LPGA officially launches Outside the Ropes program at LPGA Tour Championship Presented by Rolex
Program to collectively enhance player off-the-course activities
HOUSTON, Texas, Nov. 16, 2009 – The Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) today formally launched LPGA Outside the Ropes – an outreach program embraced by LPGA Tour players to elevate their significant off-course activities. The community and charitable activities primarily are designed to benefit tournaments and title sponsors.
“Community outreach is part of the DNA of the LPGA, and with LPGA Outside the Ropes, we will further expand our commitment to help tournaments, sponsors and the media in 2010,” said LPGA Acting Commissioner Marty Evans, who has participated in several Outside the Ropes activities this season.
During a visit today to the LPGA Tour Championship Presented by Rolex's primary beneficiary, Memorial Hermann, LPGA rookies Stacy Lewis and Vicky Hurst visited the hospital's Sports Medicine Institute as well as its Children's Hospital. At the latter, Lewis and Hurst spent time with some of the institution's youngest and bravest patients, stopping to pose for an Outside the Ropes photo in honor of the launch of the 2010 program.
Additionally, Lewis and fellow LPGA players Christina Kim, Jane Park, Leah Wigger, Brandi Jackson, and Mindy Kim invited members of the media to join them on a tour of NASA's Johnson Space Center. Players were given the rare opportunity to sit in Mission Control and watch the launch of Atlantis for Space Shuttle Mission STS-129, headed to the International Space Center.
As part of the initiative, an Outside the Ropes logo has been created and will be associated with activities to further raise awareness and help provide a central link for players' significant contributions throughout the year. Under the Outside the Ropes heading, this body of work will serve as both an asset and a tool for the LPGA, its tournaments and other stakeholders.
The Outside the Ropes concept was first introduced in May 2009 at the LPGA Tour Summit in Williamsburg, Virginia. LPGA Tour players chose to increase their contributions to off-the-course charitable causes and community-based activities.
Beginning today, the new Outside the Ropes program will enable the LPGA to effectively organize, capture, quantify and leverage all of this good work in 2010 and beyond. The association-wide program incorporates the LPGA Tour, LPGA Teaching & Club Professionals, Duramed FUTURES Tour and the LPGA Foundation.