Video: The secret of why the Koreans Dominate

Just watched - haha, weird, but pretty much on point, as you say. I thought I saw Jeeno at least twice in the thing.

Yeah, the choice of video clips to use was suspect at times, as was mentioned, but then again, they also showed a fair number of genuine KLPGA content with the likes of Ji Hyun Oh, Hee Jeong Lim, etc. I basically agree with most of his points about why the KLPGA has succeeded, though.

I would add that the KLPGA is really good at marketing their product. Spokesmodels (you can vote!), encouraging independent fan clubs, providing ladies for the many, many golf related programs on Korean golf channels, official magazine and calendars (does the LPGA have those? I don't think so); there's seemingly a different promotional avenue every week. This increases the profiles of the league and the stars, which increases the interest of corporations, which increases purses, which causes more girls to try to become pro golfers in the first place.

They don't directly address the talent the women have but imply it: the larger the initial talent pool, the better the eventual winners from that pool will be. So we end up with a fair number of world beaters because the initial pool has so many candidates who never get past the first few filters: Jump, Dream, KLPGA, win on KLPGA, lead the tour.

Anyways, if the LPGA isn't seriously studying the KLPGA and JLPGA, they should be.

The secret is passion, and talking not just the players, but the whole culture. You can't beat that.

I was talking to an older woman who is an LPGA teaching pro in the Palm Springs airport coming back from Chevron earlier this year, and she said they definitely are studying/thinking about the Korean system. She's a big fan of the Koreans - talked about the Thais too. She was standing up, demonstrating different player's swings for me. I never got her name; sad I wasn't seated next to her on the plane, cause would have been fun to keep chatting. 

But, as you say, there's such a supportive culture built around the KLPGA tours - hard to believe it could be duplicated in the US. 

The part about marketing that you bring up is seldom mentioned in articles about Korean dominance - surely that is a big part of it. Drives public interest, which drives sponsorships. Sponsored Asian players have a big leg up on US ex-college players struggling to get by week to week. The size of Korea helps too, no doubt, for marketing - and the lack of immensive population to draw talent from is off-set by the efficient feeder system, perhaps. 

We know due to America's size, market, and LPGA tour history, the LPGA is the elite golf tour and it will remain such no matter my opinion, but THAT video made me begin to question if that's really the case. The American's entering the LPGA tour are good, but if the Korean's really are winning "too often" is it really the top tour.

The best golfers meet on the LPGA tour. Granted. But as a whole, the KLPGA may have an equal or better quality tour.

I'm probably dreaming but that VIDEO made me really question how big the gap between the LPGA and KLPGA really is.