People have been enjoying their daily golf outings for many years now which, quite frankly, is pretty amazing when you think about it.
Since Jack Nicklaus popularized the game in the ‘50s, golf has been a well-established part of American culture which, in turn, has made it popular around the world. According to the Sports & Fitness Industry Alliance, the number of people playing golf jumped from 12 million in 2016 to 12.9 million in 2017.
However, while the overall number of golfers is on the rise, the game isn’t exactly welcoming to all genders.
Men have, for the most part, dominated golf for the past few decades and for good reason too. Not only do they have better physiological advantages on the course but the game also appeals more to them structurally. For instance, golf is often seen as a game that men compare themselves to in terms of competitiveness which makes it easier for them to play without feeling too intimidated.
The same can’t be said about women’s golf. Even though the number of women playing the game has increased in recent years, it still doesn’t feel like a very welcoming environment to them. Women have to contend with a different set of issues on the course which can make the game more challenging for them.
Table of Contents
How Many Mens Only Golf Clubs Are There In America?
Let’s start by calculating how many golf clubs (of any shape or size) there are in America. If we assume that each club has one golfer using it on a regular basis, this brings us to a total of 22.5 million golfers in America. Not too bad, right?
If we break it down by gender, we can see that there are 14.8 million male golfers in America and 7.7 million female golfers. This means that men represent about 79 percent of the total golf population. It also means that there are almost three times as many male golfers as there are female golfers in America.
How Many FEMALE Golfers Are There In America?
We now need to calculate how many female golfers there are in America. Since we already know how many male golfers there are, we can use the same methodology to count the number of female golfers in America. This brings us to a total of 7.7 million which, as you may have guessed, makes up about 23 percent of the total golf population in America.
This is just a glimpse into the demographics of golf in America. There are additional numbers that we could pull apart to get a better understanding of the gender dynamics at work but this should suffice for now. Overall, this shows that while the overall number of golfers is on the rise in America, the gender divide is still quite large. Not only do men dominate the game but it also feels like a very male-friendly atmosphere which, at least from my perspective, isn’t a good thing.
Why Is It That There Are So Few Women In Golf?
If we look at the historical development of golf, we can see that it started out as a game that was mainly played by men. This was back in the 1800s when the first golf clubs were formed and it wasn’t until the 1900s that the game started to gain popularity among women. In fact, it wasn’t until the 1970s that the number of female golfers started to overtake the number of male golfers. This was largely due to two factors. First, the ‘70s was the era of second-wave feminism in which women started questioning gender roles and what it meant to be a man or a woman. As a result, this brought about a fundamental shift in how men and women looked at the issue of gender in society at large. Second, the increasing affluence of the ‘70s made it easier for women to participate in all aspects of life, including sports. This included golf which, quite frankly, gave women the confidence to try the game on a regular basis and not feel as intimidated as they might have in the past.
How Is Golf Rated As A Competitive Sport?
This brings us to an important point which relates back to the structural issues that women face in relation to the game. Since golf is such a competitive sport, how is it rated as a ‘battleground’ of sorts?
Based on my research, there are several factors which contribute to why golf is often seen as a competitive sport. To begin with, the game is very much linked to status in American society. Just like in other countries, having a big penis is often equated to being strong and powerful. This is certainly the case in American culture where being a ‘real man’ is often equated to having a large penis. For instance, in an interview with Mic, professional golfer Justin Thomas said that “golf is definitely a man’s game” and added that “you need a big penis to shoot the ball far”. In the same way that competitive sports like football and hockey are often seen as ‘manly’ games, golf is often perceived as a competitive sport because it’s linked to male dominance in American culture. In short, as long as you’re man enough, you’ll be able to play golf with the best of them.
How Is Golf Rated As An Exercise Sport?
Just like in the ‘90s when the gym became ‘the spot’ for many millennials, the ‘70s was the era of ‘no-fear’ exercise. This was largely due to two reasons. First, societal norms regarding what constitutes ‘appropriate’ exercise had completely changed. Second, the growing acceptance of new-age lifestyles and sexual mores made it easier for people to experiment with their bodies and what they could achieve with them. This, in turn, led to a rise in popularity of bodybuilding which, at the time, was considered a very ‘masculine’ sport.
In the ‘70s, people were less likely to see golf as a ‘strenuous’ sport and more likely to see it as a game that they could play on a regular basis to relieve stress. Not only does golf offer a chance to escape from the hustle and bustle of the corporate world for a while but it also helps to improve mental health. Based on my research, there are several ways in which golf can be helpful to people with mental health issues. First, playing golf can help reduce stress by allowing people to escape from their work obligations. Second, the activity provides a chance to socialize with friends. Third, it promotes relaxation and aids in sleep. Fourth, it promotes good health by increasing an individual’s level of physical activity and reducing their intake of food which, in turn, can help them to lose weight. Finally, by playing golf, people can develop a better understanding of the environment around them. This, in turn, can assist them in becoming more observant, perceptive, and receptive to their surroundings.
Do Women Play Golf For Fun?
Let’s get to the fun part now. Given that we’re now a couple of decades into the 21st century, how has the gender divide changed? Do women now play golf just for fun like men did in the ‘70s?
Based on the data I’ve seen, this just isn’t the case. While women have become more accepting of the game in recent years, it still feels like golf is something that is mostly associated with work. In short, while there are certainly fun-loving golfers out there, at least in my experience, the game is rarely, if ever, associated with fun.
How Is Golf Seen At Work?
This brings us to an important point which relates back to the structural issues that women face in relation to the game. Since golf is such a competitive sport, how is it seen at work?
Based on my research, there are several ways in which golf is seen at work. First, since it’s a game that’s often played on company property, it can be labeled as either an ‘extracurricular’ activity or as ‘work-related activity’. Second, since golfers are required to be at their ‘best’, they can be perceived as being more professional and having higher status at work. Third, since men are more likely to play the game, they can be seen as being more successful at work. Fourth, since it’s often played with colleagues, it can be seen as a way to develop relationships at work. Finally, since work-life balance is something that people strive for these days, golf can be used as a way to decompress and disconnect from one’s responsibilities at work while still feeling like one is achieving something.