That was an important lesson that Ty Votaw's father passed on to him.

Ty Votaw, Commissioner for the Ladies Professional Golf Association, spoke at the Convocation to kick off the new year at Georgetown College, Georgetown, Kentucky on September 7, 2004. Dr. William H. Crouch, Jr., President, asked Votaw to speak to the students about "connecting the dots." Votaw gave an account of his career where "everything relates to everything else."

He had the dream of working with professional athletes. At the first dot, he was in the Sports Information Office at Ohio University. He became disillusioned with professional athletes, and decided he wanted to go to law school at the University of North Carolina. After earning his law degree, he worked for a Cincinnati-based law firm where he practiced general corporate law but was heavily involved in the firm's sports and entertainment legal practice. In 1991, Commissioner Charles S. Mechem, Jr. asked Votaw to come to the LPGA as its general counsel. Next, Votaw was vice president of business affairs before being named as commissioner of the LPGA in 1999, the current dot.

Since 1991, the Tour's official prize money has increased from about $18.5 million to more than $42 million. The purse has grown from an average of about $500,000 to $1.3 million per tournament. During his tenure, television coverage has increased to nearly 250 hours in North America and Tour telecasts are distributed to more than 80 countries worldwide. Outside the USA, Korea has the largest television viewership and hits on www.lpga.com.

He enjoys working with the professional athletes of the Ladies Professional Golf Association. "The organization has the best people, players, sponsors, and tournament organizers that you could want." "The players are the most approachable, accessible, accommodating and appreciative professional athletes in all of sport."

Votaw's Rules and Principles for the LPGA that he adopted from his father:

1. Never lose the capacity to be surprised (or its opposite maximum: Never think you have all the answers because you never do). Votaw related that one day his college roommate from Nigeria woke him up at 4:00 AM. He remembers the excitement of this man when he saw the snow for the very first time. Being from Salem, Ohio, Votaw wasn't quite as excited about the snow, especially at this time of morning. He recognized then the different perspectives of people from all over the world.
2. Be principled (always)... be tough if you have to be, but never be a jerk. The person you are a jerk to today may be your boss tomorrow.
3. Life is hard, but it is especially hard if you are stupid. DO NOT leave your common sense at home, in the car, etc. Be smart, but don't lose your common sense. It will guide you more often then academic success. You have an obligation to yourself and your customers to be and do the best. "This is one of the single most constructive things my father taught me," he said. Learning is never over.
4. Always take a global view to be better prepared. Keep your eye on the larger canvas. Everything relates to everything else.
5. Appreciate every day what you have.

His own academic path and career is a prime example of how "everything relates to everything else."

After the Convocation, Votaw welcomed golfers to the Georgetown College Golf Invitational. The tournament had two goals: to raise money for the golf teams and to give the golf teams the experience of producing a golf tournament. The team members would be judged on the success of the event with a "thumbs up or thumbs down" rating similar to the reality show, "The Apprentice." They won't, however, hear "You're Fired!"

Ladies Golf Journey Web Special Feature