Survey finds women typically introduced to golf at an older age than men, and by a partner

A new survey of female golfers finds they’re much more likely to have been introduced to the game later in life than men were.

The Golfshake poll of 150 women, of whom the vast majority are members of clubs, finds that just 36 percent participated in golf under the age of 24, compared to 69 percent of male golfers. Half of female golfers didn’t play the game until they were at least 35 years old, while 14 percent were at least 55 years old when they were introduced to it.

Nearly half of female golfers (45 percent) were introduced to the sport by a partner or spouse, 21 percent by an older family member and 15 percent by a work colleague. Nearly two-thirds of men, on the other hand, were introduced to golf by either a work colleague or an older family member.

Golf experiences for female golfers also differed with 23 percent having their first experience in a group lesson setting, 21 percent visiting a driving and 17 percent on a pitch-and-putt or par-three course. For men, 31 percent first experienced golf via a pitch and putt or par three, 21 percent headed straight to the course and 20 percent learned the basics at the driving range.

Women are also less likely to take a break from the game, with 71 percent playing throughout their lives compared with just 48 percent of men.

More than a third of female golfers said they joined a club immediately after playing the game for the first time, while the figure for men for that is much lower.

“It may not be a huge surprise to discover that the female golfers we surveyed are more likely to have a larger golfing social circle and when starting out they pointed to the importance of playing with other golfers or support from existing golfers as extremely important compared to male golfers,” said a spokesman.

“Additionally, regular lessons among women ranked much higher in importance than men when starting out. They also singled out the importance of learning the rules and understanding etiquette.

“Competition does not seem to be as important for women as it can be for men. First and foremost, they want to get out in the fresh air with friends and enjoy one another’s company.”