Constraints Women Face in Golf and Long-Term Growth Strategies

Abstract

Even though the game of golf is experiencing unprecedented popularlity, especially in terms of viewership, participatory golf has run into some difficulty. The industry is currently undergoing a "churning effect," whereby players are leaving nearly as quicly as they enter. This effect appears to be especially prevalent among women. This study examines some of the underlying issues facing women and some approaches managers should take in improving and sustaining their participation. We examine interviews from eight golf professionals as well as transcripts from ten female participants to dtermine the reasons women not only leve golf, but more importantly, why they stay. In the final section, we look at some different strategies that managers and marketers might consider in keeping women involved.