Will the newer golf swings displayed on the LPGA force the design of new golf clubs or will golf courses have to be rebuilt? Drives are getting longer on the women’s tour and it creates some interesting challenges for the Ladies Professional Golf tour.

Current driving statistics show that the ladies are definitely getting longer off the tee. Recent numbers show that 6 LPGA golfers are averaging more than 280 yards off the tee box and that doesn’t include Michelle Wie who isn’t an LPGA member yet. Like their PGA counterparts, todays’ female pro golfers are stronger and are hitting their golf shots longer.

Besides better, stronger athletes, an additional challenge is the design of current golf courses for the LPGA. According to Wie’s coach, David Leadbetter “A lot of times, if she hits it 300 yards, you run out of real estate”. Technology and better athletes have combined to shorten the links.

It was only a matter of time and I believe that the women will have an even bigger explosion in their drives in the short term, but where will it lead? Will golf courses for the LPGA have to be lengthened? Will the female golfers have to play the men’s links? Will the PGA and LPGA be eventually merged and be one Professional Golf association? Who knows?

What would you golf fans out there like to see? I, for one, would like to see several golf tournaments a year, played on the men’s courses, with co-ed teams that count in the standings. None of this “made for TV” stuff. To fit in with the new NASCAR Chase for the Cup style tournament format that the PGA is rolling out, the co-ed tournaments would contribute points towards the “Chase” qualification. What do you think? Well…. it could happen.