'The Dinah' Is Back as the LPGA's ANA Inspiration

By: Nancy Berkley


As I write this article, the third round of the LPGA's first major of the season, the ANA Inspiration, is not quite finished. Sunday's final round is going to be really exciting. And for me there is a personal element.

I remember the tournament hostess. In the 1950's watching "The Dinah Shore Show" was part of our family's evening TV experience. She became the first famous female, non-golf professional "celebrity" to actively and sincerely promote the game of golf. There was Bob Hope, but thankfully, there was Dinah.

Decades later, after I retired from my practice of law and marketing, I began to study and write about women's golf for the National Golf Foundation. I knew I had to go to Palm Springs, Calif., and play the Dinah Shore course at Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage. So, in 2000 - 15 years ago - I arranged with the course director for a special guest round with a caddie. I will never forget my walk up the 18th and Dinah's bronze statute watching my last putt. Need I say that playing that course is an inspiration?

And, once again, with the leadership and vision of LPGA commissioner Mike Whan and a new sponsor All Nippon Airways, the largest Japanese airlines, "The Dinah" is back - better and stronger than ever. It has a new name, the ANA Inspiration, but wisely retained its historic traditions in the tournament.

During the opening press conference with senior ANA Japanese airlines executives and Whan, the message was clear. "Yes," this is still "The Dinah" and "Yes" the jump into Poppies Pond remains. But, typical of what the commissioner brings to the LPGA, there is a new element. The robe the winner wears as she emerges from Poppies Pond and accepts her trophy is a special Japanese-made robe designed by ANA, making the event a blending of the best of what's old and what's new in women's golf.

Inspiration is all over this tournament. On Tuesday at the opening press conferences, it was announced that Whan's contract as commissioner was extended for six more years. That's inspiring for the future of women's golf. I've interviewed him several times - one on one. I knew when we first talked almost four years ago that he was the "real deal."

Here's what I've learned.

First, Whan is a modest leader. All good leaders put their teams first and their egos on hold. During the ANA Inspiration presser, Whan praised ANA executives repeatedly about how they were able to create a Japanese imprint on a tournament played in the California desert.

Second, Whan is not hesitant to make changes. It's good to honor the past, but he always looks to the future. For example, the LPGA Titleholders tournament began in Orlando, Fla., a few years ago as the final tournament of the LPGA season. He studied his LPGA history and learned that such a tournament had existed earlier in the circuit's history.

But he knew that he could not grow the LPGA Tour globally by just looking back. So he blended the Titleholders with the future of the game - the LPGA-USGA Girls Golf - and came up with the "Founders Cup," which was played a few weeks ago. LPGA winners of the Founders Cup donate a portion of their prize money to LPGA Girls Golf. "Build on past strengths in order to grow stronger in the future," is how I would characterize Whan's leadership philosophy.

Third, he never forgets to ask "Where's the money?" And, he goes global to get it. The CME Group's sponsorship of the season's final event is a perfect example. The CME Group is a world communications company and fits perfectly with the LPGA's global strategy.

The golf world was a little nervous three years ago when "going global" became the marker of the new LPGA strategy. But Whan knew where his players were coming from and knew that's where he would find his sponsors. Now he looks like a genius and the PGA Tour is playing "catch-up."

Finally, Whan understands teamwork. I guarantee that when the ANA Inspiration tournament ends and the winner stands in her special robe to accept her trophy, his comments will stress the role that teamwork played in bringing this LPGA major back to its glory days. And I know I will be thinking: It's time for me to play 'The Dinah' again!"

Nancy Berkley, President of Berkley Golf Consulting, is an expert on women's golf and junior-girls golf. She is a frequent contributor to www.cybergolf.com/womensgolf. Her book, "Women Welcome Here! A Guide to Growing Women's Golf," published by the National Golf Foundation, is an industry reference on marketing golf to women and spotting trends within the industry. She offers information and advice about the golf industry on www.berkleygolfconsulting.com and is often quoted in national publications. Nancy is a member of the World Golf Foundation Women's Committee that launched www.golfforher.com a comprehensive new website for all women golfers at the PGA Merchandise Show in January 2015 in Orlando, Fla. She is a featured speaker at PGA Section meetings and at national conferences. She was a contributing editor of "Golf for Women" magazine and a founding advisor of "Golfer Girl Magazine." Her interviews with women in the golf industry now appear on www.golfergirlcareers.com. Nancy lives in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., and is a graduate of the University of Minnesota, Harvard University and Rutgers Law School. After a business and legal career, she decided to write about the game she learned and loved as a teenager. She describes herself as a good bogey golfer with permanent potential.