International Women’s Day (8 March) celebrates all those dedicated to advancing women’s equality. With this year’s theme of “Inspiring Inclusion”, the day resonates particularly strongly with golf, as many women and girls still struggle to find employment. sense of belonging in a game traditionally dominated by men.
In golf, especially in recent years, many organizations, golf clubs and individuals have worked diligently to achieve greater equality and improve the inclusion of women. This effort is not limited to women, as there is also advocacy for the participation of diverse demographics and ethnic groupsfor both men and women, to truly make it a sport for everyone.
However, despite these efforts, it is fair to say that we are still a long way from reaching the point across the golf industry where the inclusion of women in golf is no longer an issue in one form or another, but it is also important to recognise our progress and give credit to those who deserve it.
On the road to inclusion
Golf’s governing body, The R&A, is at the forefront of promoting inclusion and has launched numerous initiatives to support the cause, with its latest project being GolfIt! in Glasgow. This is an attractive and affordable golf facility that caters for all and has welcomed 60,000 players since opening in August 2023.
It was in 2018 that the R&A launched its Women in Golf Charter to address gender imbalance in the sport, with the charter stating: “The signatories call on all those involved in golf to play their part in developing a culture that values the involvement of women in all aspects of the sport, from participation to the pursuit of a career.”
More than 1,300 organisations around the world have signed up to the Charter, including The R&A’s Women in Golf Leadership programme. Designed for women looking to accelerate their growth and careers in the industry, the initiative has seen 140 women from 34 countries complete the programme over the last 5 years. An impressive 83% of participants have experienced career progression, with almost 40% gaining promotions within the same organisation.
(Photo credit: Katie Dawkins)
For golf businesses that value diversity, it’s clear there’s still a lot to do. For example, Elaine Wrigley, director and board member of UK golf retailer American Golf, believes there’s still room for improvement and is currently in the planning stages of a broader equality, diversity and inclusion (ED&I) programme.
“I come from New Look, which was 95% women. American Golf is 95% men. I created the ED&I team at New Look. My intention is to do the same thing here and make sure that women and people from all walks of life don’t miss out on the joy of working in this industry and enjoying a sport that has so many benefits,” Wrigley said.
(Photo credit: Getty Images)
Demonstrating its commitment to delivering a more inclusive sport, national governing body England Golf has announced the creation of a new #TogetherInGolf Network group which will enable the organisation to listen to the voices of under-represented groups to positively influence everyone’s golf experiences in the future.
In the United States, led by the PGA of America, the PGA Tour, the LPGA and the USGA, Make golf your passion is a collaborative movement that reflects the industry’s commitment to making sport more diverse and inclusive. In its fourth year, the movement has invested in more than 155 organizations dedicated to increasing the participation of people of color, women, LGBTQ+ people, veterans, and people with disabilities. Approximately 51% of the adults and children reached by these programs are women.
Achieving greater gender parity in golf, or any movement for change, requires a collective effort from the bottom up. That includes golf clubs, which have often been the most difficult to address, unwilling to adapt their traditional club culture adopt a more inclusive environment.
That said, over the last 10 years dozens of clubs across the UK, including Woolley Park in West Yorkshire, Sheringham in Norfolk, Hartford in Cheshire, Weymouth in Dorset, The Caversham in Berkshire and Scotscraig in Fife, have chosen to introduce neutral tees so that men and women can play from a tee suited to their ability rather than their gender.
We have come a long way from the days when women had limited access to golf clubs and restricted tee times, so if everyone can continue to ‘inspire inclusion’, the world of golf will be a better place!
