ABSTRACT
The culture of golf and its environment is widely regarded as male-dominated and exclusionary. Historical accounts dating to 16th-century Scotland detail instances where females were shunned from the golf course and restricted to secret games involving little more than putting (George, 2009). Exclusionary practices continue to impact the modern game, where females still struggle for equality of access, participation, employment and decision making in golf (Kitching et al., 2017). Global golf participation figures indicate the low visibility of female participants, and some golf club institutions still preclude female members. It is not just on the fairways that female participants are less evident, but governance, administration and service provision in the golf industry is largely male-dominated, making it difficult for females to gain employment and forge careers (MacKinnon, 2013). The earnings of female professional golfers pale in comparison to those of their male counterparts (Saffer, 2016). Research has confirmed the discriminatory environment in which golf takes place for females of all ability levels both on and off the golf course; some of this is consented exclusion (McGinnis & Gentry, 2006; Mitchell et al., 2016). Prevailing perceptions of female golfers reduce them to less able, slower players, while the marketing of golf merchandise and products and the presentation of golf settings is normatively male (Hundley, 2004; McGinnis et al., 2005). This chapter reviews research on women in golf, both from historical and modern-day contexts, and concludes with some thoughts for the future. While efforts were made to include evidence from a range of international contexts, much of the research cited in this chapter emanates from the traditional golfing nations of Australia, Great Britain, Ireland and the United States.
