Golf Digest over the last couple of months has addressed the issue of the gender gap and the treatment of women who play golf. When I played the LPGA Tour I was treated with respect by most golfers but when I left the Tour, I started to understand the gender issues that women face playing golf on a regular basis because I experienced them myself. Some of the issues where articulated in the May 2012 issue of Golf Digest. Here are a couple of quotes from that article. One lady wrote, “I continue to endure looks of disdain, whispers and worse when I take the tee in a mixed foursome.” Another wrote, “My sister and I are above-average golfers, but we found the initial treatment by our male playing partners was often standoffish. Once it was apparent that we played fast, the reception warmed. Still, the assumption that women are “slow” was ever-present.” Another comment was “…it’s not uncommon for a guy to tell me on the first tee: “You’d better not slow us down.” I write these comments not to male bash, but to bring out into the forefront the issue that women DO FEEL INTIMIDATED on the golf course and the whole golfing industry by our male counterparts. How do we deal with that kind of treatment as women? From my experience, the answer comes down to EMPOWERING women through education, helping women find CONFIDENCE about themselves and their golf games and bringing HOPE back to women that they can play golf well and enjoy their experience. That has been my goal in doing the Moxie Golf Academy and the SIMPLY PLAY SIMPLY events. I don’t expect that the gender issues will disappear anytime soon in the golf industry, but we as women can work on ourselves to be able to stand up under any treatment we receive and still move forward in our golfing experience. I don’t want women to take on the victim role because of treatment they receive but to take responsibility for themselves and face this issue head-on by feeling EMPOWERED, CONFIDENT and filled with HOPE. The Moxie Golf Academy and SIMPLY PLAY SIMPLY events are a way to bring FREEDOM from the gender issues to each woman in her golfing experience. Join us for one of our events and find that empowerment, confidence and hope that will bring freedom from the gender issues in your golfing experience.
