Rejoice! Ladies golf participation is on the rise in the UK
Just when we were all getting worried that participation in women’s golf was dwindling, some new data is released to reveal it is in fact on the up in the UK. And how!
Clubs up and down the country have been introducing programmes to encourage women and girls to take up the sport after it was revealed that just 12-13 per cent of members of the average golf club in the UK are women, as well as campaigns such as This Girl Golfs and Girls Golf Rocks.
And the new data, released by HowDidiDo, suggests that efforts are paying off.
The company – which is the largest network of golfers anywhere in the world – reports that female members of golf clubs have increased by almost 17 per cent since the start of the year.
“There are no definitive figures available for such things,” said HowDidiDo spokesman Barry Dyett.
“But with HowDidiDo providing official CONGU handicapping and retaining competition results for more than 1,800 golf clubs, it’s fair to say the data is the most indicative available.
“And what it does illustrate is that recent initiatives to increase participation among lady golfers are starting to pay dividends. It is a long process, of course, but there appear to be green shoots of progress. What surprised me personally was that while lady golfers make up more than 14% of the golfers in our system, they are playing so many more competitions.
“Surely this indicates the enthusiasm is already there among club members – we now need to encourage more transient golfers and juniors to become club members. And that process seems to be underway.”
And what better way to get young girls into the sport than through role models like Georgia Hall?
Earlier this month, the 22-year-old became the first English winner of the British Open since Karen Stupples in 2004.
Georgia Hall has left the media centre and it seems she was a popular winner! @georgiahall96 @RICOHWomensBrit #RWBO pic.twitter.com/2BrktWS3dN
— Ladies European Tour (@LETgolf) August 5, 2018
With Hall alongside compatriot Charley Hull leading the British charge on the world stage, the exciting duo will no doubt be inspiring a young generation of girls across Britain to pick up a set of clubs and give the game a try.
Combined with new initiatives at club level, the recent increase in women’s participation could be set to continue.
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