PGA to launch #WeLoveGolf to attract more women to the game

Alistair Dunsmuir
By Alistair Dunsmuir May 22, 2018 11:28

The Professional Golfers’ Association is launching a huge new PR campaign aimed at encouraging more women and girls to play golf.

The campaign – We Love Golf – will highlight the female-focussed programmes already being delivered by PGA professionals across the world and give women interested in taking up golf the means to access them easily. It will also use PR and social media to share the success stories and positive experiences of women who already love the game as a means to encourage more women to try it for themselves.

Figures from the European Golf Association show that females only account for 16 per cent of golf players in UK and Ireland.

“Throughout the coming months The PGA will be creating exciting content that reflects new research on the benefits that women associate with the game. Friendship, health and fitness and time spent ‘getting away from it all’ are just some of the reasons cited. This activity will be supported with a social media campaign using the hashtag #WeLoveGolf,” said a spokesman for The PGA.

Robert Maxfield, chief executive of The PGA, added: ”Golf is a wonderful game, for many reasons, and it is essential that The PGA continues to shine a light on this. We want to drive public interest in the game amongst women and girls, create easily accessible information about golf and then connect more and more of them with PGA professionals who are already successfully delivering thousands of hours of coaching.”

The campaign’s Facebook page will allow the existing female golf community to share their love of golf, address some of the common misconceptions – such as needing a handicap to play – and show the diversity that already exists within the game.

Dr Jonathan Wright, Golf Development Executive at The PGA, said: “There are thousands of women across Great Britain and Ireland who love to play golf, most of whom will have started to play with the help of a PGA professional. Research shows that women do want to play golf, but that interest doesn’t necessarily convert into participation because they may not know where to start. We Love Golf bridges that gap.”

The announcement comes as GolfSupport.com has reviewed 215 golf clubs from 17 towns and cities across England and Scotland to see if they offered a membership discount specifically for women. Manchester was found to have the highest proportion (47 per cent) of golf clubs offering a discounted membership rate specifically for avid female golfers.

However, golf clubs located and reviewed in Birmingham, Oxford, Bristol, Southampton, Cambridge, Coventry and Plymouth did not have even one discounted membership type for women. Overall, an overwhelming 91 per cent of golf clubs from the 215 analysed do not have a discounted membership available for female golfers in their pricing structure.

Becky, 30, from Southampton said: “I started taking an interest in golf during my late 20s when I was studying for a masters’ degree at a university which occasionally offered an open day at a local golf club. On the off chance, I went to try it out. To my surprise, I really enjoyed the patient nature of the sport and decided to join on a student membership. Once I graduated and moved back to Southampton, I wanted to continue with golf on a weekly basis, but the normal membership prices were out of my reach. I believe if golf clubs were to make a genuine effort to provide a sufficient discount on women’s membership fees, it would not only drastically increase women’s interest in the sport but make it financially more attainable to participate.”

The We Love Golf campaign will run throughout the year with plans in place to deliver related social media activity at major golf events.  Follow @ThePGA on twitter and instagram using the #WeLoveGolf for more information.

 

Alistair Dunsmuir
By Alistair Dunsmuir May 22, 2018 11:28
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5 Comments

  1. Tim May 25, 12:25

    So in the era of sex equality you would offer a discount to one sex because? It’s not cost of membership that puts ladies off joining. But stuffy clubs who treat them differantly and a minority of stuffy ladies who act as if there in another era that disengage the majority of a golf club membership so they are subsequently treat differantly and ultimately made to feel unwelcome.

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  2. Laura May 23, 16:43

    I am female golfer and would love equality with the men but, equality of playing opportunity, not positive discrimination in the form of financial discount. That is not the way.

    Reply to this comment
  3. Dani May 23, 16:14

    The whole argue about equal pay… if both male and female get paid the same why should one get a discounted rate over the other!?

    Reply to this comment
  4. Ian May 22, 18:23

    I’m all for increasing memberships of ladies and juniors. Yet I am opposed to discounts due to gender.

    It isn’t OK to discriminate against men either!

    Reply to this comment
  5. Claire May 22, 17:22

    Most clubs are probably wary of contravening the 2010 Equality Act by offering a discount based on gender. Even if you cd prove female members were an under-represented group at your club, it could potentially be challenged.

    Reply to this comment
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