ORLANDO (Florida) – The LPGA’s season opener is a celebration of those who have won trophies in the past two years. There is no locker room. You won’t be surprised to find players changing their shoes at the Hilton Grand Vacation Tournament of Champions.
The men’s locker room at Lake Nona Golf and Country Club is more than adequate for the 29 players. LPGA players have access to the facilities for women, including the showers and bathrooms. However, they can’t store their belongings while on the course. This area is not private.
Matilda Castren cannot imagine anything like this happening on the PGA Tour. Grant Waite, a former winner of the PGA Tour was at Lake Nona Tuesday with Jodi Ewart-Shadoff. They confirmed that he has never played in a PGA Tour event without access to a locker.
Castren was shocked by the locker room situation, as well as the Jan. 14 player fact sheet which set out restrictions on when Nona players could use the facilities. The memo stated that players could not use the practice facility for more than an hour before their practice tee times. The practice facilities are not available for use unless you play a practice round.
Castren questioned an LPGA rules official on Monday about the situation. He was informed that the LPGA would not be strictly policing the tournament but that it was not negotiable.
Castren stated that “the guys wouldn’t agree to an hour practice each day.”
Danielle Kang reacts to winning the 2022 Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions, Lake Nona Golf & Country Club, January 23, 2022 in Orlando. (Photo: Julio Aguilar/Getty Images)
Officials from the LPGA claimed that the memo was only applicable to Sunday. However, there is a section of the memo right underneath the lines in dispute which reads “Sunday January 15th” in bolded and underlined font, followed by four lines explaining Sunday’s rules.
Aaron Stewart, Hilton Grand Vacations’ Vice President of Sports Marketing, stated that players are not restricted to one hour practice, and they can practice without scheduling a practice round.
He said that once they have their credentials, it’s their turn.
A tour official stated that the locker room was closed to the public because of the hospitality arrangement. They were also unable to make a locker room that is private and secure for LPGA players.
Stewart stated that they had planned to order lockers and use an area on a lower level of the clubhouse for player dining. But the tour changed their plans.
He said, “I don’t know why they cancelled the lockers.”
LPGA released a statement describing the situation. It noted that the area offered for temporary lockers didn’t include a restroom area and that other players had priority so the tournament team decided not to pursue this option.
The statement said, “We are always open for player feedback” and “work with our tournament partners in order to allocate finite spaces.”
Ryann O’Toole will be sharing a car this week with a player, making it less ideal to work out in the trunk.
O’Toole stated, “I’m not mad about the club; I’m also not mad at my sponsor.” “I am annoyed at the LPGA because that is just an overlooked factor.”
One LPGA veteran player stated that she would often judge how a club feels about hosting an event on the basis of their locker room situation. LPGA players could use the men’s locker rooms, which are usually the nicer and larger facilities at clubs. She felt especially welcome. Sometimes, a club member would leave a note in the locker wishing her luck.
The locker room is more than a place to keep valuables and change clothes. The locker room is also a place for players to unwind from the outside world.
Castren stated, “You should have some standard.”
The TOC is known for its party atmosphere, concerts, on-course music, and celebrity division. However, this year it is billed as an elite event that features the LPGA’s brightest players. Many of them are absent with the tour taking place a full month after the TOC.
Stewart stated that 43 professional players compete on tours all over the globe call Lake Nona their home.
World No. World No. 1 Lydia Ko is not in the field because she got married and moved to Hawaii for her honeymoon. Annika Sorenstam will compete in the celebrity section of the event. She has lived at Lake Nona for many decades. This is the place where the Solheim Cup first took place in 1990. The place is loved by players.
Mollie Marcoux Samaan, LPGA commissioner, has spoken often about putting emphasis on performance excellence. She is focused on creating a strong schedule that offers big purses but also on the important, small things that can help players perform.
She asked, “So how can we create an environment that allows everyone in our ecosystem to achieve their peak performance?” during a press conference in Singapore last year.
“And that brings me to the things that I just mentioned, making it as simple as possible for our ladies to get the sleep they need, to eat well when they come to tournaments and to have the administration take care of them so that they can concentrate on being the best they can.
This would include basic locker room setups and practice areas, as well strong communication.
A LPGA official confirmed to me that Marcoux Samaan had not been informed of the situation.
This year has a rough start.
