Golf Must Address The Shortage Of Women Playing The Game

View From The Fairway by Derek Clements

I WAS fascinated to read Custodian Golf’s survey that claimed 433 golf clubs in Great Britain are facing the threat of closure.

As somebody who has recently returned to the sport, I have played a lot of golf this year and have visited many courses I have never played before. And the thing that has struck me about each and every one of them is how busy and vibrant they have all been - a remarkable achievement when you consider the weather we have experienced in 2024. My own golf club, Dunston Hall, on the outskirts of Norwich, is currently booming. No matter what time of day I play, the course is always busy. And one of the benefits of that is that the bar is also bursting at the seams.

I accept that my experience may not be representative. In fact, I know that it is not and that many golf clubs are struggling to balance the books.

A couple of things struck me about Custodian Golf's "Securing the Future of Golf: From Challenge to Opportunity”.

It shouldn’t surprise me that just 15% of golf club members are women, but what horrified me was the fact that only 1% are women aged between 20 and 50. No matter how you look at it, that is a truly shocking statistic.

Golf continues to face a battle to attract young people. You only have to look around your own golf club - mine has a senior section of more than 100. And although we have an active women’s section, it is a reality that the vast majority of them are ladies of a certain age.

There was a time (not so very long ago) when women were not welcome at many golf clubs - Muirfield was briefly kicked off the Open rota because it did not allow women members.

It was only in 2012 that Augusta National admitted Condolezza Rice and Darla Moore as its first women members. Rice was the former US Secretary of State, while Moore was a mega-rich financier - so these were not your typical club golfers.

As a junior I was a member of a Glasgow golf club that banned women from the main lounge bar unless they were with their husbands. If they wanted a drink or a bite to eat after playing they had to share the spike bar with the juniors. And they were heavily restricted as to when they could actually get out on the course.

It is obvious that something needs to be done to lower the age profile of club golfers. It strikes me that women between the ages of 25 and 50 represent a HUGE untapped market. And that is where the likes of Custodian Golf have a part to play - if only struggling golf clubs would accept that.

Custodian Golf aims to work with golf clubs across England to support them in transitioning to lasting success. They plan to work in partnership to help optimise a club's potential and grow the game of golf through innovative strategies and a commitment to putting back better.

Naturally, they do not provide these services for nothing, and therein lies the problem. It is a chicken and egg situation.

The golf clubs most at risk of closure are the very ones who need an injection of fresh ideas but they will also be the ones most reluctant to splash the cash.

There can be many reasons why some clubs thrive while others teeter on the brink. According to Custodian Golf, 346 British golf clubs have 50 or more other golf clubs within a 30-minute drive time - that is a lot of competition.

It means that club golfers are able to shop around, looking for clubs that offer:

• value for money;
• good courses;
• excellent facilities;
• proper bar food;
• a warm welcome.

If your club does not offer any of the above then it is probably beyond help anyway.

Editor Comment: We know a lot of clubs are doing great work in making golf more accessible for the long term benefit of their club and the wider community.  We would love to hear from anyone with insights and details on any events, initiatives or related information to this or any similar topic.   Simply contact us via [email protected]

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