Wie Wie Wie All The Way Home

We've all seen it now. Michelle Wie has turned pro and after only a couple of days is a millionaire. This despite the fact she has never won a tournament as a pro. What does it all mean?

I have nothing against Michelle. She's an extremely talented golfer, personable and well-spoken. She's already done some amazing things on the golf course at a very young age. She has as good a chance as any female to crack the men's tour if she so chooses. But how does she get millions of dollars before she's even started.

Michelle Wie is not unique in this respect. We see the humongous contracts that young athletes routinely get every day. Young basketball players are famous for getting dizzying sums just because they 'might' turn out to be superstars. But a lot of them don't. Still the marketing firms don't lose. It's liking investing venture capital in startup companies. You back 10 and if just one turns out to be the next Microsoft or Google you make out like a bandit. So maybe Michelle is the next Google of the golf world.

But does it make sense, or has the power of the dollar run amok? Reminds me of a tag line for a clothing store ad run frequently on a NJ radio station in the 60's - Money talks, nobody walks'. Was there ever a society more focused on the dollar. It's not that money is bad, but should it be at the very top of any society's list of 'What's Important'? And when it is, isn't that a surefire sign that it's about to crumble?

So how does this relate to our favorite subject, Golf? I'd like to think that golf owns the high moral ground compared to other major sports. I don't think there's a steroid problem, players don't get paid unless they earn it and what major sport raises more money for charity. And no matter how much endorsement money Michelle gets, she won't get a place on the roster unless she earns it. Ok, there are sponsors exemptions, but there aren't many and they do serve a purpose - I think.

My plea is for those who manage professional golf to keep the game's integrity. Don't start rigging the rules because the sponsors who pay the hopeful superstars apply pressure. That's the temptation that has taken most every other major sport down the proverbial primrose path. Golf by it's nature is a game of character. You who keep the clockworks oiled please keep it that way.