• Loading stock data...
Wednesday, June 18, 2025

Why the LPGA is Investing in a Social Media Tool to Help Golfers Build Their Digital Brands

The LPGA hopes to leverage the platform to help to distribute content natively through their golfers’ channels.

The LPGA hopes to leverage the platform to help to distribute content natively through golfer’s channels. (Photo via LPGA.com)

If you haven’t noticed, athletes across the world are realizing the power of their social channels and the opportunity presented when fans have direct access to them.

From superstars like LeBron James sharing parts of his personal life through Instagram Stories to Joel Embiid roasting other players on Twitter, athletes are taking full advantage of the platforms that they have at their disposal and the audiences they have built.

Naturally, brands have seen this trend play out and are now getting involved to deliver messaging and partnerships through these athletes.

With a roster of over 200 golfers, no one probably knows the impact in getting your biggest brand advocates to share content, branded or otherwise, natively through their channels than the LPGA.

Because of this, the association took a significant step by partnering with opendorse, the Nebraska-based athlete marketing platform, to deliver a seamless solution that allows both the organization and their constituents to benefit.

“Our players are our greatest spokespeople, said Tina Barnes-Budd, Senior Director, Social Media Marketing & Communications at Ladies Professional Golf Association. “With that in mind, it needs to be a simplified process for players to buy into the system. We just had a successful pilot test at our first event of the season with the defending champion, Brittany Lincicome. She loved the ease of execution and thought it was great that she could ‘natively’ share LPGA-generated content with her fans.”

Not only does the deal give players the chance to distribute content created by the LPGA’s social team natively to millions of fans around the globe, Blake Lawrence, opendorse’s CEO, sees the deal as something much bigger than just a streamlined way to deliver high-quality content.

“In conversations with Tina and Heather, it’s clear that their mission is to help LPGA players grow the game of golf and introduce the sport to young women around the world,” said Lawrence. “The LPGA players and fans of tomorrow will be introduced to the game via social channels. As young golfers look for heroes in the sport, these players will be equipped to inspire that next generation of golfers.”

“Our goals, both short and long-term are quite simple. To help our players with rich content that their fans and followers will engage in, help promote our marketing and title partners, and continue to promote the LPGA brand as a whole.” – Tina Barnes-Budd

After watching what opendorse had done with the PGA Tour, finding a way to leverage the power of platform for the LPGA became a hole-in-one opportunity for Budd and her team.

“We’ve been in talks with opendorse for the last few years but became more serious in investing in this program after they were able to showcase how the PGA Tour was using it, said Budd. “After watching the PGA Tour’s program in action with their players and witnessing the amount of engagement they were receiving, we thought it was a great program to be involved with.”

With their old system, Budd and her team had to email golfers and ask them to help to promote something. Now, it’s as simple as the LPGA digital team preloading all the content with the right media and hashtags, pushing it to the golfers via a text, and having them hit one button to send it out.  

It’s this seamlessness, and the fact that the golfers are already bought into the idea of helping promote the tour and its initiatives, that Budd believes will allow the tour to help them hit their key KPIs.

“Our players are extremely social savvy, so the thought of putting money into a tech company to help push out LPGA and sponsor content was a no-brainer. We pride ourselves in being ‘risk takers’ and are willing to try new things. We feel that investing in the opendorse program will generate a great ROI with the additional reach, impressions and engagement we, along with our partners, will receive by pushing out the content through our players.”

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

U.S. Open TV Ratings Down 8% After Rain Delay, Underdog Winner

NBC and Peacock averaged 5.4 million viewers for Sunday’s final round.

Rolapp Weighs In on PGA Tour–LIV Golf Talks, NFL After Goodell

Brian Rolapp is becoming CEO as commissioner Jay Monahan steps down.

PGA Tour Officially Taps Rolapp, Ends Monahan’s Run: What It Means

The former NFL media executive is now the top executive at the PGA Tour.

Featured Today

Dec 5, 2024; Miami, FL, USA; FIFA president Gianni Infantino presents the FIFA Club World Cup trophy during the Club Word Cup draw at Telemundo Studios.

Revamped Club World Cup Is FIFA’s Billion-Dollar Gamble

The revamped soccer event debuts amid controversy.
Jun 10, 2025; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; United States head coach Mauricio Pochettino stands during the anthem against the Switzerland during the first at Geodis Park
June 14, 2025

Gold Cup Is Complicated for USMNT—but U.S. Soccer Has Its Eyes on..

Uncertain tournament success isn’t fazing forward-looking U.S. soccer.
Jan 24, 2017; Davidson, NC, USA; The Davidson Wildcats student section cheers during the first half against the Duquesne Dukes at McKillop Court at John M. Belk Arena. Davidson defeated Duquesne 74-60.
June 6, 2025

Every College Wants a Flashy Basketball GM Hire Right Now

The role is more important than ever, and the definition is ever-evolving.
August 31, 2024; Columbus, Ohio, USA; The Goodyear blimp flies over Ohio Stadium during the first half of Saturday’s NCAA Division I football game between the Akron Zips and the Ohio State Buckeyes.
June 6, 2025

Why the Goodyear Blimp Is at Every Major Sports Event

The airship wasn’t built to cover sports. Now it’s a regular presence.

What Rolapp’s NFL Exit Means—and the Top Candidates to Replace Him

NFL media boss Brian Rolapp leaves; the league hunts for his replacement.
May 23, 2025

New LPGA Commissioner: Women’s Golf ‘Really Hard’ to Find on TV

Former PGA of America COO Craig Kessler will lead the tour.
Gabby Thomas
exclusive
June 12, 2025

Grand Slam Track Cancels Los Angeles Meet As $30 Million Track Start-Up..

Sources close to Grand Slam insist money is not an issue.
Sponsored

Game On: Portfolio Players Stories, Brought to You by E*TRADE from Morgan Stanley

Ted Leonsis unpacks basketball’s global rise, media rights, and portfolio ownership.
Donald Trump, Nick Saban
May 22, 2025

Proposed Trump College Sports Commission May Never Happen

The White House is not sure of its plans.
May 15, 2025

PGA Championship Tees Off With Free Food, Record Hospitality Sales

General admission includes unlimited food and non-alcoholic beverages.
Allyson Felix
May 1, 2025

Allyson Felix on Olympic Pay, Nike, and Track’s Big-Money Era

Felix talked to FOS about her push to help Olympic parents and more.
Jordon Hudson
April 30, 2025

Bill Belichick Accuses CBS of ‘Selectively’ Editing Awkward Girlfriend Clip

The North Carolina coach cited his “professional” relationship with Jordon Hudson.