There’snobetter time for a Royal seal of approval
CREDIT to the R&A for leading change with their Women’s Golf Charter, unveiled last week in a lavish publicity event in London’s Shard skyscraper.
But as laudable as their promise to invest £80million over the next 10 years to increase female involvement in golf may be, the initiative must be given backing from rank-and-file clubs to governing bodies.
It’s hard to put a finger on precisely how this charter is going to make a significant, tangible difference to the number of women taking up golf.
R&A chief Martin Slumbers can encourage clubs to embrace the “fundamental change” in culture he believes is needed to make golf more welcoming to women. But he can’t force them to do it.
Sadly many of the posh clubs that persist with the men-only membership policy have no need to change their ways. Their exclusive status ensures there will always be a lengthy waiting list of wealthy members desperate to get in.
Aside from Open venues like Muirfield, stripped of its status on the rota until female members are permitted, the R&A have little power over the rest to change their ways.
But if and when the R&A do succeed in opening more club gates to women the real trick will be encouraging the ladies to walk through them. At the moment golf doesn’t hold much appeal to young girls because they can’t connect with it.
Sure there are amazing players on the LPGA Tour. Problem is, though, not enough girls look in that direction.
If golf wants to cast its net wider it needs to broaden its roster of star attractions to reel in the younger generation.
If you don’t live in a cave, you’ll be familiar with Cameron Diaz, Jessica Alba, Nicole Kidman, Catherine Zeta-Jones and Kelly Rohrbach. What you probably don’t know is they all play golf.
Just last year actress and Sports Illustrated swimsuit model Rohrbach competed in the Dunhill Links at St Andrews.
What a powerful positive message these Hollywood stars could project. But there’s another potential ace up the sleeve to consider – a Royal seal of approval.
In 2015 when Princess Anne was among the first intake of honorary female members to join the Royal And Ancient Golf Club, I said at the time they’d appointed the wrong Royal.
It should have been Kate Middleton – who studied at St Andrews
She met her Prince in the Auld Grey Toon known as the home of golf
University and met her Prince in the Auld Grey Toon known and loved worldwide as the home of golf.
With her connection to the place there’s a decent chance she might have accepted.
Her ability to command front pages across the globe, and the fashion trends she can kickstart, offers phenomenal potential.
Now we’ve got a new girl on the scene with even more celebrity appeal in the shape of actress Meghan Markle, now the Countess of Dumbarton.
Maybe she could be persuaded to reinforce her new-found Scottish connection by supporting a sport that the nation gave to the world? OUR TOP WRITERS GIVE THEIR FEARLESS VERDICTS EVERY DAY IN RECORD SPORT