Women on the Tee is

A Celebration of Womens Golf

Women on the Tee provides an insight in to what Women have and continue to achieve in Womens Amatuer Golf in the UK and an insight into what is possible with access and support of Women in Golf.
The R&A participation report demonstrates womens participation in Golf around the World, outside of the US, where the USGA are the governing body.
In the 2023 report, the results show that Germany has the highest population of female golfers, with 229,593 women, representing 36% of the golf population, with Korea having the highest percentage of female golfers at 45%.
The numbers are a reflection on Womens ability to access Golf courses and facilities, barriers to growth in UK and Australian markets, due to the historical traditions and club rules in the golf culture of these nations.

Link to R&A Participation Report 2023 HERE
While 10-12% of golf club members being women in the UK is low, this is not a reflection on the level of patricipation or commitment to golf, by female golfers, who today are mostly women 55 and over, whos career or home making roles have changed as they retire, move to part time roles or their children have left home, giving them more time to particpate both on the course and in voluntary positions within golf clubs, counties, associations & societies.
Women Golfers are and historically have been self organising and self funding, creating a rich and extensive womens golf experience within the access they have been permitted to Golf Courses and Facilities, as we can see from the figures in other countries, Golf is a sport of interest and suited to Women, it is about giving them access and support to grow and the participtaion levels in the UK  will increase.
Women on the Tee is a place to learn about Womens Golf:
  • it history
  • its value

and importantly, Womens Golfs potential to offer many benefits to any and all involved as a

  • participant
  • volunteer organiser
  • professional career
Womens Sport
Womens participation in Sport, including Golf is a primary focus for governments and sporting bodies around the World, today.
Studies show, that individuals who participate in sport, live longer and their quality of life is enhanced by their physical and mental wellness developed through participating in sport and their burden on health and social care systems are lower than those who are less physically active.
With an acknowledgement that in order to ensure women and girls maintain a physical and mentally healthy lifestyle throughout their lives, we need to understand the barriers to participation and remove them, making access to sport easier.
A recent report, “Active women, healthy lives: Understanding barriers to women’s participation in physical activity November 2024” from Vitality Insurance and Stylist Magazine Strong Women Team, was discussed Miranda Larbi, Editor of Stylist’s health and fitness platform Strong Women, a panel of experts including Gabby Logan, Sharmadean Reid, Baz Moffat and Dr Katie Tryon, discuss report and the challenges that women face when it comes to moving more and exercising.
Womens Golf has a role to play in womens participation in sport, as a life long sport, a sport to dip in and out when time and opportunity arises or a competitive sport that keeps women competitive after their amateur or professional career in other sports comes to an end.
The beauty of Golf is that it offers the opportunity to  consume Golf in many forms and provides many benefits for everyone involved in the game, from participation, to organising to a professional career providing, Golf provides many physical and mental health benefits.
Golf provides 4 key benefit areas to Women:

Competitive Sport

Many women play golf to satisfy their competitive gene, they look to be the best player they can be, participate in club, county, national and seek out other playing opportunities offered by other organisations creating and delivering womens golf competitions.
While competition is the primary reason for this cohort of women of all handicap ranges, to participate in golf, they enjoy the community within a club environment, participate in all womens events and support the club competitive and friendly teams, many represent their club, county or nation and have supported golf through volunteering on club and other organising committees and groups.
Golf provides the opportunity for competitive women to remain so throughout their life and as such is a sport many return to or enter in later life after their career, their time playing competitive in other sports, the value of golf should not be underestimated for this cohort of women.

Pastime

For many golf is a healthy social pastime, which is focused around being part of a community of women, who met weekly to socialise and play golf.
Central to the golf experience for this cohort of social women golfers, is their enjoyment in the social, fun and competitive nature of golf, the outdoor environment they play in each week, the opportunity to play in friendly competitive matches & events, the opportunity to plan for and go on golf trips and holidays with friends and meet new people along the way.
Social golfers spend time on improving their game to maximise their enjoyment on the course, they enjoy the compwetitive elemtn of golf, but their primary driver is being part of a healthy and happy community of women who enjoy the outdoors and they will play in ALL weathers.

Therapy

Golfers enjoy the many different benefits of golf, from being in an outdoor environment with nature, with the only distractions being the different species of wildlife and birdlife that inhabit the areas in and around courses, to the meditative focus needed to play each shot, if you let life outside in when you are looking to play your shot, then the chances are it may not be as good as it could be…
The benefits of Golf are being recognised as having therapeutic benefits to individuals with different chronic illness which impact them physically, cognitively or mentally.
Recent research from the R&A, working with St Andrews University and local GP’s in Scotland, have demonstrated the positive value of golf on individuals with depression and loneliness.
A larger study and initiative from Golf In Society, a social enterprise, working with Sheffield Hallam University and Sport for Confidence, they have published a body or research HERE and have developed a program for individuals with dementia and have engaged golf clubs and charities to deliver the programs across the UK and will launch their first international program in Germany in 2025.

Purpose

The value of Golf to women is multi-faceted, with purpose at its core.
Walk in to any golf club across the World with a Womens section and you will find a committed group of women where golf is the primary purpose of their own lives and they organise their non-golf life and responsibilities around their annual golf diary.
Womens sections are mostly self organising and self funding committees and groups, that organise  an annual diary of weekly, monthly and annual competitions and social events, on and off the course, teams of women playing in friendly and competitive matches and competitions against other clubs in their area and beyond, within each section there will be individuals who choose to add to their club experience through participating in events across their county, country or internationally either competitively or socially.
Women have been creating, developing and delivering the womens golf experience since women first got organised in 1893, and have done so within access they have been given to golf facilities, courses and clubhouses.
The experience for women participating in Golf on and off the course provides a sense of belonging to a community and purpose in an environment where they can enjoy the benefits of sport, nature, social interaction and competitive events with like minded women.
The Womens Golf Experience
The current womens golf experience is rich and extensive and predominantly Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm, which has come about due to the access women have historically been given to golf courses and the Women who have been able to take advantage of this access, which are mostly women 50 who have free time due to family commitments being reduced when children have left home, working part time or having retired from their careers.
When looking at attracting and retaining women and girls in golf, understanding where womens golf is today, the evolution of the golf experience available to women today and why using this as a foundation for growth alongside the global, national, local and club initiatives both on and off courses is key to the future of women and girls golf.
Women on the Tee provides insight and background in to
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