Women - A Force Behind Industry Initiatives
For many years the golf industry has recognized that women golfers are the key to boosting the levels of participation in the game. While women still comprise only about 20 percent of the golfing populace, they account for roughly half of the decision-making power when it comes to spending on apparel, destination planning and the like.
In an article published in 2006, Cindy Davis, now President of Nike Golf, said, "Manufacturers are becoming much more sophisticated in how they approach their R&D and marketing for women's products. Golf facilities are exploring all angles to make golf more inviting to women. In short, this industry is keenly aware that more women golfers means more rounds, more revenues, more equipment sales, more television viewers—more business."
In the same article, Pam Swensen, Executive Director, Executive Women’s Golf Association concluded, “If you want women to influence the growth of the golf industry, make it relevant, inviting and collaborative.”
How Can Members Get Involved?
The Golf Industry has listened by creating and inviting women golfers to participate in a variety of relevant industry initiatives with the goal of attracting and retaining more women and girls to the game of golf. to attract and retain more women and girls in the game of golf.
Our Chapter hopes these industry-supported activities will help you learn more about the game, broaden your interest and involvement in golf, and increase your enjoyment of this lifetime sport. And To help our members in a collective effort to grow women's golf, our Chapter also provides volunteer support for many of these events to attract women to join our Chapter.
To get involved as a participant, sign up with the host facility to take part in the sponsored initiative. To volunteer as a Chapter representative, contact our Golf Industry Initiatives coordinator at golfindustryevents@ewgadc.org.
Hosts for Our Industry Initiatives
Many of our Chapter’s sponsors are offering these industry initiatives to provide additional opportunities for our members to enjoy the game and to help grow women’s golf. Here are this year’s sponsors:
1757 Golf Club
Bull Run Golf Club
Capital City Golf School
Cross Creek Golf Club
Dulles Golf Center
Golf DC (East Potomac, Langston & Rock Creek Golf Courses)
What is the EWGA DC Initiative Schedule
So you can fit these initiatives into your golfing schedule in 2011, the EWGA-DC Chapter provides our members with an "Industry Initiatives Calendar." Listed below are the local events and activities hosted by our Chapter sponsors throughout the golf season. Click here to see the full EWGA-DC Industry Initiatives Calendar.
Annually, EWGA-DC members take part in Women's Golf Month events during the month of June (either as participants, volunteers or both) to meet new members, reconnect with old friends and even help recruit new members to our Chapter. Golf facilities across the country host fun and affordable activities as part of this special month. Designed to create a more women-friendly environment and to welcome and celebrate women in golf, these gatherings are perfect for new, casual and avid golfers to get outdoors and enjoy all that golf has to offer. Some activities, which are open to all golfers, include:
Clinics
Golf Networking receptions
Open Houses featuring EWGA
On-course playing opportunities / promotions
Bring a friend and meet new ones. See our EWGA-DC Industry Initiatives Calendar for the list of local sponsor facilities hosting this fun month-long offering of women's events and promotions.
Annually, EWGA-DC members take part in these fun Play Golf America events (either as participants, volunteers or both) to meet new members, reconnect with old friends and even help recruit new members to our Chapter.
Play Golf America Days are consumer golf festivals offering golfers of all abilities and all ages a special day that includes:
Clinics
Tune-up lessons with PGA and LPGA professionals
Programs for beginners
Skills challenges and contests
Special events and entertainment
Demonstrations of the newest technology from a variety of leading golf manufacturers
Information on women's golf, such as EWGA
Information on youth golf, such as The First Tee and LPGA/USGA Girls golf
It's free and it's fun! It's perfect for new golfers, casual golfers and avid golfers. It's a great day for families.
In Washington, DC, the LPGA/USGA Girls Golf programs offer free activities during the summer months to young females. This initiative is a great way for EWGA-DC members to volunteer their time at a Girls Golf clinic or participate in a playing event; you don't need to be an expert golfer to help coach and mentor. Just your being there will help ensure a positive and welcoming learning experience!
The LPGA/IUSGA Girls Golf provides a solid foundation for girls who want to play for fun with friends and family, to compete at the high school, college, and/or local, state and national levels or to learn for future career purposes, both inside and outside the golf industry. The program offers a progressive learning system on the course, starting from the green and moving back to the tee, with the golf instruction and rules geared to the girls' skill level.
See our EWGA-DC Industry Initiatives Calendar for the list of local sponsor facilities hosting LPGA/USGA Girls offerings to help involve you in getting girls into the game.
Share your favorite sport with your favorite girl during Take Your Daughter to the Course Week. Golf Courses hosting this event offer a free greens fee to young women and girls accompanied by a paying adult during the week and some even host a free clinic. Many local courses will offer additional special promotions.
This is a super opportunity for EWGA-DC members to take your daughter, granddaughter, niece, cousin or family friend or acquaintance to your local course and introduce her to your favorite pastime. See our EWGA-DC Industry Initiatives Calendar for the list of local sponsor facilities hosting this special week-long offering to help get girls into the game.
To help increase awareness of breast health and breast cancer, the EWGA-DC Chapter supports Rally for the Cure® golf events, open to both member and guest participation. We not only help get the word out about these events conducted at our sponsor facilities, but our members also volunteer as Rally for the Cure ambassadors to help plan and coordinate the events. All event participants will enjoy a fun and rewarding day on the course and receive a goody bag, prizes and other breast cancer awareness items. All skill levels are welcome.
Rally for the Cure® is a grassroots program that works to spread awareness about breast health and breast cancer in support of Susan G. Komen for the Cure®. The mission is to empower people to join the fight against breast cancer by educating their friends, family and community on the importance of early detection through an activity they are passionate about. In the United States, a woman has a one in eight chance of developing breast cancer in her lifetime. That is one out of eight mothers, wives, daughters, sisters, friends, co-workers, community members. When detected early, before it spreads beyond the breast, the five-year survival rate is 98%.
See our EWGA-DC Industry Initiatives Calendar for details on Rally for the Cure events conducted locally throughout the golf season, culminating with our Chapter event in October – Breast Cancer Awareness month.
