Trending Topics - Women & Girls Golf (incl. Summit preview)

Leighton Walker is joined by Emma Highwood, Head of Women's Development at England Golf, to discuss the organisation's work to grow women and girls' involvement in golf and the forthcoming Women and Girls Summit, taking place on 9 October at the East Midlands Golf Centre in Nottingham. The summit follows England Golf's club workshops earlier in the year and will bring together clubs, industry representatives, women's golf groups and voices from other sports to share ideas and explore practical ways of creating a more inclusive and welcoming environment for women and girls. The conversation looks at the opportunity for golf around wellbeing, community and social connection. Emma explains how England Golf is working with around 40 clubs to test new approaches to attracting younger women, with clubs exploring combinations of golf, yoga, Pilates and other activities. The discussion considers whether clubs need to think differently about what they are actually selling – with community, belonging and wellbeing potentially as important as the golf itself. Leighton and Emma also explore the growth of independent women's golf groups and what traditional clubs can learn from their success. Making people feel welcome, removing unnecessary restrictions and offering more flexible ways to play – including four, six and nine-hole formats – could all help create stronger pathways into club golf. The conversation also covers the importance of women in leadership and England Golf's Women's Leadership Programme, as well as the 40-club pilot, which is taking a collaborative approach to understanding individual club challenges, targeting specific audiences and developing appropriate offers. Emma provides an update on the renewal of the R&A Women in Golf Charter, originally launched in 2018 with around 670 clubs signing up. The refreshed approach focuses on equitable course access, volunteer diversity and membership opportunities, with around 300 clubs currently indicating they are keen to renew. Finally, Leighton and Emma look ahead to the Women and Girls Summit and the importance of clubs learning from one another, as well as from other sports. The overriding message is that there is real momentum around women and girls in golf, but continuing that progress will require clubs and the wider industry to challenge existing practices and think differently about what golf has to offer. To find out more about England Golf: England Golf Find out more about the England Golf Women and Girls Summit: England Golf Summit   **Connect with Us at Golf Club Talk UK:** Instagram: @golfclubtalkuk Website: Golf Club Talk UK LinkedIn: **A big thanks to our partners:** Toro – Click here for more information Himalayas Golf – Click here for more information **Support us here:** Buy Me a Coffee **Rate & Review** Please leave a 5-star review and share this episode with your golf circle!