The LPGA is currently playing on some of the worst greens you will ever see. They look horrible.
I do not know how a legitimate professional sporting organization can allow this to happen.
To play a golf tournament on a course in this condition makes it hard to take seriously. The PGA would never!
The Buick LPGA Shanghai is underway.
This latest tournament will take place from October 9-12. Co-sanctioned by the LPGA Tour and the China LPGA Tour, the field is a mixed bunch. Minjee Lee and World No. 1 Jeeno Thitikul are both in the field, among others, but big names like Nelly Korda, Lydia Ko and Charley Hull are noticeably absent.
Nevertheless, the Buick LPGA Shanghai features a 72-hole stroke play format at Qizhong Garden Golf Club in Shanghai, China. It runs approximately 6,700 yards with a prize fund of $2.1 million.
Qizhong Garden Golf Club is one of the premier courses in Asia. It is a Dana Fry collaboration with local designer Jun Lu.
All of this goes to say it is not a rinky dink operation for an amateur event. This is the highest level of women’s professional golf at a legitimate course. That’s why the condition of the greens is so baffling.
The greens are in horrible condition.
We were first tipped off to the truly horrendous greens by former pro golfer-turned-caddie Matthew Galloway. He posted a photo from the seventh hole that presented a shocking reality.
The greens look worse than my local municipal course in the dog days of summer during the pandemic.
Believe it or not, the LPGA was not able to fix the problem before the first round on Thursday morning. There is no magic cure.
As a result, the best women’s golfers in the world were forced to putt on greens that are not up to standard. Here’s a look at hole No. 1:
Minjee Lee gets her week going with a birdie 🙌
— LPGA (@LPGA) October 9, 2025
Tune in to Round 1 now on NBC Sports Digital! 💻 pic.twitter.com/J06HRVKDqv
This is the top-ranked golfer in the world putting on greens that look like they haven’t been cared for in months:
World No. 1 Jeeno Thitikul grabs three straight birdies 😳
— LPGA (@LPGA) October 9, 2025
Catch the rest of her round now on NBC Sports Digital 📺 pic.twitter.com/WR9UHfoCxC
This somehow went for birdie:
Jennifer Kupcho finishes off her round with a 25-foot birdie putt 🔥 pic.twitter.com/UX8gs8L3MF
— LPGA (@LPGA) October 9, 2025
To be fair, the scores in the first round were still pretty low. The leader went into the clubhouse at -8 after the first round. None of the golfers themselves have complained about the conditions.
This is what the LPGA told Golf Digest:
“We are aware of the course conditions at the Buick LPGA Shanghai. The golf course superintendent, tournament team and the LPGA rules officials have worked diligently against extreme heat conditions this season in preparation for this week’s event. We will continue to monitor the situation and care for the course appropriately throughout the week.”
I still cannot believe what I am seeing. It should be unacceptable to have a professional tournament on a course in this condition! How am I supposed to take this event seriously when they’re playing on these greens? I can’t.