Making Strides In Women’s Golf

by: Alison King

With close to 6 million Canadians playing every year, golf is one of the most popular sports in our country. No wonder – golf is a social game, provides great exercise, takes place in beautiful outdoor settings, can be a useful business tool and most of all, is fun.

Women are becoming an increasingly important segment of the golf population; a recent Ipsos Reid survey on golf participation in Canada showed that 29% of golfers are female. However, the same survey highlighted some reasons why that number isn’t as high as it could be.

Both male and female non-golfers indicated that the price of golf and the time it takes to play a round were barriers to the game. Women identified additional factors that would encourage them to play, including having a regular playing partner, access to instruction and more flexible ways to play. More than 33% of women who don’t golf said they would be more likely to play if golf were less intimidating.

Although the industry has moved forward in recent years to become more welcoming to women, the fact that many of us feel intimidated on the course seems unavoidable, particularly for novice golfers.

Fortunately, the Royal Canadian Golf Association (RCGA) has recognized those issues and developed a program specifically designed for women golfers. If you are looking for a fun activity for you and your friends, like to play golf but don’t always have the time for 18 holes or just want to learn the basics of the game, Golf Strides for Women may be for you.

Posted in: Health