The R&A celebrated International Women's Day with a series of content dedicated to its support of women and girls’ golf.
Using the hashtags #InternationalWomensDay #IWD2021 #ChooseToChallenge, The R&A highlighted some of the work being done across golf to encourage more women to play, work, volunteer and become involved in the sport.Acushnet, the parent company of global golf brands Titleist and FootJoy, demonstrated its commitment to creating a more inclusive culture within golf by becoming a signatory of The R&A’s Women in Golf Charter.
Positive action
The Charter was launched by The R&A, in May 2018, to strengthen golf’s focus on gender balance, increase the participation of women, girls and families within the sport, and also ensure positive action is taken to create more opportunities for women to work and volunteer within the industry.As Acushnet becomes the first global golf brand to sign the Charter, Martin Slumbers, Chief Executive of The R&A, commented, “We are delighted that Acushnet has become a signatory of the Women in Golf Charter. “It is a big step forward to have a global brand such as Acushnet signed up to the Charter and committed to broadening the appeal of the sport for women and girls. We look forward to working with them on this initiative.”To date, over 700 organisations worldwide have committed to developing that more inclusive culture within golf.
Inspire and engage
The R&A also celebrated women who work in the industry today to inspire others to choose a career in golf tomorrow through an engaging video, while there was also a video message from Sophia Popov, the reigning AIG Women’s Open Champion.Golf broadcaster Iona Stephen also spoke with Martin Slumbers about The R&A’s work in this area and took on a very special trip herself to highlight the endeavours.Stephen visited Royal Nairobi Golf Club in Kenya to see some of the fantastic work being done to encourage more women and girls to play golf, with the Kenyan Ladies Golf Union showing their commitment to driving the sport forward as a signatory of the Charter. Stephen hosted a clinic with over 40 women and met some of the key individuals involved in driving their work.
Developing as individuals
In the summer of 2019, The R&A also launched the Women in Golf Leadership Development Programme (WIGLDP), part of the organisation’s commitment to the Charter. A second group of talented women have since graduated from the programme, learning, developing and growing as individuals in their chosen field – a feat even more impressive given the challenges of COVID-19.A number of women shared the story of their own personal development through the WIGLDP, including a personal case study from Amelia Lewis. An impact study also highlighted the endeavours of EDGA and the Australian Sports Turf Managers Association across women and girls’ initiatives.
