Golf is a technical game that sees many Australians participating for a number of reasons including social interaction, competition, exercise and the enjoyment of being outdoors. Golf Australia has identified a gradually decreasing number of females participating in their typically male dominated game. The Australian Sports Commission (ASC) and Golf Australia are currently working together to engage more women in all aspects of golf. Golf is a fun and engaging game which currently sees over 400,000* Australians having a golf club membership. Research has shown that females are significantly underrepresented, making up approximately 22%* of all memberships. As part of Golf Australia s current participation plan, they have identified a need to take a greater leadership role in ensuring effective engagement with the female market to lead sustainable growth in participation across the sport. Golf Australia CEO, Stephen Pitt says, “Women’s golf is a key pillar for progress. We want to see more women and more girls engaged with the game, whether that s socially to begin with and leading to club membership in the future or as simple as beginner golf lessons or time on the driving range. We have decided to make a strategic move and amp up the attention to encourage the participation of women in our wonderful sport.” “There are a lot of terrific reasons for women to be involved in golf and those that are speak highly of the friendships they have and the lifestyle and health benefits of the sport. Work has been done in this sphere previously but we want to take this further and have a more strategic approach,” Pitt says. To implement the plan and develop a strategic way to engage women, Golf Australia has set up an action group with representatives from Professional Golfers Association (PGA), Australian Ladies Professional Golf (ALPG), Golf Australia board members, golf clubs, the ASC, state bodies and Tennis Australia. Through the diverse action group, Golf Australia hopes to execute positive outcomes which meet the needs of the female markets to ensure sustainable growth. * Statistics from the Annual Membership Census carried out by Golf Australia, 2012.
Author: Australian Sports Commission / Golf Australia