What Women Want

5/21/2018 What Women Want

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What Women Want -- From Golf&

How You Can Make More Money When Women Become Your Customers

Introduction:

According to research by a number of golf organizations, womenmake a significant contribution to the economics of golf, and if

encouraged to stay in the game or take up the game, could spend

more. This should be of interest to every course operator, but ifthe women we know are any guide, it isnt.

Many not allcourse owners still remain entrenched in practices

of the past. However, for those who would now like have womenas Best Customers, Women in The Golf Industry (WIGI) has

summarized the on-the-ground actions and activities of ourmembers and women who have been successful encouraging more

play.

We call it: What Women Want - From Golf


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Contents:

I ndustry Research on the Economic Contr ibution of Women Players Page 2

Signi fi cance of The Woman Fr iendly Environment Page 10

I ntr oducing Women to The Game Page 11BarbHanson, President, Corporate Golf Services,

Secretary/ Newsletters WIGI

Debbie Waitkuse, CEO, Golf for Cause,

Corr esponding Secretary WIGI

Thursday Time for Nine

Nine and Wine

Family L inks

Chri s Lovri ne, FLOG Learni ng Center, M ember WIGI

I nstruction Page 17

Debbie Steinbach, LPGA player, author Venus on The Fairway,

Member WIGIDebbie Wai tkus

Equ ipment Page 19

Mary Leahy, Sales Rep Call away Golf , Member WIGI

Barb Hanson

Debbie Steinbach

Pat Lang, owner, Lang Golf

Apparel Page 25

Karen Can trell , President & CEO Lady Golf, Member WI GI

Forward Tees Page 28

Al ice Dye, ASGCA, past president; WIGI Founder

Communicating with Women Golf ers Page 29Barb Hanson

Gol f-H ers News

Business Gol f Page 30

Debbie Wai tkus

Travel

Pat Lang, partner, Sunspir it Tour s Page 33

The Gol f Shop Page 35

Janan Huntsberr y, Manu facturers Rep Women s Golf Apparel,

WIGI member

Psychology Page 36

Dr . Bee Expsein -Shephard, Spor ts Psychologist,Author ,Member WIGI

Summary Page 38

Barb Hanson

Contact I nf ormation Page 38

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Background Research:

The most significant finding from the National Golf Foundation is that out of 12

million former golfers, 3.7 million of them women, the reason given for leaving the

sport was that the entry barriers were too high.

Women in The Golf Industry (WIGI) does not believe this means money. It means

attitude toward women, awareness of what makes women tick and providing a

comfortable environment where women golfers can part icipate and thrive. It isWhat Women Want.

Several studies have been created in the last two decades. Here are summaries ofwhat the leading golf organization found when it comes to women golfers.

Information is from the PGA of America, the National Golf Foundation and the

PGA Tour.

PGA of America

In 1994, the PGA of America announced new research on who plays golf and what theyspend. The called it All About Golf. In one set of research, women categories were

broken down into Junior Leaguers and Swingin Seniors. The mens side wascategorized five ways: Dilettante Duffers, Pull- Carts, Tank Tops and Tennis Shoes,Public Pundits and Country Club Traditionals.

By far, the biggest spenders were the Country Club Traditionals, according to the survey.

This comes as no surprise.

However, what may be surprising is the amount of money that women spent.

Junior Leaguers accounted for annual golf related spending of $1,604 in 1994,

and they played 24.1 rounds per year.

Swingin Seniors accounted for $1,625 per year in golf related spending and

played 42.3 rounds per year in 1994.

Both womens groups spent more per year than the men Dilettante Duffers ( $ 1,149) orthe men Pull-Carts ($1,367) and more than twice as much as the men Tank Tops nTennis Shoes ( $565).

Despite the fact that golfs best women customers spend as much or more that many of

men, when it comes to proving an opportunity to turn casual women golfers or beginningwomen golfers into best customers, something gets lost. Courses and course owners stilltend to focus on men players instead of women because there is a belief that the

Dilettante Duffer, comprising 26% of all golfers, is the best place to target attention.

Meanwhile golfs best women customers are largely ignored.

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Category

Annually: $$ Rounds played

WomenJunior Leaguers 1,604 24.1

Swingin Seniors 1,625 42.3

Men

Dilettante Duffers 1,149 15.6Pull- Carts 1,367 32.1

Tank Tops and Tennis Shoes 565 12.9Public Pundits 1,999 51.6Country Club Traditionals 4,413 68.9

Women are willing and able to spend as much as most of the men golfers.

In the More About Golf III, the sequel to the two earlier studies, women were increasing

their participation between 1995 and 1996 by 2.1% for Junior Leaguers and by 4.5% forSwingin Seniors. This same survey concluded that women accounted for 26% of golfersin 1996, an increase of 5% from the previous year. The research also concluded that

women were more likely to take lessons than men.

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National Golf Foundation

NGF data show only that women account for 24% of the golf purchases, industry-wide inclubs, balls, soft goods, and fees, public and private. But as most of the rest of the

consumer marketing experts in the country know, women account for a large amount of

the total spending for the family, period.

Recent National Golf Foundation research indicates that the percentage of women playershas hovered between 22% and 24% in recent years, between 2001 and 2003, about 6.57

million in the most recent year studied.

It also shows that

women are more likely to be occasional golfers or to use practice facilities alternative locations to enjoy the game.

of former golfers women were more concerned about the learning environmentthan men.

52% of women said they would prefer a non-embarrassing learning situation,versus 28% of men.

48% of women wanted to learn with other beginners, while only 36% of men feltthat way.

Both sexes wanted to be able to play in less time.

Both men and women said they were more likely to play if they have a friend who plays.

Despite all factors, including high barriers to entry:

Over the last ten years, the percentage of participation by women hasincreased 2.4% among core golfers and 4.3% among occasional golfers vs.1.1% and 1.7% for men.

In the last five years, women occasional golfers increase in participation by10.7%, core by 1.8%. Both of these numbers are in excess of the numbers

for men.

What this demonstrates more clearly than all other research is that even though the sport

is expensive, even though it takes longer than they would like to play golf, women arestill coming out to the golf course to give the game it a try.

Course operators, then, are driving women away.

The most significant finding from the NGF was that out of 12 million former golfers,3.7 million of them women, the reason given for leaving the sport was that the entry

barriers were too high.

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PGA Tour / Golf 20/20 Research

The PGA Tour is interested primarily in women as television viewers and purchasers oftickets and or hospitality packages at their events. However, the organization has also

taken a lead in growth of the game issues, and their research for Golf 20/20 shows that

women are both good customers and interested in the sport.

PGA Tour/ golf 20/20 research says that:

1/3 of the latent demand for the sport comes from women

of golfs Best Customers, more than 2 million are women

women spend MORE per round than men

( Source: Golf 20/20 Report)

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The Ill-conceived leap in logic:

There is an ill-conceived logical leap in the Golf 20/20 report. It has to do with womenwalking for exercise. The Golf 20/20 report suggests that perhaps more walking on the

course would encourage more women to play. It takes no training or special skill and

only minimal equipment to go for a two-mile walk in the neighborhood compared to whatis required to learn to play 9 holes of golf.

Research Summary

No matter which study one selects, it is clear that women can be a course operators bestcustomer, if the operator will give her the chance to feel at home.

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Significance of the Woman-Friendly Environment

The NGF reports that out of 12 million formergolfers, 3.7 million of them women,

the reason given for leaving the sport was that the entry barriers were too high.

Women in The Golf Industry(WIGI) offers the following member-tested and friends

of member-tested methods and insights for bringing women into the game andkeeping them as customers.

Several groups and organizations have already done some outstanding work, particularly

the EWGA,the PGA of America andGolf 20/20.

The EWGA, as most of the golf industry knows, has done an amazing job of creating

more women customers with more than 20,000 enrollees in their program since itsinception. Their programs provide non-threatening environments for all skill levels.

Beginners learn rules and etiquette, too.

Several programs created by the PGA of Americathat have proven successful. One inparticular is women taking a friend out to play golf, to learn the game. As JamieRoggero, Sr. Manager of Media Relations for the PGA of America explained, Having a

friend explain things to you is easier. The experienced golfer shows her friend the golfshop, whats there, what to do to make a tee time, whats expected before the round,where to go to find the first tee, what to do with a cart, what golf etiquette is, and so on.

In 2004, Golf 20/20 focused on bringing women into the game and creating a National

Womens Golf Week in 2005 to encourage women to come out to the course.

WIGI believes that the difference between getting a woman to the golf course once

and turning her into a Best Customer has everything to do with how a woman istreated once she arrives in the sport.

Whether purchasing clothing, taking lessons, planning a vacation, purchasing equipment,finding course that allow women ample tee times and membership opportunities, set up

of the golf course, and more, all these factors determine whether or not women willbecome your best customers.

Women are tough judges when it comes to performance and customer service. But, asour members have found, if your course and shop measure up, you will be rewarded with

many new women Best Customers who make a positive contribution to your bottom line.

Following are as-told-to explanations of programs and practices that women havefound to be successful with women golfers.

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Introducing Women to Golf

Barb Hanson, Corporate Golf Services

Barb is president of the Minnesota Womens Golf Association. and Secretary/

Newsletters of WIGI.

There are several special events I have found that encourage women to play golf

First, it is important to understand that women view golf as a social activity. Therefore,

women tend to want to play golf with their friends as well as seek out instruction withother women.

I organize womens golf clinics on a regular basis, and I find that most women attendwith a friend, not alone. The clinics themselves draw women together. However, I

always try to include practical tips and strategies within the clinics that will help womento either get into the game or stay in the game on a long-term basis. These strategies

include (very broadly):

Time management

Cost management

Personal benefits

What Ive found is that its not so much the special events that encourage women to play

as the actual HOW TO PLAY GOLF in a complex, busy world.

Some clinics that have been particularly successful are the following:

Mother/Daughter golf clinic

Physical fitness for golf Concentration on short game

Headliner such as an LPGA professional as the instructor

Debbie Waitkus, CEO, Golf for Cause

Debbie helps companies determine how golf can fit into their marketing and

promotional plans as well as creating a relationship building process forbusiness. She also teaches business golf.

Golf is a powerful connector - especially in business. Whether you play the

game or not, you can use golf to grow your business.

When staging a golf-related outing, whether it's a skills clinic, a 9 or 18-hole outing, look

at the audience. Assess the skill level, number of men and women, the scope ofbusinesses, etc. Ask what needs to happen for a participant to walk away saying, "I had agreat time, I felt comfortable with my golf skill level, this was a valuable experience.

It's important to create an environment that fosters a positive experience, one thatmotivates the participant to come back again and again.

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But for an event situation, you have to look at who the audience is. If they have a good

time, they will want to come back and play 18 holes.

I orchestrate a variety of programs, including business golf leagues,

mentoring golf outings, business golf workshops, golf networking events andeven a family golf program.

For my business golf leagues, they are mixed and fun. I do several of them. TTFN

Thursday Time For Nine, Nine and Wine and Family Links are three of them.

TTFN -- Thursday Time for Nine

Thursday Time for Nine (TTFN) is a business golf league which has a series of business

golf clinics and workshops with classroom time, skills clinic and on course play. Theclassroom combines business & golf together and how yo u use that to control the

foursome.

Many business golf situations have social and gender and etiquette issues together. Its

like going to your first business networking event. If you have not played golf, you haveno idea what to wear. You dont know if you should go to the bar right away. And thenwhen you see that person you know and you are more comfortable.

With golf, its all about understanding the proper protocols for golf and getting women

comfortable in the new environment. The more you can share information and fast track,the more at home the new person will be. Thats what its about.

TTFN runs for blocks of ten weeks at a time. It's been quite successful; we are now in ourthird year. At the current venue, team players pay $375 for ten weeks of golf, tee gifts,

weekly prizes, weekly happy hour and an awards banquet on the final week. Participantscan sponsor the happy hour, purchase a tee sign and/or place promotional items in thecart. Each week two players from one team play with two players from another team.

Over the course of the league, the participants meet and play with the majority ofthe league members, making for great business networking and camaraderie.

There is also a charity component. Each week there is a 50/50 contest where half themoney goes to a charity and the other half goes to the holder of the winning ticket. The

winner designates the featured cause for the following week. The group has raised closeto $10,000 for local charities. It is a cross-marketing aspect that incorporates a human

element. Golfers of all skill levels participate, both men and women. They experiencehow to play golf with each other in a fun environment and forward business relationships.

Business Golf Series

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A series of business golf clinics and workshops with classroom time, skills clinic and oncourse play. The topics addressed in the classroom include such things as marrying

business, golf, social and gender etiquette together, demystifying charity/industry golftournaments, betting games, behavior profiling, marketing techniques, and creative

business outings.

A newcomer to golf needs to understand the proper protocols for the game so that she can

quickly get comfortable in this new environment. After all, she wants to be able to bringher personality to the party and be respectful at the same time. Through the Business

Golf Series we fast track the newer golfer to get her comfortable around the game as soonas possible.

Nine and Wine

Nine and Wine is a mentoring program for beginning golfers. We go to an executivecourse or convert a course to executive length by teeing off in the middle of the fairway.

We play on Sunday afternoons - when the golf courses are typically quiet.

Each group on the course group has a mentor. A mentor is an experienced golfer who can

be patient and share her passion for the game and her know-how and experience. Sooften, newer golfers believe that they're not ready for the golf course, that they arerelegated to the driving range and putting green. Nine and Wine is a great way to

transition newer golfers off the range and onto the course.

If someone has never played before, there is a lot to learn. We teach the new golfers howto park the cart, when to talk and not to talk, how to tend the flag, how to drive a cart,what happens when your ball is under a tree, etc. It is an experiential learning

environment. All egos are checked in the parking lot!

Afterward, we meet in the clubhouse for networking time. We talk about what happenedin each group. Mentors take notes out on the course, and I summarize the informationshared inside and send it out to the group. There are many things to learn: Rules, which

club to use, and a variety of other questions.

The majority of the participants are newer golfers. Nine and Wine is a great springboardfor people to get involved and learn that they are ok. Enjoying the game of golf is notabout your skill.

The mentors are experienced golfers. They are not necessarily highly skilled golfers, but,

as mentioned above, willing to share their insight, experience and passion for the gamewith others.

Psychologically, as women, we have worked hard to feel like we are on par with men inbusiness. And because the guys are great at golf (or so we think), we want to be great

before we allow our games out in public. We feel like we have to be perfect. God forbidsomebody an instructor shoots video of a woman. Why is it that when she looks at the


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video that all she can see is her outfit and how large her backside appears? Why is it thatshe doesn't notice her swing?

So we take away the fact that you have to be good. You don't have to be good to get

started. If you get good at golf, great! Keep going and learn more. Golf is like an onion,

with many layers - keep peeling them back! There so much to enjoy, experience, andlearn! If any of the women want to bring family -- husbands, kids, that's fine, they bring

them. Everybody plays. Because the event is staged on Sunday afternoon, there's plentyof time to get home for family obligations - the women can still go home and

have dinner with the family.

Family Links

Family Links is another program that is coordinated with a golf course during their down

time. We schedule it on weekend afternoons.

Women have many reasons to not play golf. Family time is one of them. Family Links isa comprehensive golf program designed for family members to learn together. Toparticipate in Family Links, kids can't come without a family member. And "kids" are

more than juniors 6-16. The mother might be 75, and the son, 48. We've hadhusbands/wives, grandparents/grandchildren, parents-juniors, and even sisters- in-law! Itdoesn't matter. This program brings down the walls of objections.

There are three stations that the participants visit each session: an information, long

game, and short game. Each week begins and ends with community time. At thebeginning we review the agenda for the day while we stretch as a group. We end eachsession with a brief review of the day and awards. As for the information area topics,

they change each week. It might be hypnotherapy - focus and the game, rules clinic, on-course management, golf fitness training, tournament formats, etc. The program

culminates with a Family Championship Tournament, in which additional familymembers are invited to participate. We choose a unique format to promote participationand fun for all the players.

Chris Lovrine

FLOG Learning Center, Indianapolis, INWIGI members

We offer introductory clinics and refresher clinics for ladies through Play Golf

America. (PGA of America program.)

The introductory clinic covered items such as introducing the ladies to the clubhouse,

range, the course, etiquette, how to make tee times, as well as swing lessons.

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Our belief when teaching is to keep it simple for women and men. There are anatomicalstrength differences between women and men that do influence teaching, but the

fundamentals are the same.

The average golfer, male or female, would do better using drivers with more loft. We

suggest beginners use either a 3, 5 or 7 wood to tee off. These clubs are a little shorterand have more loft which makes them easier to swing versus a driver. We also suggest

replacing the long irons with 7, 9, 11 or 13 woods and/or hybrids. The lower center ofgravity helps get the ball airborne easier. Generally, they launch the ball higher than long

irons.

Our ladies leagues have the same place on our course as the men's leagues. That is,

we block off a set number of tee times for the ladies and the tee is theirs until the finalgroup tees off.

We work with all our ladies leagues. We meet with the officers before the initial league

meeting setting up the weekly games, special events, and discussing any changes for theseason. At the initial meeting we explain the games, review basic rules and etiquette, andanswer any questions the ladies may have. We stress that we are here to make their game

fun and to provide assistance in any way.

Another thing we do for all our ladies leagues is at the final day event my Assistant and I

roam the course and play one hole with each group. The ladies love this especially ifthey are on a par 5 when we join their group.

Ladies Night Out League

For our 9-hole Ladies Night Out League, the dues are $40.00 for the season. This covers

weekly events, the league championship, chip-in & birdie prizes, the final night scrambleand dinner. Every week they play games (best poker hand, tee to green = score minusputts, honest Jane = predict your score, etc.), post ringer scores, chip- ins & birdies.

The final league night is a 9-hole scramble and dinner. At the dinner the season long

event prizes are awarded, the league championship prizes, & the scramble prizes.

Pairings are done by season long scoring averages. Each team has an A - B - C - D level

player.

Our other ladies leagues (9 hole and 18 hole) have a once a month mixer. The eventmight be a scramble, 2 person best ball, progressive best ball ( first 3 or 6 holes = 1 bestball, next 3 or 6 holes = 2 best ball, next 2 or 5 holes = 3 best ball and the 9th or 18th hole

= all 4 balls count), Pinehurst Alternate Shot, etc..

We put a minimum handicap limit for two-person events to try to even out the playingfield.

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Instruction

Debbie Steinbach, LPGA pro, author Venus on The Fairway with Kathy Bissell.

Both WIGI members.

Venus on The Fairway revealed that the inner workings of a womans brain vs. a mansbrain just like Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus -- means that men and

women approach learning golf and golf situations differently.

One very good example of the differences is use of video for instruction for beginningwomen. Men love seeing video of their golf swings. Women hate it. They dont see theswing. They see what their hair looks like or what their hips look like or some other

physical appearance issue that a man would never consider. Yet, in teaching situations,many so-called lesson experts want to take women to the video area, not realizing that

video may actually keep them from making progress.

Because of the way men are wired, they see their swing as a problem to be fixed, attackedand solved. If someone says to a man, You cant possibly play with that grip! he willask for information on what he is doing wrong. A woman will take that same comment

as criticism, believe she is doing everything wrong. She will react emotionally and maynever return to the course.

Therefore, instruction for women needs to be phrased as What You Need to Do Is,always in the positive. It should not be The Problem with Your Swing Is, which is

negative. All presentations and lessons need to be in the positive, not in the negative.

Venus Fun-damentals

I developed what I call Venus on The Fairway Fun-damentals

To use traditional methods to teach women assures that they will have a weak grip, anoff balance swing and no power. We all know it is possible for women to hit the golf ball

a long way as Laura Davies and Michelle Wie have shown, but typical instructionundermines it. Here are three specific differences instructors need to consider when

teaching women.

Grip: Womens hands and arms are more flexible at the elbow and wrist joints than

mens. They also naturally hang at a different angle than mens. Prove it to yourself

now. Stand up. Let your arms hang loosely from your shoulders. Which direction doyour palms face? If a woman, they probably face your hips. If a man, they probably facebehind you. That means when a man reaches out to put his hand on a golf club grip, healmost automatically grabs it in the proper grip position. But a women who reaches out

and grabs a club will hold it in a weak grip position. She has to rotate her hands to get tothe same grip that a man has naturally. She also has to be very diligent about watching

the way she grips the club because it is easy for her to fall into a weak grip placement.

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Stance: The differences between what women and men need to do in a stance is astability issue that has to do with center of gravity.

Men are told to take a stance with their feet at shoulder width. That gives them stability

through the swing because except for beer bellies -- a mans shoulders typically --

are the widest part of his body.

When women are told to take a stance with feet at shoulder width, they are automaticallybeing positioned off balance before they even start a swing because their shoulders are

not typically-- widest part of their bodies. Usually for women, the hips are wider. Sowomen need to have a stance that matches the width of their hips, not their shoulders.

Turn: Men have been told to resist against their legs in the backswing. They turn theirupper bodies more than their lower bodies to get power. Part of the reason for this is that

mengenerally speaking-- are not as flexible as women. That is how they get theirpower.

But women need to turn their shoulders, torso and hips, resisting against their feet to getpower and distance. Women are naturally more flexible, and by using our flexibility and

ability to turn, we can get extra power and distance. Not utilizing a womans naturalability to turn may rob women of power and distance.

So, in summary, to use traditional methods to teach women assures that they will havea weak grip, an off balance swing and no power or distance.

Anatomy issues: When it comes to golf instruction, women are told unbelievably stupidthings about their breasts. Although it is hard for experienced golfers to believe, the #1

question for beginning women is What to I do about my boobs? If an instructor cantdeal effectively with this issue, bringing adult women into the game can be next to

impossible. I tell women the same thing that I tell barrel-chested men. Target arm overtarget boob. This takes the issue out of the way.


As women, we have worked hard to feel like on par with golf, because the guys are greatat this. Women want to be perfect. We feel like we have to be perfect. God forbid

somebodys shows you video, because you look at your appearance and outfit as opposed

to a learning experience.

So take away the fact that you have to be good. You dont have to be good to get started.If you get good at golf, great, its another layer. Peel back that onion.

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Equipment

Mary Leahy, Washington DC Metro Sales Rep for Callaway Golf and Odyssey

putters and WIGI member.

I just love golf. Ive played since I was 8 years old. I never played college golf. I playedin high school. It was something to do outside of basketball and tennis season. Ive been

with Callaway eight plus years and prior to that was with Odyssey and with Ray Cookfor four years . Callaway has 81 reps, and four are women.

We have a pretty strong percent of the womens market. Basically, everything wemanufacture, we will do for men and women, including left handed clubs. Our products

are so easy to hit, the technology we put in allows people to hit straighter. As ElyCallaway used to say, they are demonstrably superior and pleasingly different. DSPD.

Mr. Callaway had enough vision to see that technology would allow people to enjoy the

game more. He started that process with the S2H2 great technology that takes weight outof the hosel and moves it to the hitting area. Then he went to the Big Bertha Irons, andnow our latest ones are the X-series. Callaway technology helps women swing harder

with less effort. Callaway offers a full line for women, which is wonderful

Big Bertha Irons have a thicker top line, but they are a great product. We put them in a

lot of womens hands to help get the ball up in the air. For many women Big BerthaIrons solve that problem.

The differences between the Big Bertha irons and the X-Tour is that the X-Tour is for thelower handicapper woman or man who wants to work the ball. And the Big Bertha irons

are for the woman or man who wants to get the ball up in the air easily.

In January, we expect to see a change in the Big Bertha Iron. It will have a thicker topline and wider sole. The constant width sole helps the average woman get through theturf. It has more mass down low so the ball goes in the air. I love it for women.

One big difference between men and women players, as most of us know, is strength. If

we can make a club more stable, women can hit ball straighter. With the 360 undercutchannel in the Big Bertha, women ( and men ) will be able to hit the ball straighter andhigher. That is important because if you are hitting it higher, it will also go farther.

I want people to love the game of golf as much as I do. When I go to a pro shop or demoday, I hand people clubs. I give them every club that we make. I say try all of these. Oneclub maybe better for you than another. We encourage people to demo product throughPGA pros and LPGA pros and at test centers.

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When it comes to the high lofted fairway woods, Ely Callaway was one of the early ones

with the Seven Wood and then the Heaven Wood. In fact, we go up to a 13 wood withour Big Bertha woods.

Women have tendency to get more distance with fairway woods. The clubs hit the ballhigher and land softer and go farther, and they are easy to hit.

The new Heaven Wood hybrids in fact the whole hybrid category are now being used

to replace long irons. They are perfect to add to a set.

Today, women dont need 3-iron, 4-iron, often 5 or 6-irons. They are using hybrids and

high lofted woods to give them a higher ball flight and more consistency.

The hybrids are our up and coming clubs. Our Heaven Wood hybrid comes in fivemodels with lofts from 14 to 26 degrees. The 26 degree replaces a 5-iron. The 14 degree

is a little more lofted than a 3-wood.

Today, you can make up any set that you want. Women often dont know that. They

should think about getting fit for 6-iron through lob wedge or SW and add hybrids andfairway woods and a driver.

At Callaway, we do our own shafts that work with our clubheads. There is a womensversion, and they are a little bit different in our irons. They have a different feel. The

shafts are lighter and shorter in length.

Shaft length depends completely on the fitting. We manufacture ours usually one inch

shorter for ladies than for mens. If you are stronger, maybe choose the light flex menssenior and it will also be longer. But one thing is for sure: You want to be fit by

someone.

Putters

When it comes to putters, again, you want someone who is attuned to fitting women.

Women want to get fit properly. The fit of a putter can be very persona. For instance,Im 5 10 , but I play with a 33 inch putter because I like to have my hands low.

Balls

Women should look at finding the ball that fits their needs. We have seen women getextra distance with a 2 piece or 3 HX Hotwhich is a great golf ball. And very, verylong.

If women are looking for more feel, spin, a softer ball, we suggest HX Tour or Tour 56,

which many Tour players use.

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One thing you dont want to do is to just buy whats on sale. You want something that

offers feel or distance. The HXHot is a great ball for the average player and its a goodprice. Its three-piece so there is some feel, but the is also great distance.

The HX Hot core is resilient. It increases the ball speed coming off the face arounddriver. The boundary layer between core and cover is softer, so it helps act like rubber.

It has a softer feel and it is bouncy.

Women Pros

In terms of top women players, Annika Sorenstam now plays the FT3 driver. Shes been

winning with hitting incredibly long and accurate drives since putting it in play. Ironwise, she can play with anything. Shes won this year using three different sets of irons.

The X-Tour is new for the lower handicapper. It is more workable.

Equipment

Barb Hanson,Corporate Golf Services

Women should ALWAYS be custom fit for golf equipment. The game is tough enoughwithout putting the wrong equipment in our hands. In general we dont know how tochoose golf equipment for ourselves, and we often begin with hand-me-downs. The

wrong equipment can cause a person to quit the game in frustration. Custom-made golfequipment does not have to be a financial drain, and it does not take much time to gothrough a fitting.

EquipmentDebbie Steinbach, Venus on The Fairway

Women will most likely need golf clubs with very different characteristics than mens. Awomans clubs may look like a mans, but they shouldnt play like them, unless that is

how she plays.

Price is not the most important factor. Some metals are more costly to manufacture, butwhen in doubt, women should test the different kinds of clubs available and see what

works.

Shafts: Unless a woman is extremely strong, the best shaft type for all women is

graphite. The alternative is steel. You rarely see women using steel shafts today otherthan on the Tour. Graphite enables many women to generate more clubhead speed thanwith a steel shaft, and this means more distance with each shot.

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Flex: I am very big on a lighter flex shaft for women. I see far too many women workingtoo hard to hit a golf ball. A club fitter can help you find your ideal flex.

Length: Clubs need to be the proper length if you are going to hit the ball consistently

and solidly in the center of the clubface. Unfortunately, many manufacturers seem to

think that all women are 54 and under. Many of the womens golf clubs today are tooshort for a lot of female golfers. If one of my students encounters this problem, I order

her a set of clubs that have a womans shaft, but we add an extra inch so she is basicallyusing a mans- length club. This allows her to assume a comfortable and natural address

position when she sets up to the ball.

Equipment

Pat Lang, owner Lang GolfLang Golf is sold by over 300 pros across the country. Lang Golf has manufacturing

in the US and also manufactures in St Andrews for Europe.

There is definitely a correlation between the equipment you play with and how you play.

You want your clubs to fit your style of play. One of biggest handicaps most women haveis inappropriate equipment they are forced to play with. If you and your grandmotherwent to buy equipment even a few years ago, it was, We have a set of those back by the

toilet. Let me get them, if I can find them. We have another set for your grandmother justlike them.

At Lang Golf we specialize in custom equipment for women. We dont have just one ironor one wood, we have a selection.

When I got involved, I started with a mentor from Scotland who was a clubmaker and my

primary tutor. He always made me aware of the importance of having equipment that wasgeared to each person. At the time, nobody was paying attention to women and makingequipment specifically for the way women play the game.

When it comes to design of clubheads, weve reached a point in the equipment industry

where you can only shove the metal around so many different ways. We have to followcertain formulas in weight and balance. What wasnt investigated for women was thedevelopment of shafts. I addressed that early on by having options.

In my mind equipment should not be a gendered item. But men have demands in manyrespects that are different than the average woman amateur. On the mens side, shafts arelonger. If men are generally stronger they would be demanding certain specs. I foundwomen amateurs needed to be more variety than what was available.

Just as there are differences between needs of men and women, there are physical

differences, athletic differences from one women to another. Thats truly the thing thatsets me apart from the rest of the equipment world.

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Some of the other manufacturers are catching up, but I still dont think enough

research and effort goes into other lines. I address clubs for women, and I are one.

Let me explain some of the differences between the average woman amateur and the

mens senior or regular mens clubs. Except for high level amateur women players, theshafts in my clubs are more flexible. I have eight shafts available for women players. I

could also fit men, depending on their swing style and ability, but my marketing istowards women.

Of the eight shafts I developed, three are most popular. Women will choose graphite,primarily, given the choice. Our shafts are proprietary. They are made for us by SK Fiber.

SK Fiber has been generous with their time and technology in helping develop shaftsappropriate to women players.

.A huge difference is in having the correct length of shafts for women. I dont know

where they came up with the so-called standard womens length, but they must have beenmeasuring pygmies. What happens if you are a tall women, 57 or taller? They put youin mens seniors or, it used to be mens period, because of the length of the shaft If you

need a longer shaft, my shafts have an option for you, one that you can get in a timelymanner.

Women need to have the proper length, flex, and head style that rewards the style of theirswings.

Our clubheads are also custom designs. I get clubhead blanks - - you dont reinvent thewheel and I will choose one because the weight is distributed is generally going to

affect ball flight. Knowing what I know about women golfers, I can pick and chooseproperly for women golfers. I use any new design first, and then we do minor alterations.

My latest driver is called the Red Hot Mamma. It is an oversized titanium driver in abrilliant, rich red. The shaft is graphite and is chromed -- like they use for cars -- and

fades at the top. At the top of the chrome, I have flames. Its a red hot poker stick. Adynamite driver, and it looks good. Why cant you have fun with it?

I have two styles of putters: Thelma and Louise putters. At first I was going to call themBonnie and Clyde but, I wanted womens names.

There are no numbers on my woods because one of the biggest issues -- doing research

the vast majority women amateurs cant hit a driver as we know it because it does nothave enough loft. So why not just take numbers off? If a women hits 3-wood better, I canmake a driver with that amount of loft, but I have to do certain things to it before it goes

to the foundry.

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I have a driver with 11degress loft I call Long Tall Sally. The more lofted version is

Sallys Sister. If she hits Sallys Sister best I say thats your driver. If her husband askswhat is this club, I tell her to say This is my driver. Period.

I have the Fore Club, which is a 4-wood. The Fairway is a 5- wood loft with a 3-woodlength. If a woman is hitting Sallys Sister off the tee, who could hit driver off the

fairway? We have the 911, the emergency club, which is a 7-wood. Nina is our 9-wood.And the eleven doesnt have a name. . There are four models for these clubs.

There are some new drivers, oversized, that I am excited about. My new putter, Imthinking of calling Sweetroll.

When it comes to irons, I have three different iron head designs, each one addressing

different issues. The differences are primarily having hosel offset or no offset and borethrough or not. The industry thinks women have trouble getting the ball airborne. That is

not true. Women have trouble getting the ball airborne if they are using the wrong club.

Given a choice, women will tell you, I like that club better. It could be the length of

the shaft, the grip, the head. All of those must be addressed. .

Clubfitting in and of itself is an experiment. I need to have enough toys -- clubs available

--- to identify various factors to made a good club for a specific individual. .

When it comes to delivery, Ive been in the trenches too long. I know you want the clubnow. When we fit a woman for a club, the day we receive the order is the day the clubsare made, and they are shipped out the following day.

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Apparel

Karen Cantrell, CEO, Lady Golf Retail Shop, Palm Desert, CA, and 2nd Vice

President, WIGI

Karen has been involved in golf retailing for 12 years. She is involved with Golf for

Women, WIGI, and EWGA California. She owns one retail store, has five web sites andtwo pro shops and a plethora of dedicated customers.

Karen really believes that those who arent successful selling golf soft goods to womenare simply not paying attention to What Women Want. She sells clothing that is

moderate to high end and believes in quality and service for every customer.

Before starting her own golf retail store, she was a buyer with SAKS Fifth Avenue where

she did personal shopping for well-to-do women. When they started asking her to findthem golf clothing, she ran into difficulties finding What Women Want.

They said, Karen, find me some golf outfits. These men have a whole pro shop. And Ihave nothing.

I would go to Europe and do some of the buying and keep them in mind. What I found isthat theres a definite market for womens golf at a higher level. When I started Lady

Golf those 20 women from whom I did personal shopping stayed with me. I had instantsuccess. I bought for them personally, and they would tell people and they would tellpeople and so forth.

Soon manufactures caught on. Womens share of the market has grown.

Women are interested in fashion and performance first. Show them value and tell themwhy and they will buy. What women were tired of was manufacturers taking mens

polos and making them smaller and selling them to women.

Paying attention to their needs requires more than having a rep drop buy. It is constantresearch and development travel and reinventing yourself as a company over and over tomeet the needs of the clients

All it takes for me to know that there is a customer need is to hear at least three womensay, If they only had a shirt that had this or If they only had more performancefabric that did that

That is my immediate heads up to do my research. I do a tremendous amount of researchand buying in Europe and Asia. I love the European designs, attention to detail and

quality of craftsmanship. They are true artisans. My favorite domestic lines are LBH,which is the higher end Lilly of Beverly Hills, Tail, and Tehama.

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American companies have been forced to change their designs and fabrics. They havegone from micro fiber to performance driving moisture wicking and developed their

own buzz words .Youll hear Cool Max -Elastique Tech- Nano fabrications- and Poly

nostic. All this came from European designers. They were companies that were definitelymore responsive to their clients needs.

As far as mid-price point in America, Tail, Tehama and LBH they have done their

homework. I am especially impressed with their advancement during the past 4 years.They have borrowed European designs, customize those changes for the Americanmarket and gone to designers that were actually sportswear designers.

Tehama now has a designer from Ann Taylor on staff. Tail has gone into a Tech Group

stretch fabrication with moisture wicking. It is a more youthful, fitted line with bells andwhistles that were never there before.

Another thing that is important if you want to be successful with women is to make themfeel at home. The best way to do that is to educate your staff, keep a clean and tidy store

and sincerely advise them on your offerings to them...

What we do is hold seminars in house, two times a month with vendors. They go over

everything, show the line, explain the details of fabrics and the reason those elements arethere. They explain why certain features are important and what the fit is. The essence

of the line is examined at this time.

My feeling is when you educate the staff; you give them the tools which are necessary to

perform their job successfully. This lends credibility not only to your store but to thesales associate and the line itself and that my friends increase your sales. When a sales

associate is with a customer who says This pant is $259 dollars! The sale associateexplains, This line brings new performance because it has XYZ.

When our customer realizes that the $259 pant is nano fabric, stain resistant, doesntwrinkle, is wash and wear and so on, they will buy. Women appreciate information.

Its not like other stores where you try something on and they say, Oh, you look soooocute in that. Why should she by that?

Our size range in women apparel is zero to size 24. Everybody is NOT a six. We

attempt to fulfill needs for all our clients. Do I carry a lot of zeros, a lot of 24s? No, butif I do not have them in stock ,I definitely have the resources to get them for the client,and by looking at the catalogues she can select items for herself.

We have another personal customer service. Every staff member has a client book. We

send thank you notes when they purchase, know birthdays and even anniversaries. Wecall them when new merchandise comes in. We let them know before we get it on line.

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Often times, before merchandise is on the floor, its sold and doesnt even GET to thefloor.

Everyone on our staff is computer literate. Rather than mailing, we e-mail it. A lot ofwomen work, and they dont have time to go shopping, so often we take a digital photo

and e-mail it to them. They have the ability to see new merchandise on line and it takescustomer service to a new level. We will ship to hotels if our customers are traveling and

need a new outfit. We are so into customer service.

My average customer would be a size 12, looking for a golf-outfit-that-goes-to-bridge

sportswear. She is searching for transitional country club and resort fashions and thatincludes golf. She wears a 19-inch short, a capri, and a pant. She would purchase a

minimum of 3 different tops, one of which would be a sleeve shirt. She would buygloves, either sweater or jacket and one vest. That is my average sale.

The prices vary from shorts at $80 dollars to a jacket at $250. My customer would expectthat jacket to be reversible and water-resistant with a full zip. Something fashionable.

Bogner, for example. I bought several for Spring 06..They have fabulous reversiblejackets with different colors on one side and the other side in leopard, zebra or floral. Itsso fantastic. $389. But who cares? Its waterproof, has sealed seams, full zip, and you are

actually getting two jackets for the price of one. Do that math.

We also have phone trees. We are changing stock constantly and letting customers knownew arrivals, mark downs, and conveying that their business is important to us.

In addition to LBH, I am impressed with Tail Tech and Tehama. The Choice to Win --formerly Masters Golf Fashion (the name has been changed) -- an Austrian company is

the undoubtedly the finest line I have ever seen. Bogner, Escada and Sportalm are alsoexcellent lines.

With shoes, Walter Genuin, although higher priced, I love. Unutzer ladies golf shoes isanother premier line of hand- made Italian shoes that are an important part of our

business. Tehama has come out with a new shoe line, and it is totally amazing. Fun,fashionable and functional. Foot Joys line of European, lightweight, styled shoes hasbeen an instant success with us.

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Forward Tees

Alice Dye, former president of the ASGCA ( American Society of Golf Course

Architects) and WIGI Founder is an expert when it comes to golf course architecture

and particularly when it comes to Forward Tees. She has long been a proponent of teeplacements that allow women players to enjoy the game. Those women who have played

courses designed by any of the Dyes will find that the Forward Tees are women friendly.In addition, while men may moan about very difficult courses such as PGA West

Stadium Golf Course or the TPC at Sawgrass, most women who are at least capable ofplaying in a 9-hole league find that the Forward Tees at those courses provide a good golfexperience.

According to Dye, many older courses changed in terms of playability for women after

wall-to-wall irrigation became common. Prior to that, the golf ball would roll forwomen. After irrigation, the roll was gone, but the Forward Tees were left in the same

position. Poor placement of forward tees affects playability and the ability of the averagebeginning woman to enjoy the game and have success and want to return.

Dye researched the distance that women hit the ball, and she noted that the averagewoman does not his the ball farther than 130 yards simply because most women do nothave a great deal of upper body strength. Most men, Dye has said in the past, can hit a

drive 200 yards or more, even if they are not low handicap players.

When Forward Tees are placed ten to fifteen years in front of the Member Tees orChampionship Tees, a beginning woman player is faced with a very difficult challenge.Every par four can play like a par five or six. The par fives can play like par sixes and

sevens, simply because of the length. Better placement of ladies tees solves this problemand speeds up play for everyone.

Most men can reach a par four with two good shots, but if a Forward Tee on a far four isplaced at 400 yards, the average woman will never be able to reach that green in two

shots. In fact, it would take a very good woman player to reach it. For most men, this isnot the case. On heavily watered courses where there is minimal roll, Forward Tee

placement should be more than an afterthought.

By creating tee placements that are appropriate to the average womans game, courses

will be more user friendly. As women players improve, they can always more back a tee.

But having tees appropriate to a womans game encourages participation and giveswomen an opportunity to have the same thrill of making a par or birdie that men have. Itwill bring them back to the course.

There are many techniques for retaining hole strategies for Forward Tees, and theASGCA has information on how this can be achieved. It is available in easy to

understand poster form.

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Communicating with women golfers

Barb Hanson, Corporate Golf Services

Barb sends a newsletter to women she introduces to the game. Women like to know whatis going on, and they like to learn more about the game. Here is sample content from a

recent Golf-Hers News:

Golf-Her's News

Golf Tips For Women

Volume IV Issue 10 2005

In this issue:

Golf-HersShort Game

Golf-HersTee Games

Golf-Hers

Gatherings 2006 Golf-Hers Rules Tip

Golf-Hers Etiquette Tip

Golf-Hers Short Game

I am constantly amazed at the number of people who want desperately to improve their golf game, but

never work on that which would improve it the fastest the short game. Think about it: a 2-foot putt isworth the same number of strokes as a 200-yard drive. But how much time do we spend practicing ourshort game? Not nearly enough. Women in particular can benefit greatly by improving their short game.

Most of us are never going to hit the ball far enough to save very many strokes. But we can all becomegood enough to make almost everything inside 4 feet.

Chipping and pitching are just as important as putting. Ive watched many people get very close to the

green in regulation or in one over regulation and then squander several more strokes finishing the hole.

Make up & down your goal. That means that when youre close to the green, youre going to get up(on the green) and down (into the hole) in just 2 strokes. Then practice doing just that. Spend at leasthalf of your practice time around the green getting up & down from different situations. Youll be glad

you did!

Questions? Contact me at [email protected].

Golf-Hers Tee GamesHave you ever played 6-6-6? Its a fun way to play a friendly competition. Everyone in the foursome gets

paired with everyone else for 6 holes (or 3 holes if youre just playing 9). You can score the game in anumber of ways. You can play hole by hole matching the total score of one pair of golfers against the

other, or you can take the better of the 2 scores for each team. In hole by hole scoring, a point is generallygiven to each player with the better score. To make scoring even simpler, you can just compare best balltotals after 6 holes before changing partners. This is a game where everyone cheers for everyone elsesomewhere along the way!

To choose partners for the first 6 holes, drop all 4 golf balls on the ground. The two that are closest to eachother are partners. Or after everyone has hit their first drive, pair up the 2 balls that are closest to each

other.

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Golf-Hers GatheringsWatch for the schedule of Golf-HersGatherings 2006. Each of these monthly golf gatherings

focuses on a different aspect of the game of golf and is designed to keep your game in shape through theoff-season. If your womens group would like a fun and unique outing, Ill design a special winter golfevent just for you.

Golf-HersRules Tip

What happens when you set your ball down on the green, remove your marker and then, inexplicably, your

ball moves? There is a point at which the movement of the ball is yourfault, and that point is when youhave addressed the ball. What does that mean?

In the Rules of Golf, the definition of addressing the ball is this: A player has addressed the ball whenhe has taken his stance and has also grounded his club.

So if you have addressed the ball and the ball moves, Rule 18-2b applies. If a players ball in playmoves after he has addressed it, the player is deemed to have moved the ball and incurs a penalty of onestroke. The ball must be replaced.

Last year, I heard about a major tournament that was held on a very windy day on a very exposed golfcourse. Balls that were resting on the putting green were moving on a regular basis. Those players who

knew the rules were smart enough to NEVER address the ball. They would take their putting stance butthey wouldnt ground their club. When the ball moved, it was considered an act of God, and the ball wasplayed as it lay.

For more rules situations, go to www.corporategolfservices.comand read other editions of Golf-Hers News.

Golf-HersEtiquette TipPace of play is one of the most important aspects of the game of golf. It is essential that we work for agood pace of play throughout a round of golf. One of the places where pace can slow down is in thescoring of a hole after its been played. Scoring should always take place away from the green, on the way

to the next hole or at the next hole. However, tee shots on the next hole can (and should) be made evenbefore the scoring is complete. A foursome should never be standing at a tee waiting until all scores arewritten down. Be the one who steps up and hits. Record scores while others are hitting.

Similarly, have you ever had to repeat your score several times until everyone hears it? It seems like thathappens more often when youve just had a bad score. What did you have, Barb? Eleven. Hey,

Barb, I didnt get your score from that last hole. I made 11. Did you say seven? I said Eleven.And on it goes.

When announcing your score, make sure the scorer is ready to receive the information and then saysomething like this: Barb scored 11.

Keep play moving!!!

Golf etiquette is simply being considerate of others in all kinds of ways.

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Business Golf


My overall perspective is that golf, especially in Arizona, is an incredible connector. Thefact is, though, you dont have to be good at it to leverage the game for business or

whatever your reason might be.

Instead of thinking of golf as 18 holes with a stellar A game, there are many differentways to approach the game to be a part of that fold. We, as women, dont need to usegolf for networking, but its an important for a tool to cross over with men and -- at the

same time the men need to learn to cross over to forward the relationship on the courseand off the course.

As an example, I might be going into somebodys office to discuss creative marketing

techniques, business outings and strategic planning incorporating golf as part of the goalsetting process. If someone is doing new business prospecting -- say you are a financialplanner and a golfer and youre my client and Im going to take you to play golf and

perhaps Ill ask you to bring someone. Or maybe I am going after pension planning, andIll bring that person from my company and you bring one from yours to create thatconnection. You need to have an objective in mind. You have to ask why are we going to

play golf?

Another example is the Business and Professional Womens Club, Phoenix Chapter.They were looking to raise money for scholarships for women to go back into theworkplace and to do outreach. They talked to me about doing a fund-raising golf

tournament. We discussed their goals and put together a promotional event tournament atASU Karsten involving the business college grad students in planning and participating

through the sponsorships. The BPW covered the cost of entry for the students whocouldnt afford to play.

To promote the tournament, we did a networking event with light instruction on thepractice tee. This was just after the British Open, and we did a chipping clinic --- bump

and run versus pitch shots and the differences between them. We had contests, twodifferent closest to the pin on the pitch shot. Then we put a box on the practice facilityand roll the ball along the ground and had closest to the target. Now, to add some fun,

they could buy mulligans, and that money went to the BPW foundations. For $5 they got

an extra shot.

Afterward, we went inside for an hour of networking where I did introductions, andtalked about balancing business and golf. Then the foundation BPW talked about what

the tournament was. We drew people out for the clinic and got them to sign up.

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If theyve met someone at the promotional event, they are more likely to go to thetournament. We had four people sign up. They put a team together for the tournament

right on the spot.

I also teach at the San Diego Golf Academy, and that group is mostly guys. The

interesting thing about that it is that these are guys working hard to get their handicaps toa certain level. To this day, I shake them up when I tell them its not about their game,

its about their customer. Its how to have their customer have the best day possible.

If I can get through to two or three in a class, thats my way of trying to effect change.

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Travel

Pat Lang, Partner, Sunspirit Tours.

In 1978 I started Sunspirit Golf, a tour business, with a partner, Joyce Kazmierski ofIndianapolis, when she retired from the LPGA Tour.

We do domestic trips, and at least once a year, we go to Scotland and Ireland. We take

people with us and tend to have a really solid following, mostly through word of mouth.We do 24 people. That is usually a target number.

Womens Trips:

We just returned from Indianapolis where we took a group of women to the Solheim Cup.After that we played the Lang Cup with 40 women. When the Solheim Cup was at St.

Andrews, we had as many as 48 for the Lang Cup afterward. We use the same format:two ball, four ball and individual. We have uniforms, a bagpiper and opening ceremonies.

The whole purpose of it is to continue to give us variety in the trip and heighten theawareness of the Solhiem event. It has become bigger and bigger every time. The moresupport we can get for it, the better.

Mixed Trips:

Nothings different for men or women when it comes to our tours. Not the golf schools,not the golf. When we put out an announcement that we are having a trip to Carmel,

unless we indicate women only, we never know who we are going to get. So we do thesame thing for everybody. Its primarily a golf vacation with some instruction. When we

go oversees, there is not much instruction.

Normally what we do is set up a five-day trip with four rounds of golf and instruction if

they want it. Joyce and I will generally play with them, but we make all the arrangementsfor golf, for the facilities, the room, the dinners. We have a welcome dinner and closing

dinner and tournament gifts and prizes. Its a fun golf vacation, and they dont have tojump through hoops to make all the arrangements. We have 95% repeat business.

We generally email people and tell them where we are going next. In the US, our most

popular trips are Carmel and Sedona, AZ. We used to do some in Florida Crystal River and Myrtle Beach --, but it was a long way for us, so we concentrate on things out here.

We have all kinds of golfers, from 30 handicappers to single-digit and scratch players.

We dont care about what their handicaps are. They are there to have fun. When we dotrips, we want them to have an understanding of the how game is played so they can keep

up.

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If an individual has special needs, food, accommodations, we ask about that.

Mainly, we hope they make contact. With a golf swing, youre bound to hit something.

One reason I go to Carmel is that I used to live there, so I have a lot of contacts and

friends. I know where to go, where people will enjoy themselves and want to return. Wealso do trips to La Quinta, CA.

We have been going to Scotland for 14 years, and that makes it easy, because we have

contacts there now, too. We go once or twice a year, and its like going home.

We have a great time with our customers. Its a way to bring them into the game.

When we go overseas, we also take golf professionals with us. We are able to offer them

LPGA and PGA educational credit points by creating programs on the history of golf.Everyone gets a little different sense of how the game is handled in that country, and its

fun for them.

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The Golf Shop

Janan Huntsberry, Manufactureres Rep for Womens Apparel

Women want to feel more comfortable in the golf shop.

Such things as a women's section with someone to help with sizes for both shoes and

clothing is great.

We also don't want to have to take our try on to the club locker room. A dressing room isneeded with a large mirror and good lighting. A chair should be provided for trying onshoes. I find that most pro shops that are not exclusively private do not have these

facilities for women.

Clothing should be displayed so that things can be taken off the rack for try on. Manytimes the one you want is the one on the model, and you just hate to ask to have

that taken off in case it doesn't fit.

Women want guarantees such as waterproof or comfort guarantee in shoes. Clothing

should be able to stand up to hard athletic wear, and wash well, with little or no ironing.

Good lighting is very important to women so they can see how the clothes look when

they try them on.

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Psychology

Dr. Bee Esptein Shephard. Sports Psychologist, author, WIGI member

Books:

Mental Management for Great Golf: How to Control Your Thoughts and Play Out ofYour Mind.Building Champions: A Guide for Parents of Junior Golfers.Training Programs:

Mental Mastery for Great GolfManual and AudiocassettesThe Mind Power Technology Library-Manual and 12 CDs

What do women want?

Traditionally, men have both discussed this issue and made certain decisions withoutactually consulting women.

When designing buildings for examp le we find public buildings havent been built with

adequate bathroom facilities for women. So often we see kitchens that are poorlydesigned for the way work is actually done in them

While we are asking this for golf, I see evidence everywhere that womens needs are notconsidered when men make decisions.

Its obvious that people rarely acknowledge the difference in how men and womenfunction. Golf professionals traditionally teach men and women the same way. Debbie

Steinbachs teaching and books finally addresses the differences between men and

womenits about time.

Lets look at what women want from a psychological and emotional perspective. Look atthe modern woman. While many women in their 60s or older might be quite happy with

the old orderMens Grills or private club memberships being in the mans name forexample the modern woman does not accept that.

Women want to be treated with respect and as equal -- but different -- from men, both inthe golf world and the world at large.

So what makes women comfortable? An environment that is both physically and

emotionally comfortableone that was not obviously designed for men makes womencomfortable. Just as men wouldnt be comfortable in a pastel and frilly environment,women are often uncomfortable in the dark massive wood and leather environment of

many clubhouses. They are even more uncomfortable in the pro shop where women arediminished or ignored. This is demonstrated by displaying few womens clothes and

equipment.

Women want equal time: on golf courses.

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They want womens tees placed in a way that they have a chance to score.

They want pro shops that recognize that women shop more than men.

They want to approached in a friendly way by all the staff at the golf course.

Designing unisex environments, greeting and treating women with the same welcome

afforded to men in the pro shop and other areas at the club or on the course goes a longway to making women more comfortable in a golf environment.

In terms of the male and female approach to the game, women are concerned withplaying well. They are more prone to take lessons from professionals and less likely to

tinker with their swing on their own or read golf tips in Golf Digest. Women preferexpert advice.

What drives most women nuts is their male playing partner giving them advice whileplaying. Its interesting that a woman can be a better player than the man, but he still

cant resist giving advice.

You will not find many women betting. Men love to make up all kinds of complicated

betting games. It seems men try to enhance their manhood with golf while women aremore interested in the social aspects of the game and developing their expertise.

A big frustration for women is being treated in a condescend ing way by those in the ingroup. The in group can be men in general, golf professionals, women golfers with a

low handicap or those in the golf industry generally.

Its interesting that women have been accused of slow play, but research done timingboth men and women proves that men are the slower players.

To generalize and wrap it up in one sentence: Women want to be treated like intelligenthuman beings who are interested in learning and playing golf.

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In summary:

Barb Hanson

Im very fortunate. I belong to a golf club that is woman-friendly. Not all women cansay that. Being in the minority on the golf course, women sometimes feel intimidated,ignored or unfairly maligned. Women, however, are an important segment of the golfingpopulation both economically and socially.

What is it that makes a golf facility truly woman-friendly? The answer is really quite

simple: Being treated the SAME as any other member no better, no worse, nodifferent.

Women should have the SAME access to tee times.

Except for pre-scheduled leagues (both mens and womens), women should be

able to make a tee time on any day at any time. This is particularly importantwhen trying to arrange a golf game with a guest, a client or a business associate.

Women should have the SAME access to all teeing grounds .In most cases I choose the forward tees or the next set back, but I should have the

choice of any set of tees that is suitable for my ability. There should be hole-by-hole handicapping for women (different from the mens), and there should be acourse rating for each set of tees so that I can post a true score.

Women should have the SAME amenities at all teeing grounds.I have played courses where there wasnt even a hole number on the tees that I

was playing. I couldnt be sure if I was even on the right hole! Basic signage andamenities should be available to all. That includes things like ball washers,

benches, water and directional signage.

Women should have the SAME par and relatively the same hole.

Its quite obvious when forward tees have been added as an afterthought ormoved for some reason without regard to the design of the hole. The tees may be

found way off to the side, a hundred or more yards forward, or they may even bemowed right into the fairway. A hole should play at the same par with a similarfeel from any teeing ground.

Women should have the SAME locker room facilities & associated amenities.Perhaps a womens locker room isnt as heavily used as the mens; however,women should have the same access to services (such as shoe repair), and thereshould be similar types of personal items available to everyone.

Women should have the SAME league, event and tournament opportunities.

Both men and women should have the opportunity to play in a club event whetherit is organized as a mixed-gender team event, mens and womens divisions, or as

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separate tournaments (i.e. Club Championships). Likewise, league opportunitiesshould be available to all.

Being a woman-friendly golf course neednt involve anything more than incorporating

the practices of fairness and inclusiveness on a daily basis. As women choose a golf

course to play, a woman-friendly atmosphere will most certainly be a deciding factor.

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Copies of this document are available by email. WIGIanticipates adding more information and examplesover time as additional women share their how to

advice for creating welcoming environments forwomen golfers.

Request from: [email protected]

What Women Want from Golf 2005 WIGI

Documents

What Women Want