'Cultural Issues Like Sexism Further Discourage Women From Joining' - Why Golf Club Membership Doesn’t Appeal To Modern Female Golfers

Playing golf these days doesn’t just mean joining a club and playing 18 holes a couple of times a week and I’m a huge believer that your golf journey is yours, you own it. How you choose to play your version of golf is your choice and nobody should try and distort that.

The biggest problem I often have as a coach is getting the experienced golfer (both men and women) to understand that golf doesn’t have to be 18 holes.

Women feel so empowered when I say, “YOU are golfers." Even after their first 'Girls That Golf' networking session they attend at Iford Golf Centre they’re surprised that they can make golf their own. All the women who come once a month are on journeys to grow their business and themselves.

Everyone chooses to play golf for different reasons and some of the women I’ve met recently shared their stories and reasons for playing. So many women only have time for the range once a month and that’s their golf.

Does a golf facility or pros have a responsibility to get them on a golf course? I think so. They’d reap all the wellbeing benefits the golf course brings. I also believe we should respect that this is the format of golf they not only choose but that they have time for…at the moment.

So ask the golfer what is their WHY? Why do they play and what do they need golf to give them. I did exactly that.

Friends On A Journey Together

Two women who attend my group lessons have been friends since school. They are using golf to spend time together, but they also have individual reasons.

Fay started golf 11 years ago because she wanted to play an outdoor sport when, due to injury, hockey wasn’t an option anymore. She’s fiercely competitive and her goal was to get as low as possible. Sadly, following major surgery Fay gave up, until now….. She has started again thanks to her pal Heather attending group lessons and literally dragging her along. Fay soon saw her passion rekindled and her competitiveness.

“I am now so fired up to test out my new bionic hip, meet new people and put the fun back into my life (I’ve really missed sport). This will really help my mental health,” says Fay.

Heather took golf up to fulfill a passion to play golf in a business environment. To foster team spirit and facilitate opportunities for other women in business.

“Why should the men get all the networking events on golf courses? I thought to myself, right, I can learn to play, engage with other businesswomen who want to play and empower others to join us.”

Community Spirit

I recently spent some time with members of Jazzy Golfer’s UK Womens Golf Community at the BMW Championship at Wentworth. I asked them about their golf journeys and although answers varied, the consensus was the same. These women work and are busy. For most, a full club membership is just not an option.

Kylie started playing golf when she was unwell with Long Covid. “I was given the opportunity to try it as part of my rehabilitation and I found it strangely calming and meditative,” she says, and adds, “I found I could actually hit the ball fairly well!”

Kylie took some lessons and then through UK-WGC at Topgolf, Surrey, she met three women who she golfs with on a fairly regular basis. Her interest in golf has skyrocketed, she just wants to keep getting better, and eventually take part in some competitions. It has taken her three years to play enough golf and obtain a handicap, so she’s not stopping now.

“I'm not a member of a golf club because I can't afford the joining fee on top of the annual fee at local clubs. Plus, the women tend to meet up during the week and as I work full-time, and I'm a single parent, I just wouldn't be able to make the most of a membership. A flexible membership would be much better, but luckily there are pay-and-play clubs close by which is perfect.”

Kate started playing golf with her dad as a junior, but didn’t pursue the game. Grown up and working, she joined a Get into Golf scheme. Her journey has progressed from golf ranges and par 3-courses.

“I recently joined a club, but only with a basic ‘Get into Golf’ membership that only allows off-peak play. I held off joining for a while because I enjoyed the flexibility of playing different courses without being tied to one club. Unfortunately, the annual fee is quite expensive, making the sport out of reach for many - the membership I have is half the price of the full membership. For those of us who work full-time, it’s also tough to find time during the week to play, especially in the winter where daylight is limited.”

This proves the point that clubs need to begin to offer different versions of golf at their facility. Speaking for a podcast with the team at Iford, we concluded that with crazy golf, simulators, a par-3 course, Inrange driving range and 18 holes, all bases at Iford are covered.

Golf It! in Glasgow is a similar facility to Iford, where there is something on offer for every type of golfer. If golf clubs want to attract new members, perhaps they should consider a membership where golfers pay less to play less. This sounds simple, but many clubs and members are often averse to change.

Jazzy Golfer, founder of the women’s golf community UK WGC, says, “I don’t believe that traditional golf club memberships are a good fit for many women, particularly those balancing careers and other commitments. As a result, the standard membership model, where you pay thousands of pounds upfront for unlimited course access, doesn’t align with the reality of the time they have available. It’s neither cost-effective nor practical.

“It’s also important to recognise that not all women want to be members. From my experience running the UK WGC, women, and particularly millennials, often prefer more ad-hoc, social rounds (at a variety of different courses) that fit around their busy lives.

Many golf clubs are still not adequately set up to accommodate women, particularly those who work. Competitions are often scheduled on weekdays with weekends reserved for men’s events. Many clubs also lack essential facilities, such toilets on the course and adequate changing rooms, while cultural issues like sexism further discourage women from joining."

Of course, there are some golf clubs that have women’s interests at heart. For example, UK WGC member Emma Bains began her golf journey at Chart Hills in Kent.

“I was at a friend’s house and golf was on TV in the background. I said I was going to give it a go. Everyone laughed except one friend who said she would do it with me. We started taking lessons and have never looked back! This was at the end of last summer. I had recently stopped playing hockey and wanted to give something new a try. I was addicted after my first lesson, I absolutely loved it! I want to get to a single figure handicap, and play as many new courses as I can.

At Chart Hills there’s a halfway hut with both male and female toilets, women have a choice of tees to play from, and we are included in all weekend club competitions. They have absolutely no issue with me wearing leggings and hoodies which is another massive win, especially when you first start. If you aren’t comfortable in clothes you aren’t used to wearing it’s just another barrier, and expense! Now that I have played at other courses, I realise that I’m very lucky to have the experience I’ve had so far with my club.”

Driving Range Headspace

I met a lovely young woman called Amy on the range recently at Iford. She comes to the range to get her dose of headspace. She hasn’t thought past the range. This is what makes her happy and says, “I would be put off joining a club because I’m inexperienced - also I’m a woman and I am doing this on my own. This is my outlet.”

So it doesn’t matter how much you think golf is more welcoming there is still a consensus in some young women that it just isn’t an option for them. She felt she would need other people to join with, so I’m hoping she will begin to come along to Iford Women’s Academy and find herself embraced by a golfing community.

Many women like Amy are not considering club membership. Their golf is range based and social, and it’s these women that are put off for good when full members meet them in the car park and assume they are heading for the same journey as their own golf. Assumption can be damaging.

We should allow women to follow the path they choose for their golf games. Everyone’s journey is different and we should respect that. If you have new players taking lessons at your club, don’t assume they are there because they want to play YOUR version of golf.

The game of golf has evolved and clubs and golfers attitudes need to evolve with it otherwise the female member will soon be a rare breed. Let’s face it she’s already on the endangered list!