Last week, Bivens said she would "love it" if players engaged fans on Twitter during play, according to Bloomberg, and that she "encourages" the use of mobile phones during play if it's to use social media tools, even while golf's traditional etiquette rules discourage such use. As social media fans, it's hard not to root for a league commissioner who is so into pushing social media use among the league's star players, but as sports fans, we're a bit baffled.
Golf may be played at a much slower pace than many sports, but it still requires an intense concentration to be able to compete, especially at the professional level. Anyone who has ever attended any live sporting event -- including golf -- knows that players generally ignore fans calling out their name during play. They're not being rude (usually), they're just trying to stay mentally focused. Asking players to take out their mobile phones and tweet during a round is odd, especially when it flies in the face of years of golfing etiquette that dictates that you don't use phones on the course.
The LPGA has over 30 members currently using Twitter, but none of them, to our knowledge, actually tweet during competition. And Commissioner Bivens probably shouldn't hold her breath that they'll start start any time soon.
10-time winner and current 3rd ranked female golfer Paula Creamer (@ThePaulaCreamer) tweeted her disapproval this morning: "I will not be twittering in my round. It should not happen in any sport. The players have already told the tour no way."
Fellow golfer, 3-time professional winner Morgan Pressel (@morganpressel) echoed those sentiments, tweeting to her fans before a round this morning, "Thanks for the luck and NO I will not be tweeting while I play......"