A sport for all
Golf stands apart from other sports in many ways, but perhaps most markedly in the fact it can be enjoyed by people of all backgrounds, races, ages and genders, and both the able-bodied and disabled. No other sport offers the same potential for inclusivity, but the reality is that golf is dominated by middle-class, middle-aged white men.
If you fall outside of that socio-economic group then I can see how unwelcoming the sport has the potential to be. I don’t believe the reality is as bad as perception, but that’s easy for me to say as a middle-class white man who turns 50 next month.
Golf Monthly always seeks to promote inclusivity and diversity and we have written many times before about our desire for the game to reach out to the underrepresented categories and welcome them to a sport that offers so many benefits. Until now, our focus has tended to be around women and juniors – and there are many great initiatives that are promoting greater engagement and participation from these two groups. But what about racial diversity within golf?
The subject of racism and inclusivity is of course very much in focus with the Black Lives Matter movement, in all spheres of life. In 35 years playing the game, racism is not something I have personally witnessed, but I have no doubt the problem exists in golf, as of course it does in wider society.
Indeed, over the past few weeks, I have been contacted by a number of golfers from black and minority ethnic groups who have shared their experiences of prejudice within the game at grassroots level. The stories were deeply distressing. How wide the problem of racism in golf is I honestly don’t know, but now seems the right time to highlight the issue and I pledge that this won’t be a one-off mention.
In his column on page 122, editor-at-large Bill Elliott shares his views on the issue of race and golf based on decades of covering a sport where arguably the greatest golfer to play the game is non-white, but representation of black and minority groups at the top level is woefully thin on the ground.
Looking further forward, Golf Monthly will be seeking to produce a bigger report-style feature once we have had the opportunity to research the topic in-depth and speak to golfers and governing bodies alike. I’d welcome anyone who has experiences to share to get in touch with me at the email address above.