Q: What are the biggest challenges when it comes to growing women’s golf?
A: I would say that as much as COVID has been a catalyst for the game, it has also presented challenges for growing the game for women. I say that respectfully because I understand the business models of the courses. BC Golf is not in control of how programs run at courses. With COVID, women’s clubs and leagues were often the first things to go. And those things are really important for women to find their place to play and to have it consistently. Men are fortunate in that they already have their golfing buddies. They can put their foursomes together. More men are members of private courses and can still have their men’s nights. I understand why public courses in different places had to say this is just going to be first-come, first serve, but we did unfortunately see a reduction in women’s nights. And it became really hard. Women were saying, where can we get a tee time?
Q: What changes would you like to see that would help grow the number of women playing golf?
A: We have to understand what tags the interest of women in order to communicate at the right level with them. We have to be very purposeful. Most of the women I play with unfortunately are not members of Golf Canada. And I think that is because they have never been told what the benefits are. The main benefit for many is that you get a handicap, but having a sanctioned handicap is not a driving factor for many women. But once I explain to them that membership also got me insurance, or club replacement insurance, and had other benefits attached to it, that’s when they are like, oh really. I’d also like to see provincial associations and Golf Canada support commercial models like Golf and Tacos and Iron Lady that are helping to grow the women’s game. Let’s ask them what they need from us to help them grow. I really believe it is not duplicating efforts. It is championing those who are doing something well and then finding how we get their message out because they have already got the niche.
Q: In your role as Senior Manager, Sport Hosting with the City of Vancouver, you interact with many different sport bodies. How would you equate the progress of golf, as a sport overall and BC Golf in particular, relative to gender equity?
A: I am really proud of BC Golf compared to some of our other PSOs. I am proud to say we have been proactive as far as looking at and reflecting on the issue for the last four years. So we can lead from the front to share those best practices. I don’t think we’re done. We have done the reflection phase, I think we have done some of the dialogue phase in order for us to understand what we could be doing better. COVID has limited us in what we can do in the action phase in implementing what some of those tactics might be. But I am really happy and excited to see where we are at with the dialogue phase. . .It’s not about moving mountains to start, it’s about moving the pebbles out of the way so we can get to the mountains..
North American Golf Innovation Symposium conference in Vancouver from 2017.
The BC Golf board discussing the diversity of its make-up reflecting the efforts to address diversity and inclusion in the game. From L-R: Patrick Kelly, Helen Jung, Jasvinder Dhaliwal, Michelle Collens, Kris Jonasson.