With England's female footballers recently winning the European final against Germany, women's sport has been receiving more attention than ever before. Nowadays, women are participating and competing in a wide variety of sports that were once dominated by males. But are more women playing golf?
Do a lot of women play golf?
Short answer: yes! As with many other sports, the golf demographic in the UK is changing and golf is becoming a much more popular choice for women.
One of the main reasons why we've seen such a dramatic shift in the golf demographic in recent years is the COVID-19 pandemic. More than 1.5 million ladies played a round of golf back in 2020, in part because golf was one of the first outdoor activities that people could participate in as lockdown restrictions began to ease. With fewer sports on offer, golf became an attractive option, and many women who hadn't previously experienced the sport were keen to give it a go.
Before the pandemic, the percentage of UK women playing golf was only 12 to 14%. Since the pandemic, however, this figure has risen to an astonishing 28%. Also, 95% of the women who started playing golf back in 2020 said they planned to continue. So once women start swinging that club, they're quite likely to catch the golf bug!
Why weren't women playing golf before?
Rules and regulations
Sadly, there are lots of different factors that have made it difficult for women to play golf in the past. For many years, golf clubs kept their courses free of women by enforcing a men-only rule. In fact, it was only a few years ago that Muirfield Golf Club was caught up in a heated sexism row after it refused to overturn the rule that had been in place for over 200 years. The media attention that this scandal attracted really shone a light on discrimination against women in the golfing world, and Muirfield Golf Club ultimately voted to allow female members in March 2017.
The cost of golf
Alongside outdated rules and regulations, the cost of playing golf has also been a major factor that's kept both women and men from taking up the sport in the past. When you add up the cost of club membership fees, lessons, equipment, and clothing, you can be looking at hundreds of pounds to get yourself started on the golf course. Nowadays, clubs are making golf more financially accessible to everyone by scrapping joining fees, lowering membership prices, and hosting free taster days.
Why is golf an appealing sport for women?
We spoke to a lady who has recently taken up golf to find out what attracted her to the sport. Take a look at what she had to say...
"I am a middle-aged woman who wanted to take up a new hobby that would help me build lasting and meaningful relationships with my family & other golfers. I wanted to play a sport where there would be minimal risk of injury, but I still wanted to build my fitness level over time. Golf was very appealing because it's a social sport & it involves gentle exercise - while still being challenging!"
"I didn't want to be part of a team, or play a team sport, because I was worried that my inexperience would impact the performance of a well-established team. Luckily, golf is an independent sport, so it didn't matter too much if I wasn't a golf superstar right off the bat! Golf allows me to focus on me and my game, without the pressure of playing alongside a team."
"Having said that, I was attracted to playing golf because I knew it would provide me with an opportunity to meet others, play with different people, and have a laugh when I miss the ball or hit it the wrong way!"
"I have been with my partner for 30 years and golf provides us with a great opportunity to bond over a shared interest. My partner and I now play golf together at home, go on holiday to play golf together, and go with friends."
"I feel like I've benefitted from playing golf in so many ways, and I'd definitely recommend women of all ages and abilities to give it a go!"
Female golfers are building lifelong relationships
Nowadays, golf clubs are very open and inclusive, meaning women can go there and build lifelong relationships. We've heard stories of women playing golf in their late fifties and still meeting with their golf friends late into their eighties and nineties!
There are a lot of women's groups & women-only lessons at golf courses, providing women with the perfect opportunity to meet new people while perfecting their skills on the golf course.
If you want to, you can even take one of your girlfriends along to the golf course to play alongside you as your 'golf buddy'. Having someone you're already friends with play alongside you can provide you with the confidence you need to go back time and time again.
In addition, you might enjoy taking their children or grandchildren to the golf course - because it's a wonderful place for people of all ages and abilities to play together!
Why choose gimmeballs?
Here at gimmeballs, you can buy premium golf balls at low prices. So whether you're a seasoned female golfer or you're stepping on to the golf course for the very first time, we'll help you get the most out of your golf experience.
If you want to stand out of the golf course, we can even personalise your golf balls with a logo or photograph. We offer golf balls in a variety of different colours including peach, mint green and soft yellow. Whatever your design and colour preferences are, we're sure you'll find a huge selection of golf balls to suit your needs.
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