nsponsors have pulled out,\" he told Reuters.<\/p>\n
The canceled events are the two million baht Volvo Thailand
\nMasters, originally to be held in July, the 1.5 million baht PTT-
\nUnocal Championship scheduled for this month and the two million
\nbaht Thai Airways International championship.<\/p>\n
Thailand has already held three Thai PGA Tour tournaments this
\nyear.<\/p>\n
Once one of the fastest-growing economies in the world,
\nThailand has just negotiated a $16.7 billion international
\nbailout package to try and revive the economy, which has slowed
\nto its lowest growth level in decades.<\/p>\n
Survey<\/p>\n
In New York, women are not only the fastest-growing segment of
\nthe golfing population. They also are more concerned with how
\nthey are playing than what they shoot, according to a new survey
\nby Golf for Women magazine.<\/p>\n
The survey, results of which will be released Sept. 8 at the
\nPGA International Golf Show in Las Vegas, found that 75 percent
\nof women golfers say their score does not matter if they hit the
\nball well.<\/p>\n
Just 59 percent of the men surveyed said that playing well was
\nmore important than scoring well.<\/p>\n
The survey, conducted with the National Golf Foundation
\nthrough Chicago's Market Facts, Inc., also found that women
\ngenerally use score as a measure of improvement and not for
\ncompetition or wagering, and that 66 percent of the five million
\nwomen who play golf do not maintain a handicap.<\/p>\n
Questionnaires were mailed to 1,800 female and 500 male
\ngolfers, and the 56 percent response was deemed an adequate
\nsampling for an error rate of plus or minus 1.7 percent.<\/p>\n
The study found 62 percent of women golfers were employed,
\nmost in professional or managerial positions, and that many have
\nrealized the business advantages of the game.<\/p>\n
\"Many more women are playing golf and we suspect that it's
\nhelping them make major advances in their careers,\" said Golf for
\nWomen publisher Robin Domeniconi.<\/p>\n
\"Female golfers take their sport very seriously and their
\ncareers are obviously a priority,\" Domeniconi said. \"Because they
\nare spending more time on the golf course with their bosses,
\ncolleagues and clients, we want to know how it's helping them
\nnetwork or close deals.\"<\/p>\n
The survey found 56 percent of the rounds played by women in
\nthe last 12 months were nine holes, compared to 21 percent of the
\nrounds by men.<\/p>\n
The women said they simply did not have the time for 18 holes
\nand 51 percent of the women said they would play more if they
\ncould play 18 holes in four hours or less.<\/p>\n
Recognizing the prevalence of nine-hole rounds, the USGA will
\nrequire all clubs to issue an official nine-hole handicap index
\nstarting in January.<\/p>\n
The survey also found that:<\/p>\n
- 74 percent of women golfers have taken at least one lesson,
\ncompared to 46 percent of men.<\/p>\n
- Women shot an average 18-hole score of 108.<\/p>\n
- 42 percent of women say they play golf to spend more time
\nwith their families, while only 20 percent of men said that.<\/p>\n
The biggest myth exposed by the survey was the notion that
\nmost women who take up golf quit for a year or more. Only 33
\npercent of women quit for a year or more, the survey found, the
\nsame percentage as men.<\/p>\n
The most common reason why women took time off from golf were
\nbirth of a child (35 percent), lack of someone to play with (23),
\nnew job (19), health reasons (18) and expense of the game (10).<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/dollar-soars-halting-golf-events-in-thailand-1447893297",
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