Efficiency Comparison of International Golfers in the LPGA

This paper examines the efficiency of individual golfers in the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) according to their nationality when grouped into Asian, US and other golfers. In particular, the comparison of golf ability with the efficiency in scoring and earning as a function of nationality will provide valuable information for predicting whether the recent surge of Asian golfers in the LPGA is permanent or temporary. We develop a dual regression model of the score and prize earning equations that considers the prize earnings as the ultimate output, scores as the intermediate outputs and golfing skills as the inputs. Therefore, it enables efficiencies to be compared in the production processes of scores and prize earnings. A stochastic frontier model is applied to the panel data set of the LPGA that comprised 119 individual female golfers over the period of 2004-2010.