Call me sexist, but there are too many men in golf.
A recent survey by the Club Managers Association of Europe found that 92% of club managers are male. Although this is only an indicative figure, it hints at what everyone in the golf industry knows – this is a male dominated business.
This was evident at the KPMG Golf Business Forum in Ireland in 2008, an excellent event at which I was privileged to be invited to speak. However, besides the conference's moderator, there was only one female executive on a long list of speakers – Sandra Ruttle, a director of Cape Verde Development.
Having spent the past 12 years searching and recruiting executives for a variety of board level roles, many in financial services, I find it hard to fathom why there are so few female executives and senior managers in golf.
It is a fact that women on average achieve higher grades at school and university. They are decisive in business and are extremely effective in sales and marketing roles as well as in general management. They also give a sense of balance to a male dominated world.
I believe that there is a rich source of excellence to expand the talent pool by drawing on female executives from around the world who are more than capable of meeting the new demands of the top management positions.
So it was heartening to also read in the CMAE's research that in Sweden 45% of club managers are female. Sadly, this is the exception rather than the norm.
Golf needs to take a long look at itself and the way it recruits managers at all levels. In more ways than one, the golf business approach has been too much 'Jobs for the boys.'
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Posted by: Ladiesontour Organisation: Ladiesontour.com Date posted: Tue 28th Apr 2009 07:40 amI think there are a number of answers to this predicament. If we look at the traditional member clubs in the UK then much of the administration is made up of early retirement executives. This isn't a market in which ladies generally get a look in - indeed in many clubs they are still treated like second class citizens, with limited tee times, governed by a committee of men. Interestingly almost all the committees that decide upon employment in a golf reosrt or club are guys! In retail, there are many ladies becoming involved in establishing small businesses (some very successfully), and the same goes for fitness and PR....but in other areas of golf industry there is a distinct lack of female involvement. I have to say, I am in CMM's camp here and strongly believe that greater female involvement in senior positions throughout the golf industry is not just important but in my opinion crucial. Females bring a different set of skills to those offered by men much of which is very pertinent to all businesses throughout all industries but especially golf. It's an interesting debate which should attract more traffic...what do you think?
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Posted by: Gill Wilson Organisation: First Golf Date posted: Sun 29th Mar 2009 09:13 pmWhy does the golf industry need more women? Two main reasons - in emerging markets because they influence the purchasing power where real estate and leisure resorts are concerned - if they have a family they won't buy if there are not sufficient facilities to engage a wide range of interests and secondly for the UK market because once the traditional male golfer falls off his perch there is no longer a waiting list to replace him - we must wake up to the fact that the game needs to grow more at grass roots with accessible and affordable golf to attract the family - and there is no better way of penetrating this market than through women. But to do this, you have to know how a woman ticks!