That's what Steven Gribin, golf analyst for Yahoo Sports and ESPN radio asks, in this article.
At a recent awards dinner, the golf obsessed Texan remarked on the scarcity of women participants & honorees. The LPGA, with its hot players and interesting story lines is launching what promises to be an exciting 2008 season, so Mr. Gribin decided to do a bit of research.
He looked at several studies and came up with some compelling findings. One that really surprised me was this: the number one reason so many women abandon the game is not lack of time, cost, or the difficulty of golf. It's that they just don't feel welcome or understood on golf courses.
This surprised me because I've never felt it, but then I tend to be oblivious to negative attitudes. However, thinking back to conversations I've had with women who have quit, it did seem like a frequent complaint; Even after playing for a while and getting good they continued to feel like awkward interlopers in a male dominated world. So they played less and less, and eventually quit.
This is ultra-frustrating because it's in every golfer's best interest to grow the game, and according to experts, women represent the best path to that end. Once they do play, women become the best golf consumers too. I can testify first-hand to that.
So, guys be nice, be understanding and be accomodating. Even on the golf course.
Hi Ms.Patricia!
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad to find your blog.
i also like golf(but not good), and fashion^^
you are so cute and cool!
I would like to link your blog from mine.
May
I've encountered both. Many guys are great. They're helpful and welcoming, but there are also a lot of guys who aren't and who don't want women anywhere around a golf course.
ReplyDeleteWomen have to ignore that latter.
I'd be happy to welcome the girls pictured in this story to play. :)
ReplyDeletethe reason gg doesn't feel unwelcome is because she is ultra hot and cool to boot. most women are buff jobs at best or more likely overweight, with kankles, droopy boobs, annoying, shitty attitudes, man bashers, etc., etc. etc. so who the f@#% wants them around anyways. they should stay home and bother their husbands or hang out with their stupid friends. why do they have to bother guys on the course?
ReplyDeletelet the hotties play and put the cows out to pasture!!!
Well you talk about shitty attitudes Mr. Anonymous? Look in the mirror.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, the point is you can't sustain golf courses and other golf businesses if you don't keep players in the game. We should all put our prejudices aside and think about how we can keep growing our sport.
I keep telling myself that one day I'll take up this sport; to at least try it out. I'm engaged to a golf pro but I don't think I'd like to take lessons from him, he's too close. Maybe someday I can find the time to get on the cart, so to speak. I've been reading you for a while now Patricia and I enjoy the things you find and post. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteAs with many things between men and women - women do not define terms.
ReplyDeleteWhat the heck does "do not feel understood" mean ? Golf is a game - the rules are the same for EVERYbody.
What is there to "understand" ?
If women don't feel welcome by a few men on the course - I can understand that - but that has nothing to do with the game OR the course/people who run it. I spent nearly 8 years in a golf group here in Atlanta and I learned that in most cases, it is neither the women or the men who cause the slow play - it is the slow players who cause the slow play. People who just blame women for a backed up course because they are women are not very bright.
Ladies - DEFINE THE WORDS YOU USE !! You can't just throw out words based on emotion and expect everybody to magically come give you a hug and make all the bad men go away. If there is a problem - you have to DEFINE it. If you can't define a problem, you can't fix it.
You also have to be willing to accept the consequences of a complaint. Who knows ? YOU MIGHT BE THE PROBLEM ! On more than one occassion, I have had to "encourage" a woman golf partner to hang up the phone or put down the make up and play. A couple of times, we picked up her ball and moved on. It happens.
It's very simple. Define the problem - or don't complain.
First, would like to say, love your blog! :-) Keep up the great work.
ReplyDeleteAnyways, interesting research and conclusions! I've been lucky in that I've never been made to feel unwelcome or uncomfortable on any course by men-- only experience even close would be some of the extreme cattiness among other girls while participating in high school girls' golf. In fact, I tell single friends that giving golf a chance is a great idea... not only do you find a lifelong, rewarding (if sometimes frustrating, lol) pastime, you meet plenty of really nice guys who are happy to meet a gal who shares their love of the game. However, I can see where for a beginner it can be intimidating to have people waiting and watching behind you, for example, and women could be especially sensitive to the pressure.
There is definitely a dearth of women 18-45 or so out on the course, which is sometimes discussed on boards I'm on. Some of it may be that family issues keep some women in this category away, and I'd have to think that money and time issues would come into play. I'm childfree, but I could see where if I had kids keeping active in golf would be quite tough. Though women are outnumbered in all categories, I do notice more teens and preteens, and senior ladies out playing. Overall, I think the lack of women in general can somewhat be attributed to the fact that many are not encouraged towards an interest in the game, especially while young, the way guys are.
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