Here’s the top 3 things I learnt about the golf industry in August

From the rise in female greenkeepers to the news that some golf clubs still ban mobile phones on their courses, here’s the top three things The Golf Business editor Alistair Dunsmuir learnt about the industry in August.

Banning phones on the course is a marketing own goal

Scottish Golf’s new CEO, Andrew McKinlay, has urged golf clubs to change the perception that venues are all about what you’re not allowed to do, and he asked the question ‘what is wrong with having phones out on the course?’

‘Golf clubs could have PlayStation rooms’

Some clubs do still have bans on mobile phones on the course, even though most people these days actually spend very little of their phone usage time making any noise.

Golfers are much more likely to use their phones to take images of the golf course and then share them on social media – banning them is a marketing own goal.

More women are becoming greenkeepers

Greenkeeping in the UK is seen as a predominantly male vocation but this might be changing.

Wenvoe Castle GC has appointed Lucy Sellick as what’s thought to be only the second female head greenkeeper in the UK, while one of the UK greenkeepers at the recent USPGA Championship was Laura Campbell from Gleneagles.

Laura Campbell

Let’s hope this is the start of a new trend.

This woman has become the first female head greenkeeper in Wales

Stop talking about golf being good for your heart

And start talking about it being good for your health.

An academic study has found that nearly two-thirds of adults are aware that walking is good for the heart. However, just 3.4 per cent of people realised it is also good for decreasing the risk of getting certain cancers, such as colon and breast.

Most people are unaware of the cancer benefits of golf

Erika Waters, associate professor of surgery at Washington University, said the lack of public knowledge linking low levels of exercise to some types of cancers is due to the focus public health campaigns have on communicating how it is beneficial for ‘heart health’ and weight loss.

“People might be more likely to exercise if they understand just how important physical activity is to their overall health – not just their heart health,” she said.

Couldn’t golf clubs take the lead in addressing this?