Tips For Attending an LPGA Event, From Co-Founder Dianne Celuch
This blog post was written following an interview with our co-founder Dianne Celuch, by Sam Jefferies, freelance writer and scramble shot enthusiast.
Dianne Celuch has attended LPGA events for twenty years – first as a curious spectator, then as a fan, and finally, as the co-founder and CEO of her own women’s golf apparel company. She still marvels at the access to world-class golfers that the events provide. As athletes across sports have become more insulated from their fans, separated from supporters by distance, finger-wagging entourages and an impenetrable aloofness, LPGA golfers remain reachable and friendly. They’ll still sign autographs, take selfies, and engage with fans of all ages, especially young girls just falling in love with the game for the first time.
This has held true even as the sport has grown its profile. Yes, there are more TV contracts and bigger corporate sponsorships, but the intimate feeling still remains. Even now, Dianne still marvels at the ability of petite women blasting powerful drives down the fairway mere feet away. It’s the thing she remembers most from her first event back in the late 1990s, and it’s still one of her favorite sights today.
Dianne’s career has mirrored the rise of the LPGA in many ways. Over a four-decade career in the apparel industry, she’s experienced her share of pushback, closed doors, and glass ceilings. As a founder, she’s seen first hand the difficulty of raising money for a women’s company, without the network and benefit of the doubt afforded to male founders. But she persevered, and continues to celebrate milestones along the way, including playing in pro-am tournaments with LPGA stars and seeing her brand, KINONA, featured in the merchandise tent at the Chevron Championship, formerly the ANA Inspiration.
The Chevron Championship holds a special place in Dianne’s heart, and not only because Patty Sheehan, LPGA Hall of Famer and past tournament champion, sits on Kinona’s advisory board. The course is stunning and intensely challenging, and having played it many times, Dianne remains fascinated by its rich history, a setting for so many captivating moments in the past.
Her advice for first time attendees at Chevron, or other LPGA tournaments? Watch it two ways – pick one hole, and watch how everyone plays it. Then, move between the par three’s and the big holes. Don’t just follow the stars, because you never know who might come on strong. And, most importantly? Wear KINONA, of course. The brand was designed by women, for women, to combine comfort and quality that would help boost confidence on and off the golf course.
LPGA events are an amazing opportunity to see some of the best athletes on the planet up close and personal. It’s something that every golf fan should experience…and look good while doing.
Shop Dianne’s favorite LPGA Styles:
