What Women Want -– From Golf

What Women Want -- From Golf
&
How You Can Make More Money When Women Become Your Customers
Introduction:
According to research by a number of golf organizations, women
make a significant contribution to the economics of golf, and if
encouraged to stay in the game or take up the game, could spend
more. This should be of interest to every course operator, but if
the women we know are any guide, it isn’t.
Many – not all—course owners still remain entrenched in practices
of the past. However, for those who would now like have women
as Best Customers, Women in The Golf Industry (WIGI) has
summarized the on-the-ground actions and activities of our
members and women who have been successful encouraging more
play.
We call it: What Women Want -– From Golf
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Contents:
Industry Research on the Economic Contribution of Women Players
Significance of The Woman Friendly Environment
Introducing Women to The Game
BarbHanson, President, Corporate Golf Services,
Secretary/ Newsletters WIGI
Debbie Waitkuse, CEO, Golf for Cause,
Corresponding Secretary WIGI
Thursday Time for Nine
Nine and Wine
Family Links
Chris Lovrine, FLOG Learning Center, Member WIGI
Instruction
Debbie Steinbach, LPGA player, author Venus on The Fairway,
Member WIGI
Debbie Waitkus
Equipment
Mary Leahy, Sales Rep Callaway Golf, Member WIGI
Barb Hanson
Debbie Steinbach
Pat Lang, owner, Lang Golf
Apparel
Karen Can’trell, President & CEO Lady Golf, Member WIGI
Forward Tees
Alice Dye, ASGCA, past president; WIGI Founder
Communicating with Women Golfers
Barb Hanson
Golf-Hers News
Business Golf
Debbie Waitkus
Travel
Pat Lang, partner, Sunspirit Tours
The Golf Shop
Janan Huntsberry, Manufacturers’ Rep Women’s Golf Apparel,
WIGI member
Psychology
Dr. Bee Expsein-Shephard, Sports Psychologist,Author,
Member WIGI
Summary
Barb Hanson
Contact Information
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Background Research:
The most significant finding from the National Golf Foundation is that out of 12
million former golfers, 3.7 million of them women, the reason given for leaving the
sport was that the entry barriers were too high.
Women in The Golf Industry (WIGI) does not believe this means money. It means
attitude toward women, awareness of what makes women tick and providing a
comfortable environment where women golfers can part icipate and thrive. It is
What Women Want.
Several studies have been created in the last two decades. Here are summaries of
what the leading golf organization found when it comes to women golfers.
Information is from the PGA of America, the National Golf Foundation and the
PGA Tour.
PGA of America
In 1994, the PGA of America announced new research on who plays golf and what they
spend. The called it All About Golf. In one set of research, women categories were
broken down into Junior Leaguers and Swingin’ Seniors. The men’s side was
categorized five ways: Dilettante Duffers, Pull- Carts, Tank Tops and Tennis Shoes,
Public Pundits and Country Club Traditionals.
By far, the biggest spenders were the Country Club Traditionals, according to the survey.
This comes as no surprise.
However, what may be surprising is the amount of money that women spent.
•
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Junior Leaguers accounted for annual golf related spending of $1,604 in 1994,
and they played 24.1 rounds per year.
Swingin’ Seniors accounted for $1,625 per year in golf related spending and
played 42.3 rounds per year in 1994.
Both women’s groups spent more per year than the men Dilettante Duffers ( $ 1,149) or
the men Pull-Carts ($1,367) and more than twice as much as the men Tank Tops n’
Tennis Shoes ( $565).
Despite the fact that golf’s best women customers spend as much or more that many of
men, when it comes to proving an opportunity to turn casual women golfers or beginning
women golfers into best customers, something gets lost. Courses and course owners still
tend to focus on men players instead of women because there is a belief that the
Dilettante Duffer, comprising 26% of all golfers, is the best place to target attention.
Meanwhile golf’s best women customers are largely ignored.
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Category
$$
Rounds played
Women
Junior Leaguers
Swingin’ Seniors
Annually:
1,604
1,625
24.1
42.3
Men
Dilettante Duffers
Pull- Carts
Tank Tops and Tennis Shoes
Public Pundits
Country Club Traditionals
1,149
1,367
565
1,999
4,413
15.6
32.1
12.9
51.6
68.9
Women are willing and able to spend as much as most of the men golfers.
In the More About Golf III, the sequel to the two earlier studies, women were increasing
their participation between 1995 and 1996 by 2.1% for Junior Leaguers and by 4.5% for
Swingin’ Seniors. This same survey concluded that women accounted for 26% of golfers
in 1996, an increase of 5% from the previous year. The research also concluded that
women were more likely to take lessons than men.
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National Golf Foundation
NGF data show only that women account for 24% of the golf purchases, industry-wide in
clubs, balls, soft goods, and fees, public and private. But as most of the rest of the
consumer marketing experts in the country know, women account for a large amount of
the total spending for the family, period.
Recent National Golf Foundation research indicates that the percentage of women players
has hovered between 22% and 24% in recent years, between 2001 and 2003, about 6.57
million in the most recent year studied.
It also shows that
• women are more likely to be occasional golfers or to use practice facilities –
alternative locations – to enjoy the game.
• of former golfers – women were more concerned about the learning environment
than men.
• 52% of women said they would prefer a non-embarrassing learning situation,
versus 28% of men.
• 48% of women wanted to learn with other beginners, while only 36% of men felt
that way.
Both sexes wanted to be able to play in less time.
Both men and women said they were more likely to play if they have a friend who plays.
Despite all factors, including “high barriers to entry:”
•
•
Over the last ten years, the percentage of participation by women has
increased 2.4% among core golfers and 4.3% among occasional golfers vs.
1.1% and 1.7% for men.
In the last five years, women occasional golfers increase in participation by
10.7%, core by 1.8%. Both of these numbers are in excess of the numbers
for men.
What this demonstrates more clearly than all other research is that even though the sport
is expensive, even though it takes longer than they would like to play golf, women are
still coming out to the golf course to give the game it a try.
Course operators, then, are driving women away.
The most significant finding from the NGF was that out of 12 million former golfers,
3.7 million of them women, the reason given for leaving the sport was that the entry
barriers were too high.
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PGA Tour / Golf 20/20 Research
The PGA Tour is interested primarily in women as television viewers and purchasers of
tickets and or hospitality packages at their events. However, the organization has also
taken a lead in growth of the game issues, and their research for Golf 20/20 shows that
women are both good customers and interested in the sport.
PGA Tour/ golf 20/20 research says that:
•
•
•
1/3 of the latent demand for the sport comes from women
of golf’s Best Customers, more than 2 million are women
women spend MORE per round than men
( Source: Golf 20/20 Report)
The Ill-conceived leap in logic:
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There is an ill-conceived logical leap in the Golf 20/20 report. It has to do with women
walking for exercise. The Golf 20/20 report suggests that perhaps more walking on the
course would encourage more women to play. It takes no training or special skill and
only minimal equipment to go for a two-mile walk in the neighborhood compared to what
is required to learn to play 9 holes of golf.
Research Summary
No matter which study one selects, it is clear that women can be a course operator’s best
customer, if the operator will give her the chance to feel at home.
Significance of the Woman-Friendly Environment
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The NGF reports that out of 12 million former golfers , 3.7 million of them women,
the reason given for leaving the sport was that the entry barriers were too high.
Women in The Golf Industry(WIGI) offers the following member-tested and friends
of member-tested methods and insights for bringing women into the game and
keeping them as customers.
Several groups and organizations have already done some outstanding work, particularly
the EWGA, the PGA of America and Golf 20/20.
The EWGA, as most of the golf industry knows, has done an amazing job of creating
more women customers with more than 20,000 enrollees in their program since its
inception. Their programs provide non-threatening environments for all skill levels.
Beginners learn rules and etiquette, too.
Several programs created by the PGA of America that have proven successful. One in
particular is women taking a friend out to play golf, to learn the game. As Jamie
Roggero, Sr. Manager of Media Relations for the PGA of America explained, “ Having a
friend explain things to you is easier. The experienced golfer shows her friend the golf
shop, what’s there, what to do to make a tee time, what’s expected before the round,
where to go to find the first tee, what to do with a cart, what golf etiquette is, and so on.”
In 2004, Golf 20/20 focused on bringing women into the game and creating a National
Women’s Golf Week in 2005 to encourage women to come out to the course.
WIGI believes that the difference between getting a woman to the golf course once
and turning her into a Best Customer has everything to do with how a woman is
treated once she arrives in the sport.
Whether purchasing clothing, taking lessons, planning a vacation, purchasing equipment,
finding course that allow women ample tee times and membership opportunities, set up
of the golf course, and more, all these factors determine whether or not women will
become your best customers.
Women are tough judges when it comes to performance and customer service. But, as
our members have found, if your course and shop measure up, you will be rewarded with
many new women Best Customers who make a positive contribution to your bottom line.
Following are “as-told-to” explanations of programs and practices that women have
found to be successful with women golfers.
Introducing Women to Golf
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Barb Hanson, Corporate Golf Services
Barb is president of the Minnesota Women’s Golf Association. and Secretary/
Newsletters of WIGI.
There are several special events I have found that encourage women to play golf
First, it is important to understand that women view golf as a social activity. Therefore,
women tend to want to play golf with their friends as well as seek out instruction with
other women.
I organize women’s golf clinics on a regular basis, and I find that most women attend
with a friend, not alone. The clinics themselves draw women together. However, I
always try to include practical tips and strategies within the clinics that will help women
to either get into the game or stay in the game on a long-term basis. These strategies
include (very broadly):
•
•
•
Time management
Cost management
Personal benefits
What I’ve found is that it’s not so much the special events that encourage women to play
as the actual HOW TO PLAY GOLF in a complex, busy world.
Some clinics that have been particularly successful are the following:
• Mother/Daughter golf clinic
• Physical fitness for golf
• Concentration on short game
• Headliner – such as an LPGA professional – as the instructor
Debbie Waitkus, CEO, Golf for Cause
Debbie helps companies determine how golf can fit into their marketing and
promotional plans as well as creating a relationship building process for
business. She also teaches business golf.
Golf is a powerful connector - especially in business. Whether you play the
game or not, you can use golf to grow your business.
When staging a golf-related outing, whether it's a skills clinic, a 9 or 18-hole outing, look
at the audience. Assess the skill level, number of men and women, the scope of
businesses, etc. Ask what needs to happen for a participant to walk away saying, "I had a
great time, I felt comfortable with my golf skill level, this was a valuable experience.”
It's important to create an environment that fosters a positive experience, one that
motivates the participant to come back again and again.
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But for an event situation, you have to look at who the audience is. If they have a good
time, they will want to come back and play 18 holes.
I orchestrate a variety of programs, including business golf leagues,
mentoring golf outings, business golf workshops, golf networking events and
even a family golf program.
For my business golf leagues, they are mixed and fun. I do several of them. TTFN—
Thursday Time For Nine, Nine and Wine and Family Links are three of them.
TTFN -- Thursday Time for Nine
Thursday Time for Nine (TTFN) is a business golf league which has a series of business
golf clinics and workshops with classroom time, skills clinic and on course play. The
classroom combines business & golf together and how yo u use that to control the
foursome.
Many business golf situations have social and gender and etiquette issues together. It’s
like going to your first business networking event. If you have not played golf, you have
no idea what to wear. You don’t know if you should go to the bar right away. And then
when you see that person you know and you are more comfortable.
With golf, it’s all about understanding the proper protocols for golf and getting women
comfortable in the new environment. The more you can share information and fast track,
the more at home the new person will be. That’s what it’s about.
TTFN runs for blocks of ten weeks at a time. It's been quite successful; we are now in our
third year. At the current venue, team players pay $375 for ten weeks of golf, tee gifts,
weekly prizes, weekly happy hour and an awards banquet on the final week. Participants
can sponsor the happy hour, purchase a tee sign and/or place promotional items in the
cart. Each week two players from one team play with two players from another team.
Over the course of the league, the participants meet and play with the majority of
the league members, making for great business networking and camaraderie.
There is also a charity component. Each week there is a 50/50 contest where half the
money goes to a charity and the other half goes to the holder of the winning ticket. The
winner designates the featured cause for the following week. The group has raised close
to $10,000 for local charities. It is a cross- marketing aspect that incorporates a human
element. Golfers of all skill levels participate, both men and women. They experience
how to play golf with each other in a fun environment and forward business relationships.
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Business Golf Series
A series of business golf clinics and workshops with classroom time, skills clinic and on
course play. The topics addressed in the classroom include such things as marrying
business, golf, social and gender etiquette together, demystifying charity/industry golf
tournaments, betting games, behavior profiling, marketing techniques, and creative
business outings.
A newcomer to golf needs to understand the proper protocols for the game so that she can
quickly get comfortable in this new environment. After all, she wants to be able to bring
her personality to the party and be respectful at the same time. Through the Business
Golf Series we fast track the newer golfer to get her comfortable around the game as soon
as possible.
Nine and Wine
Nine and Wine is a mentoring program for beginning golfers. We go to an executive
course or convert a course to executive length by teeing off in the middle of the fairway.
We play on Sunday afternoons - when the golf courses are typically quiet.
Each group on the course group has a mentor. A mentor is an experienced golfer who can
be patient and share her passion for the game and her know-how and experience. So
often, newer golfers believe that they're not ready for the golf course, that they are
relegated to the driving range and putting green. Nine and Wine is a great way to
transition newer golfers off the range and onto the course.
If someone has never played before, there is a lot to learn. We teach the new golfers how
to park the cart, when to talk and not to talk, how to tend the flag, how to drive a cart,
what happens when your ball is under a tree, etc. It is an experiential learning
environment. All egos are checked in the parking lot!
Afterward, we meet in the clubhouse for networking time. We talk about what happened
in each group. Mentors take notes out on the course, and I summarize the information
shared inside and send it out to the group. There are many things to learn: Rules, which
club to use, and a variety of other questions.
The majority of the participants are newer golfers. Nine and Wine is a great springboard
for people to get involved and learn that they are ok. Enjoying the game of golf is not
about your skill.
The mentors are experienced golfers. They are not necessarily highly skilled golfers, but,
as mentioned above, willing to share their insight, experience and passion for the game
with others.
Psychologically, as women, we have worked hard to feel like we are on par with men in
business. And because the guys are great at golf (or so we think), we want to be great
before we allow our games out in public. We feel like we have to be perfect. God forbid
somebody an instructor shoots video of a woman. Why is it that when she looks at the
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video that all she can see is her outfit and how large her backside appears? Why is it that
she doesn't notice her swing?
So we take away the fact that you have to be good. You don't have to be good to get
started. If you get good at golf, great! Keep going and learn more. Golf is like an onion,
with many layers - keep peeling them back! There so much to enjoy, experience, and
learn! If any of the women want to bring family -- husbands, kids, that's fine, they bring
them. Everybody plays. Because the event is staged on Sunday afternoon, there's plenty
of time to get home for family obligations - the women can still go home and
have dinner with the family.
Family Links
Family Links is another program that is coordinated with a golf course during their down
time. We schedule it on weekend afternoons.
Women have many reasons to not play golf. Family time is one of them. Family Links is
a comprehensive golf program designed for family members to learn together. To
participate in Family Links, kids can't come without a family member. And "kids" are
more than juniors 6-16. The mother might be 75, and the son, 48. We've had
husbands/wives, grandparents/grandchildren, parents-juniors, and even sisters- in-law! It
doesn't matter. This program brings down the walls of objections.
There are three stations that the participants visit each session: an information, long
game, and short game. Each week begins and ends with community time. At the
beginning we review the agenda for the day while we stretch as a group. We end each
session with a brief review of the day and awards. As for the information area topics,
they change each week. It might be hypnotherapy - focus and the game, rules clinic, oncourse management, golf fitness training, tournament formats, etc. The program
culminates with a Family Championship Tournament, in which additional family
members are invited to participate. We choose a unique format to promote participation
and fun for all the players.
Chris Lovrine
FLOG Learning Center, Indianapolis, IN
WIGI members
We offer introductory clinics and refresher clinics for ladies through Play Golf
America. (PGA of America program.)
The introductory clinic covered items such as introducing the ladies to the clubhouse,
range, the course, etiquette, how to make tee times, as well as swing lessons.
Our belief when teaching is to keep it simple for women and men. There are anatomical
strength differences between women and men that do influence teaching, but the
fundamentals are the same.
The average golfer, male or female, would do better using drivers with more loft. We
suggest beginners use either a 3, 5 or 7 wood to tee off. These clubs are a little shorter
and have more loft which makes them easier to swing versus a driver. We also suggest
replacing the long irons with 7, 9, 11 or 13 woods and/or hybrids. The lower center of
gravity helps get the ball airborne easier. Generally, they launch the ball higher than long
irons.
Our ladies leagues have the same place on our course as the men's leagues. That is,
we block off a set number of tee times for the ladies and the tee is theirs until the final
group tees off.
We work with all our ladies leagues. We meet with the officers before the initial league
meeting setting up the weekly games, special events, and discussing any changes for the
season. At the initial meeting we explain the games, review basic rules and etiquette, and
answer any questions the ladies may have. We stress that we are here to make their game
fun and to provide assistance in any way.
Another thing we do for all our ladies leagues is at the final day event my Assistant and I
roam the course and play one hole with each group. The ladies love this especially if
they are on a par 5 when we join their group.
Ladies Night Out League
For our 9-hole Ladies Night Out League, the dues are $40.00 for the season. This covers
weekly events, the league championship, chip- in & birdie prizes, the final night scramble
and dinner. Every week they play games (best poker hand, tee to green = score minus
putts, honest Jane = predict your score, etc.), post ringer scores, chip- ins & birdies.
The final league night is a 9-hole scramble and dinner. At the dinner the season long
event prizes are awarded, the league championship prizes, & the scramble prizes.
Pairings are done by season long scoring averages. Each team has an A - B - C - D level
player.
Our other ladies leagues (9 hole and 18 hole) have a once a month mixer. The event
might be a scramble, 2 person best ball, progressive best ball ( first 3 or 6 holes = 1 best
ball, next 3 or 6 holes = 2 best ball, next 2 or 5 holes = 3 best ball and the 9th or 18th hole
= all 4 balls count), Pinehurst Alternate Shot, etc..
We put a minimum handicap limit for two-person events to try to even out the playing
field.
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Instruction
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Debbie Steinbach, LPGA pro, author Venus on The Fairway with Kathy Bissell.
Both WIGI members.
Venus on The Fairway revealed that the inner workings of a woman’s brain vs. a man’s
brain – just like Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus -- means that men and
women approach learning golf and golf situations differently.
One very good example of the differences is use of video for instruction for beginning
women. Men love seeing video of their golf swings. Women hate it. They don’t see the
swing. They see what their hair looks like or what their hips look like or some other
physical appearance issue that a man would never consider. Yet, in teaching situations,
many so-called lesson experts want to take women to the video area, not realizing that
video may actually keep them from making progress.
Because of the way men are wired, they see their swing as a problem to be fixed, attacked
and solved. If someone says to a man, “You can’t possibly play with that grip!” he will
ask for information on what he is doing wrong. A woman will take that same comment
as criticism, believe she is doing everything wrong. She will react emotionally and may
never return to the course.
Therefore, instruction for women needs to be phrased as “What You Need to Do Is,”
always in the positive. It should not be “The Problem with Your Swing Is,” which is
negative. All presentations and lessons need to be in the positive, not in the negative.
Venus Fun-damentals
I developed what I call Venus on The Fairway Fun-damentals
To use “traditional” methods to teach women assures that they will have a weak grip, an
off balance swing and no power. We all know it is possible for women to hit the golf ball
a long way as Laura Davies and Michelle Wie have shown, but typical instruction
undermines it. Here are three specific differences instructors need to consider when
teaching women.
Grip: Women’s hands and arms are more flexible at the elbow and wrist joints than
men’s. They also naturally hang at a different angle than men’s. Prove it to yourself
now. Stand up. Let your arms hang loosely from your shoulders. Which direction do
your palms face? If a woman, they probably face your hips. If a man, they probably face
behind you. That means when a man reaches out to put his hand on a golf club grip, he
almost automatically grabs it in the “proper” grip position. But a women who reaches out
and grabs a club will hold it in a weak grip position. She has to rotate her hands to get to
the same grip that a man has naturally. She also has to be very diligent about watching
the way she grips the club because it is easy for her to fall into a weak grip placement.
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Stance: The differences between what women and men need to do in a stance is a
stability issue that has to do with center of gravity.
Men are told to take a stance with their feet at shoulder width. That gives them stability
through the swing because – except for beer bellies -- a man’s shoulders – typically -are the widest part of his body.
When women are told to take a stance with feet at shoulder width, they are automatically
being positioned off balance before they even start a swing because their shoulders are
not – typically-- widest part of their bodies. Usually for women, the hips are wider. So
women need to have a stance that matches the width of their hips, not their shoulders.
Turn: Men have been told to resist against their legs in the backswing. They turn their
upper bodies more than their lower bodies to get power. Part of the reason for this is that
men—generally speaking-- are not as flexible as women. That is how they get their
power.
But women need to turn their shoulders, torso and hips, resisting against their feet to get
power and distance. Women are naturally more flexible, and by using our flexibility and
ability to turn, we can get extra power and distance. Not utilizing a woman’s natural
ability to turn may rob women of power and distance.
So, in summary, to use “traditional” methods to teach women assures that they will have
a weak grip, an off balance swing and no power or distance.
Anatomy issues: When it comes to golf instruction, women are told unbelievably stupid
things about their breasts. Although it is hard for experienced golfers to believe, the #1
question for beginning women is “ What to I do about my boobs?” If an instructor can’t
deal effectively with this issue, bringing adult women into the game can be next to
impossible. I tell women the same thing that I tell barrel-chested men. Target arm over
target boob. This takes the issue out of the way.
Debbie Waitkus, CEO, Golf for Cause
As women, we have worked hard to feel like on par with golf, because the guys are great
at this. Women want to be perfect. We feel like we have to be perfect. God forbid
somebody’s shows you video, because you look at your appearance and outfit as opposed
to a learning experience.
So take away the fact that you have to be good. You don’t have to be good to get started.
If you get good at golf, great, it’s another layer. Peel back that onion.
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Equipment
Mary Leahy, Washington DC Metro Sales Rep for Callaway Golf and Odyssey
putters and WIGI member.
I just love golf. I’ve played since I was 8 years old. I never played college golf. I played
in high school. It was something to do outside of basketball and tennis season. I’ve been
with Callaway eight plus years and prior to that was with Odyssey and with Ray Cook
for four years . Callaway has 81 reps, and four are women.
We have a pretty strong percent of the women’s market. Basically, everything we
manufacture, we will do for men and women, including left handed clubs. Our products
are so easy to hit, the technology we put in allows people to hit straighter. As Ely
Callaway used to say, they are “demonstrably superior and pleasingly different.” DSPD.
Mr. Callaway had enough vision to see that technology would allow people to enjoy the
game more. He started that process with the S2H2 great technology that takes weight out
of the hosel and moves it to the hitting area. Then he went to the Big Bertha Irons, and
now our latest ones are the X-series. Callaway technology helps women swing harder
with less effort. Callaway offers a full line for women, which is wonderful
Big Bertha Irons have a thicker top line, but they are a great product. We put them in a
lot of women’s hands to help get the ball up in the air. For many women Big Bertha
Irons solve that problem.
The differences between the Big Bertha irons and the X-Tour is that the X-Tour is for the
lower handicapper woman or man who wants to work the ball. And the Big Bertha irons
are for the woman or man who wants to get the ball up in the air easily.
In January, we expect to see a change in the Big Bertha Iron. It will have a thicker top
line and wider sole. The constant width sole helps the average woman get through the
turf. It has more mass down low so the ball goes in the air. I love it for women.
One big difference between men and women players, as most of us know, is strength. If
we can make a club more stable, women can hit ball straighter. With the 360 undercut
channel in the Big Bertha, women ( and men ) will be able to hit the ball straighter and
higher. That is important because if you are hitting it higher, it will also go farther.
I want people to love the game of golf as much as I do. When I go to a pro shop or demo
day, I hand people clubs. I give them every club that we make. I say try all of these. One
club maybe better for you than another. We encourage people to demo product through
PGA pros and LPGA pros and at test centers.
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When it comes to the high lofted fairway woods, Ely Callaway was one of the early ones
with the Seven Wood and then the Heaven Wood. In fact, we go up to a 13 wood with
our Big Bertha woods.
Women have tendency to get more distance with fairway woods. The clubs hit the ball
higher and land softer and go farther, and they are easy to hit.
The new Heaven Wood hybrids – in fact the whole hybrid category – are now being used
to replace long irons. They are perfect to add to a set.
Today, women don’t need 3- iron, 4- iron, often 5 or 6-irons. They are using hybrids and
high lofted woods to give them a higher ball flight and more consistency.
The hybrids are our up and coming clubs. Our Heaven Wood hybrid comes in five
models with lofts from 14 to 26 degrees. The 26 degree replaces a 5- iron. The 14 degree
is a little more lofted than a 3-wood.
Today, you can make up any set that you want. Women often don’t know that. They
should think about getting fit for 6-iron through lob wedge or SW and add hybrids and
fairway woods and a driver.
At Callaway, we do our own shafts that work with our clubheads. There is a women’s
version, and they are a little bit different in our irons. They have a different feel. The
shafts are lighter and shorter in length.
Shaft length depends completely on the fitting. We manufacture ours usually one inch
shorter for ladies than for men’s. If you are stronger, maybe choose the light flex men’s
senior and it will also be longer. But one thing is for sure: You want to be fit by
someone.
Putters
When it comes to putters, again, you want someone who is attuned to fitting women.
Women want to get fit properly. The fit of a putter can be very persona. For instance,
I’m 5’ 10” , but I play with a 33 inch putter because I like to have my hands low.
Balls
Women should look at finding the ball that fits their needs. We have seen women get
extra distance with a 2 piece or 3 HX Hot—which is a great golf ball. And very, very
long.
If women are looking for more feel, spin, a softer ball, we suggest HX Tour or Tour 56,
which many Tour players use.
WiGi
One thing you don’t want to do is to just buy what’s on sale. You want something that
offers feel or distance. The HXHot is a great ball for the average player and it’s a good
price. It’s three-piece so there is some feel, but the is also great distance.
The HX Hot core is resilient. It increases the ball speed coming off the face around
driver. The boundary layer between core and cover is softer, so it helps act like rubber.
It has a softer feel and it is bouncy.
Women Pros
In terms of top women players, Annika Sorenstam now plays the FT3 driver. She’s been
winning with hitting incredibly long and accurate drives since putting it in play. Iron
wise, she can play with anything. She’s won this year using three different sets of irons.
The X- Tour is new for the lower handicapper. It is more workable.
Equipment
Barb Hanson, Corporate Golf Services
Women should ALWAYS be custom fit for golf equipment. The game is tough enough
without putting the wrong equipment in our hands. In general we don’t know how to
choose golf equipment for ourselves, and we often begin with “hand-me-downs.” The
wrong equipment can cause a person to quit the game in frustration. Custom- made golf
equipment does not have to be a financial drain, and it does not take much time to go
through a fitting.
Equipment
Debbie Steinbach, Venus on The Fairway
Women will most likely need golf clubs with very different characteristics than men’s. A
woman’s clubs may look like a man’s, but they shouldn’t play like them, unless that is
how she plays.
Price is not the most important factor. Some metals are more costly to manufacture, but
when in doubt, women should test the different kinds of clubs available and see what
works.
Shafts: Unless a woman is extremely strong, the best shaft type for all women is
graphite. The alternative is steel. You rarely see women using steel shafts today other
than on the Tour. Graphite enables many women to generate more clubhead speed than
with a steel shaft, and this means more distance with each shot.
WiGi
Flex: I am very big on a lighter flex shaft for women. I see far too many women working
too hard to hit a golf ball. A club fitter can help you find your ideal flex.
Length: Clubs need to be the proper length if you are going to hit the ball consistently
and solidly in the center of the clubface. Unfortunately, many manufacturers seem to
think that all women are 5’4” and under. Many of the women’s golf clubs today are too
short for a lot of female golfers. If one of my students encounters this problem, I order
her a set of clubs that have a woman’s shaft, but we add an extra inch so she is basically
using a man’s- length club. This allows her to assume a comfortable and natural address
position when she sets up to the ball.
Equipment
Pat Lang, owner Lang Golf
Lang Golf is sold by over 300 pros across the country. Lang Golf has manufacturing
in the US and also manufactures in St Andrews for Europe.
There is definitely a correlation between the equipment you play with and how you play.
You want your clubs to fit your style of play. One of biggest handicaps most women have
is inappropriate equipment they are forced to play with. If you and your grandmother
went to buy equipment even a few years ago, it was, “ We have a set of those back by the
toilet. Let me get them, if I can find them. We have another set for your grandmother just
like them.”
At Lang Golf we specialize in custom equipment for women. We don’t have just one iron
or one wood, we have a selection.
When I got involved, I started with a mentor from Scotland who was a clubmaker and my
primary tutor. He always made me aware of the importance of having equipment that was
geared to each person. At the time, nobody was paying attention to women and making
equipment specifically for the way women play the game.
When it comes to design of clubheads, we’ve reached a point in the equipment industry
where you can only shove the metal around so many different ways. We have to follow
certain formulas in weight and balance. What wasn’t investigated for women was the
development of shafts. I addressed that early on by having options.
In my mind equipment should not be a gendered item. But men have demands in many
respects that are different than the average woman amateur. On the men’s side, shafts are
longer. If men are generally stronger they would be demanding certain specs. I found
women amateurs needed to be more variety than what was available.
Just as there are differences between needs of men and women, there are physical
differences, athletic differences from one women to another. That’s truly the thing that
sets me apart from the rest of the equipment world.
Some of the other manufacturers are catching up, but I still don’t think enough
research and effort goes into other lines. I address clubs for women, and “I are one.”
Let me explain some of the differences between the average woman amateur and the
men’s senior or regular men’s clubs. Except for high level amateur women players, the
shafts in my clubs are more flexible. I have eight shafts available for women players. I
could also fit men, depending on their swing style and ability, but my marketing is
towards women.
Of the eight shafts I developed, three are most popular. Women will choose graphite,
primarily, given the choice. Our shafts are proprietary. They are made for us by SK Fiber.
SK Fiber has been generous with their time and technology in helping develop shafts
appropriate to women players.
.
A huge difference is in having the correct length of shafts for women. I don’t know
where they came up with the so-called standard women’s length, but they must have been
measuring pygmies. What happens if you are a tall women, 5’7” or taller? They put you
in men’s seniors or, it used to be men’s period, because of the length of the shaft If you
need a longer shaft, my shafts have an option for you, one that you can get in a timely
manner.
Women need to have the proper length, flex, and head style that rewards the style of their
swings.
Our clubheads are also custom designs. I get clubhead blanks -- you don’t reinvent the
wheel – and I will choose one because the weight is distributed is generally going to
affect ball flight. Knowing what I know about women golfers, I can pick and choose
properly for women golfers. I use any new design first, and then we do minor alterations.
My latest driver is called the Red Hot Mamma. It is an oversized titanium driver in a
brilliant, rich red. The shaft is graphite and is chromed -- like they use for cars -- and
fades at the top. At the top of the chrome, I have flames. It’s a red hot poker stick. A
dynamite driver, and it looks good. Why can’t you have fun with it?
I have two styles of putters: Thelma and Louise putters. At first I was going to call them
Bonnie and Clyde but, I wanted women’s names.
There are no numbers on my woods because one of the biggest issues -- doing research –
the vast majority women amateurs can’t hit a driver as we know it because it does not
have enough loft. So why not just take numbers off? If a women hits 3-wood better, I can
make a driver with that amount of loft, but I have to do certain things to it before it goes
to the foundry.
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WiGi
I have a driver with 11degress loft I call Long Tall Sally. The more lofted version is
Sally’s Sister. If she hits Sally’s Sister best I say that’s your driver. If her husband asks
what is this club, I tell her to say “This is my driver.” Period.
I have the Fore Club, which is a 4-wood. The Fairway is a 5- wood loft with a 3-wood
length. If a woman is hitting Sally’s Sister off the tee, who could hit driver off the
fairway? We have the 911, the emergency club, which is a 7-wood. Nina is our 9-wood.
And the eleven doesn’t have a name. . There are four models for these clubs.
There are some new drivers, oversized, that I am excited about. My new putter, I’m
thinking of calling Sweetroll.
When it comes to irons, I have three different iron head designs, each one addressing
different issues. The differences are primarily having hosel offset or no offset and bore
through or not. The industry thinks women have trouble getting the ball airborne. That is
not true. Women have trouble getting the ball airborne if they are using the wrong club.
Given a choice, women will tell you, “I like that club better.” It could be the length of
the shaft, the grip, the head. All of those must be addressed. .
Clubfitting in and of itself is an experiment. I need to have enough toys -- clubs available
--- to identify various factors to made a good club for a specific individual. .
When it comes to delivery, I’ve been in the trenches too long. I know you want the club
now. When we fit a woman for a club, the day we receive the order is the day the clubs
are made, and they are shipped out the following day.
WiGi
Apparel
Karen Can’trell, CEO, Lady Golf – Retail Shop, Palm Desert, CA, and 2nd Vice
President, WIGI
Karen has been involved in golf retailing for 12 years. She is involved with Golf for
Women, WIGI, and EWGA California. She owns one retail store, has five web sites and
two pro shops and a plethora of dedicated customers.
Karen really believes that those who aren’t successful selling golf soft goods to women
are simply not paying attention to What Women Want. She sells clothing that is
moderate to high end and believes in quality and servic e for every customer.
Before starting her own golf retail store, she was a buyer with SAKS Fifth Avenue where
she did personal shopping for well- to-do women. When they started asking her to find
them golf clothing, she ran into difficulties finding What Women Want.
They said, “Karen, find me some golf outfits. These men have a whole pro shop. And I
have nothing.”
I would go to Europe and do some of the buying and keep them in mind. What I found is
that there’s a definite market for women’s golf at a higher level. When I started Lady
Golf those 20 women from whom I did personal shopping stayed with me. I had instant
success. I bought for them personally, and they would tell people and they would tell
people and so forth.
Soon manufactures caught on. Women’s share of the market has grown.
Women are interested in fashion and performance first. Show them value and tell them
why and they will buy. What women were tired of was manufacturers taking men’s
polos and making them smaller and selling them to women.
Paying attention to their needs requires more than having a rep drop buy. It is constant
research and development travel and reinventing yourself as a company over and over to
meet the needs of the clients
All it takes for me to know that there is a customer need is to hear at least three women
say, “If they only had a shirt that had this…” or “If they only had more performance
fabric that did that…”
That is my immediate heads up to do my research. I do a tremendous amount of research
and buying in Europe and Asia. I love the European designs, attention to detail and
quality of craftsmanship. They are true artisans. My favorite domestic lines are LBH,
which is the higher end Lilly of Beverly Hills, Tail, and Tehama.
WiGi
American companies have been forced to change their designs and fabrics. They have
gone from “micro fiber” to “performance driving moisture wicking” and developed their
own buzz words .You’ll hear Cool Max -Elastique –Tech- Nano fabrications- and Poly
nostic. All this came from European designers. They were companies that were definitely
more responsive to their clients needs.
As far as mid-price point in America, Tail, Tehama and LBH they have done their
homework. I am especially impressed with their advancement during the past 4 years.
They have borrowed European designs, customize those changes for the American
market and gone to designers that were actually sportswear designers.
Tehama now has a designer from Ann Taylor on staff. Tail has gone into a Tech Group
stretch fabrication with moisture wicking. It is a more youthful, fitted line with bells and
whistles that were never there before.
Another thing that is important if you want to be successful with women is to make them
feel at home. The best way to do that is to educate your staff, keep a clean and tidy store
and sincerely advise them on your offerings to them...
What we do is hold seminars in house, two times a month with vendors. They go over
everything, show the line, explain the details of fabrics and the reason those elements are
there. They explain why certain features are important and what the fit is. The essence
of the line is examined at this time.
My feeling is when you educate the staff; you give them the tools which are necessary to
perform their job successfully. This lends credibility not only to your store but to the
sales associate and the line itself and that my friends… increase your sales. When a sales
associate is with a customer who says “This pant is $259 dollars!” The sale associate
explains, “This line brings new performance because it has XYZ.”
When our customer realizes that the $259 pant is nano fabric, stain resistant, doesn’t
wrinkle, is wash and wear and so on, they will buy. Women appreciate information.
It’s not like other stores where you try something on and they say, “Oh, you look soooo
cute in that.” Why should she by that?
Our size range in women apparel is zero to size 24. Everybody is NOT a six. We
attempt to fulfill needs for all our clients. Do I carry a lot of zeros, a lot of 24s? No, but
if I do not have them in stock ,I definitely have the resources to get them for the client,
and by looking at the catalogues she can select items for herself.
We have another personal customer service. Every staff member has a client book. We
send thank you notes when they purchase, know birthdays and even anniversaries. We
call them when new merchandise comes in. We let them know before we get it on line.
WiGi
Often times, before merchandise is on the floor, it’s sold and doesn’t even GET to the
floor.
Everyone on our staff is computer literate. Rather than mailing, we e-mail it. A lot of
women work, and they don’t have time to go shopping, so often we take a digital photo
and e- mail it to them. They have the ability to see new merchandise on line and it takes
customer service to a new level. We will ship to hotels if our customers are traveling and
need a new outfit. We are so into customer service.
My average customer would be a size 12, looking for a golf-outfit-that-goes-to-bridge
sportswear. She is searching for transitional country club and resort fashions and that
includes golf. She wears a 19-inch short, a capri, and a pant. She would purchase a
minimum of 3 different tops, one of which would be a ¾ sleeve shirt. She would buy
gloves, either sweater or jacket and one vest. That is my average sale.
The prices vary from shorts at $80 dollars to a jacket at $250. My customer would expect
that jacket to be reversible and water-resistant with a full zip. Something fashionable.
Bogner, for example. I bought several for Spring ‘06..They have fabulous reversible
jackets with different colors on one side and the other side in leopard, zebra or floral. It’s
so fantastic. $389. But who cares? It’s waterproof, has sealed seams, full zip, and you are
actually getting two jackets for the price of one. Do that math.
We also have phone trees. We are changing stock constantly and letting customers know
new arrivals, mark downs, and conveying that their business is important to us.
In addition to LBH, I am impressed with Tail Tech and Tehama. The Choice to Win -formerly Masters Golf Fashion (the name has been changed) -- an Austrian company is
the undoubtedly the finest line I have ever seen. Bogner, Escada and Sportalm are also
excellent lines.
With shoes, Walter Genuin, although higher priced, I love. Unutzer ladies golf shoes is
another premier line of hand- made Italian shoes that are an important part of our
business. Tehama has come out with a new shoe line, and it is totally amazing. Fun,
fashionable and functional. Foot Joy’s line of European, lightweight, styled shoes has
been an instant success with us.
WiGi
Forward Tees
Alice Dye, former president of the ASGCA ( American Society of Golf Course
Architects) and WIGI Founder is an expert when it comes to golf course architecture
and particularly when it comes to Forward Tees. She has long been a proponent of tee
placements that allow women players to enjoy the game. Those women who have played
courses designed by any of the Dyes will find that the Forward Tees are women friendly.
In addition, while men may moan about very difficult courses such as PGA West
Stadium Golf Course or the TPC at Sawgrass, most women who are at least capable of
playing in a 9-hole league find that the Forward Tees at those courses provide a good golf
experience.
According to Dye, many older courses changed in terms of playability for women after
wall-to-wall irrigation became common. Prior to that, the golf ball would roll for
women. After irrigation, the roll was gone, but the Forward Tees were left in the same
position. Poor placement of forward tees affects playability and the ability of the average
beginning woman to enjoy the game and have success and want to return.
Dye researched the distance that women hit the ball, and she noted that the average
woman does not his the ball farther than 130 yards simply because most women do not
have a great deal of upper body strength. Most men, Dye has said in the past, can hit a
drive 200 yards or more, even if they are not low handicap players.
When Forward Tees are placed ten to fifteen years in front of the Member Tees or
Championship Tees, a beginning woman player is faced with a very difficult challenge.
Every par four can play like a par five or six. The par fives can play like par sixes and
sevens, simply because of the length. Better placement of ladies’ tees solves this problem
and speeds up play for everyone.
Most men can reach a par four with two good shots, but if a Forward Tee on a far four is
placed at 400 yards, the average woman will never be able to reach that green in two
shots. In fact, it would take a very good woman player to reach it. For most men, this is
not the case. On heavily watered courses where there is minimal roll, Forward Te e
placement should be more than an afterthought.
By creating tee placements that are appropriate to the average woman’s game, courses
will be more user friendly. As women players improve, they can always more back a tee.
But having tees appropriate to a woman’s game encourages participation and gives
women an opportunity to have the same thrill of making a par or birdie that men have. It
will bring them back to the course.
There are many techniques for retaining hole strategies for Forward Tees, and the
ASGCA has information on how this can be achieved. It is available in easy to
understand poster form.
Communicating with women golfers
Barb Hanson, Corporate Golf Services
Barb sends a newsletter to women she introduces to the game. Women like to know what
is going on, and they like to learn more about the game. Here is sample content from a
recent Golf-Hers News:
Golf-Her's News™
Golf Tips For Women
Volume IV Issue 10 2005
In this issue:
• Golf-Her’s ™ Short Game
• Golf-Her’s ™ Tee Games
• Golf-Her’s ™ Gatherings 2006
• Golf-Her’s ™ Rules Tip
• Golf-Her’s ™ Etiquette Tip
Golf-Her’s™ Short Game
I am constantly amazed at the number of people who want desperately to improve their golf game, but
never work on that which would improve it the fastest – the short game. Think about it: a 2-foot putt is
worth the same number of strokes as a 200-yard drive. But how much time do we spend practicing our
short game? Not nearly enough. Women in particular can benefit greatly by improving their short game.
Most of us are never going to hit the ball far enough to save very many strokes. But we can all become
good enough to make almost everything inside 4 feet.
Chipping and pitching are just as important as putting. I’ve watched many people get very close to the
green in regulation or in one over regulation and then squander several more strokes finishing the hole.
Make “up & down” your goal. That means that when you’re close to the green, you’re going to get “up”
(on the green) and “down” (into the hole) in just 2 strokes. Then practice doing just that. Spend at least
half of your practice time around the green getting “up & down” from different situations. You’ll be glad
you did!
Questions? Contact me at [email protected].
Golf-Her’s ™ Tee Games
Have you ever played 6-6-6? It’s a fun way to play a friendly competition. Everyone in the foursome gets
paired with everyone else for 6 holes (or 3 holes if you’re just playing 9). You can score the game in a
number of ways. You can play hole by hole matching the total score of one pair of golfers against the
other, or you can take the better of the 2 scores for each team. In hole by hole scoring, a point is generally
given to each player with the better score. To make scoring even simpler, you can just compare best ball
totals after 6 holes before changing partners. This is a game where everyone cheers for everyone else
somewhere along the way!
To choose partners for the first 6 holes, drop all 4 golf balls on the ground. The two that are closest to each
other are partners. Or after everyone has hit their first drive, pair up the 2 balls that are closest to each
other.
WiGi
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Golf-Her’s ™ Gatherings
Watch for the schedule of “Golf-Her’s ™ Gatherings – 2006.” Each of these monthly golf gatherings
focuses on a different aspect of the game of golf and is designed to keep your game in shape through the
off-season. If your women’s group would like a fun and unique outing, I’ll design a special winter golf
event just for you.
Golf-Her’s ™ Rules Tip
What happens when you set your ball down on the green, remove your marker and then, inexplicably, your
ball moves? There is a point at which the movement of the ball is your fault, and that point is when you
have “addressed” the ball. What does that mean?
In the Rules of Golf, the definition of “addressing the ball” is this: “A player has addressed the ball when
he has taken his stance and has also grounded his club.”
So if you have “addressed the ball” and the ball moves, Rule 18-2b applies. “If a player’s ball in play
moves after he has addressed it…, the player is deemed to have moved the ball and incurs a penalty of one
stroke. The ball must be replaced….”
Last year, I heard about a major tournament that was held on a very windy day on a very exposed golf
course. Balls that were resting on the putting green were moving on a regular basis. Those players who
knew the rules were smart enough to NEVER address the ball. They would take their putting stance but
they wouldn’t ground their club. When the ball moved, it was considered an “act of God,” and the ball was
played as it lay.
For more rules situations, go to www.corporategolfservices.com and read other editions of “Golf-Her’s News.”
Golf-Her’s ™ Etiquette Tip
Pace of play is one of the most important aspects of the game of golf. It is essential that we work for a
good pace of play throughout a round of golf. One of the places where pace can slow down is in the
scoring of a hole after it’s been played. Scoring should always take place away from the green, on the way
to the next hole or at the next hole. However, tee shots on the next hole can (and should) be made even
before the scoring is complete. A foursome should never be standing at a tee waiting until all scores are
written down. Be the one who steps up and hits. Record scores while others are hitting.
Similarly, have you ever had to repeat your score several times until everyone hears it? It seems like that
happens more often when you’ve just had a bad score. “What did you have, Barb?” “Eleven.” “Hey,
Barb, I didn’t get your score from that last hole.” “I made 11.” “Did you say “seven?” “I said “Eleven.”
And on it goes.
When announcing your score, make sure the scorer is ready to receive the information and then say
something like this: “Barb scored 11.”
Keep play moving!!!
Golf etiquette is simply being considerate of others in all kinds of ways.
WiGi
Business Golf
Debbie Waitkus, CEO, Golf for Cause
My overall perspective is that golf, especially in Arizona, is an incredible connector. The
fact is, though, you don’t have to be good at it to leverage the game for business or
whatever your reason might be.
Instead of thinking of golf as 18 holes with a stellar A game, there are many different
ways to approach the game to be a part of that fold. We, as women, don’t need to use
golf for networking, but it’s an important for a tool to cross over with men and -- at the
same time – the men need to learn to cross over to forward the relationship on the course
and off the course.
As an example, I might be going into somebody’s office to discuss creative marketing
techniques, business outings and strategic planning incorporating golf as part of the goal
setting process. If someone is doing new business prospecting -- say you are a financial
planner and a golfer and you’re my client and I’m going to take you to play golf and
perhaps I’ll ask you to bring someone. Or maybe I am going after pension planning, and
I’ll bring that person from my company and you bring one from yours to create that
connection. You need to have an objective in mind. You have to ask why are we going to
play golf?
Another example is the Business and Professional Women’s Club, Phoenix Chapter.
They were looking to raise money for scholarships for women to go back into the
workplace and to do outreach. They talked to me about doing a fund-raising golf
tournament. We discussed their goals and put together a promotional event tournament at
ASU Karsten involving the business college grad students in planning and participating
through the sponsorships. The BPW covered the cost of entry for the students who
couldn’t afford to play.
To promote the tournament, we did a networking event with light instruction on the
practice tee. This was just after the British Open, and we did a chipping clinic --- bump
and run versus pitch shots and the differences between them. We had contests, two
different closest to the pin on the pitch shot. Then we put a box on the practice facility
and roll the ball along the ground and had closest to the target. Now, to add some fun,
they could buy mulligans, and that money went to the BPW foundations. For $5 they got
an extra shot.
Afterward, we went inside for an hour of networking where I did introductions, and
talked about balancing business and golf. Then the foundation BPW talked about what
the tournament was. We drew people out for the clinic and got them to sign up.
If they’ve met someone at the promotional event, they are more likely to go to the
tournament. We had four people sign up. They put a team together for the tournament
right on the spot.
WiGi
I also teach at the San Diego Golf Academy, and that group is mostly guys. The
interesting thing about that it is that these are guys working hard to get their handicaps to
a certain level. To this day, I shake them up when I tell them it’s not about their game,
it’s about their customer. It’s how to have their customer have the best day possible.
If I can get through to two or three in a class, that’s my way of trying to effect change.
WiGi
Travel
Pat Lang, Partner, Sunspirit Tours.
In 1978 I started Sunspirit Golf, a tour business, with a partner, Joyce Kazmierski of
Indianapolis, when she retired from the LPGA Tour.
We do domestic trips, and at least once a year, we go to Scotland and Ireland. We take
people with us and tend to have a really solid following, mostly through word of mouth.
We do 24 people. That is usually a target number.
Women’s Trips:
We just returned from Indianapolis where we took a group of women to the Solheim Cup.
After that we played the Lang Cup with 40 women. When the Solheim Cup was at St.
Andrews, we had as many as 48 for the Lang Cup afterward. We use the same format:
two ball, four ball and individual. We have uniforms, a bagpiper and opening ceremonies.
The whole purpose of it is to continue to give us variety in the trip and heighten the
awareness of the Solhiem event. It has become bigger and bigger every time. The more
support we can get for it, the better.
Mixed Trips:
Nothing’s different for men or women when it comes to our tours. Not the golf schools,
not the golf. When we put out an announcement that we are having a trip to Carmel,
unless we indicate women only, we never know who we are going to get. So we do the
same thing for everybody. It’s primarily a golf vacation with some instruction. When we
go oversees, there is not much instruction.
Normally what we do is set up a five-day trip with four rounds of golf and instruction if
they want it. Joyce and I will generally play with them, but we make all the arrangements
for golf, for the facilities, the room, the dinners. We have a welcome dinner and closing
dinner and tournament gifts and prizes. It’s a fun golf vacation, and they don’t have to
jump through hoops to make all the arrangements. We have 95% repeat business.
We generally email people and tell them where we are going next. In the US, our most
popular trips are Carmel and Sedona, AZ. We used to do some in Florida – Crystal River
– and Myrtle Beach --, but it was a long way for us, so we concentrate on things out here.
We have all kinds of golfers, from 30 handicappers to single-digit and scratch players.
We don’t care about what their handicaps are. They are there to have fun. When we do
trips, we want them to have an understanding of the how game is played so they can keep
up.
WiGi
If an individual has special needs, food, accommodations, we ask about that.
Mainly, we hope they make contact. With a golf swing, you’re bound to hit something.
One reason I go to Carmel is that I used to live there, so I have a lot of contacts and
friends. I know where to go, where people will enjoy themselves and want to return. We
also do trips to La Quinta, CA.
We have been going to Scotland for 14 years, and that makes it easy, because we have
contacts there now, too. We go once or twice a year, and it’s like going home.
We have a great time with our customers. It’s a way to bring them into the game.
When we go overseas, we also take golf professionals with us. We are able to offer them
LPGA and PGA educational credit points by creating programs on the history of golf.
Everyone gets a little different sense of how the game is handled in that country, and it’s
fun for them.
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The Golf Shop
Janan Huntsberry, Manufactureres’ Rep for Women’s Apparel
Women want to feel more comfortable in the golf shop.
Such things as a women's section with someone to help with sizes for both shoes and
clothing is great.
We also don't want to have to take our try on to the club locker room. A dressing room is
needed with a large mirror and good lighting. A chair should be provided for trying on
shoes. I find that most pro shops that are not exclusively private do not have these
facilities for women.
Clothing should be displayed so that things can be taken off the rack for try on. Many
times the one you want is the one on the model, and you just hate to ask to have
that taken off in case it doesn't fit.
Women want guarantees such as waterproof or comfort guarantee in shoes. Clothing
should be able to stand up to hard athletic wear, and wash well, with little or no ironing.
Good lighting is very important to women so they can see how the clothes look when
they try them on.
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Psychology
Dr. Bee Esptein –Shephard. Sports Psychologist, author, WIGI member
Books:
Mental Management for Great Golf: How to Control Your Thoughts and Play Out of
Your Mind.
Building Champions: A Guide for Parents of Junior Golfers.
Training Programs:
Mental Mastery for Great Golf—Manual and Audiocassettes
The Mind Power Technology Library-Manual and 12 CDs
What do women want?
Traditionally, men have both discussed this issue and made certain decisions without
actually consulting women.
When designing buildings for examp le we find public buildings haven’t been built with
adequate bathroom facilities for women. So often we see kitchens that are poorly
designed for the way work is actually done in them
While we are asking this for golf, I see evidence everywhere that women’s needs are not
considered when men make decisions.
It’s obvious that people rarely acknowledge the difference in how men and women
function. Golf professionals traditionally teach men and women the same way. Debbie
Steinbach’s teaching and books finally addresses the differences between men and
women—it’s about time.
Let’s look at what women want from a psychological and emotional perspective. Look at
the modern woman. While many women in their 60s or older might be quite happy with
the old order—Men’s Grills or private club memberships being in the man’s name for
example – the modern woman does not accept that.
Women want to be treated with respect and as equal -- but different -- from men, both in
the golf world and the world at large.
So what makes women comfortable? An environment that is both physically and
emotionally comfortable—one that was not obviously designed for men – makes women
comfortable. Just as men wouldn’t be comfortable in a pastel and frilly environment,
women are often uncomfortable in the dark massive wood and leather environment of
many clubhouses. They are even more uncomfortable in the pro shop where women are
diminished or ignored. This is demonstrated by displaying few women’s clothes and
equipment.
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Women want “equal time: on golf courses.
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They want women’s tees placed in a way that they have a chance to score.
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They want pro shops that recognize that women shop more than men.
•
They want to approached in a friendly way by all the staff at the golf course.
Designing unisex environments, greeting and treating women with the same welcome
afforded to men in the pro shop and other areas at the club or on the course goes a long
way to making women more comfortable in a golf environment.
In terms of the male and female approach to the game, women are concerned with
playing well. They are more prone to take lessons from professionals and less likely to
tinker with their swing on their own or read golf tips in Golf Digest. Women prefer
expert advice.
What drives most women nuts is their male playing partner giving them advice while
playing. It’s interesting that a woman can be a better player than the man, but he still
can’t resist giving advice.
You will not find many women betting. Men love to make up all kinds of complicated
betting games. It seems men try to enhance their manhood with golf while women are
more interested in the social aspects of the game and developing their expertise.
A big frustration for women is being treated in a condescend ing way by those in the “in”
group. The “in” group can be men in general, golf professionals, women golfers with a
low handicap or those in the golf industry generally.
It’s interesting that women have been accused of slow play, but research done timing
both men and women proves that men are the slower players.
To generalize and wrap it up in one sentence: Women want to be treated like intelligent
human beings who are interested in learning and playing golf.
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In summary:
Barb Hanson
I’m very fortunate. I belong to a golf club that is “woman- friendly.” Not all women can
say that. Being in the minority on the golf course, women sometimes feel intimidated,
ignored or unfairly maligned. Women, however, are an important segment of the golfing
population – both economically and socially.
What is it that makes a golf facility truly “woman- friendly?” The answer is really quite
simple: Being treated the SAME as any other member – no better, no worse, no
different.
Women should have the SAME access to tee times.
Except for pre-scheduled leagues (both men’s and women’s), women should be
able to make a tee time on any day at any time. This is particularly important
when trying to arrange a golf game with a guest, a client or a business associate.
Women should have the SAME access to all teeing grounds .
In most cases I choose the forward tees or the next set back, but I should have the
choice of any set of tees that is suitable for my ability. There should be hole-byhole handicapping for women (different from the men’s), and there should be a
course rating for each set of tees so that I can post a true score.
Women should have the SAME amenities at all teeing grounds.
I have played courses where there wasn’t even a hole number on the tees that I
was playing. I couldn’t be sure if I was even on the right hole! Basic signage and
amenities should be available to all. That includes things like ball washers,
benches, water and directional signage.
Women should have the SAME par and re latively the same hole.
It’s quite obvious when forward tees have been added as an afterthought or
moved for some reason without regard to the design of the hole. The tees may be
found way off to the side, a hundred or more yards forward, or they may even be
mowed right into the fairway. A hole should play at the same par with a similar
feel from any teeing ground.
Women should have the SAME locker room facilities & associated amenities.
Perhaps a women’s locker room isn’t as heavily used as the men’s; however,
women should have the same access to services (such as shoe repair), and there
should be similar types of personal items available to everyone.
Women should have the SAME league, event and tournament opportunities.
Both men and women should have the opportunity to play in a club event whether
it is organized as a mixed-gender team event, men’s and women’s divisions, or as
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separate tournaments (i.e. Club Championships). Likewise, league opportunities
should be available to all.
Being a “woman-friendly” golf course needn’t involve anything more than incorporating
the practices of fairness and inclusiveness on a daily basis. As women choose a golf
course to play, a “woman- friendly” atmosphere will most certainly be a deciding factor.
Copies of this document are available by email. WIGI
anticipates adding more information and examples
over time as additional women share their how to
advice for creating welcoming environments for
women golfers.
Request from: [email protected]
What Women Want – from Golf © 2005 WIGI