Women in golf: Lynx CFO and owner, Stephanie Zinser
What inspired you to get involved with the Lynx brand?
We were offered the chance to be involved in 2011 and although I didn’t know the brand intimately, I did know it had permeated the public consciousness as a strong brand with a good reputation. The visuals of the logo and the name are a marketing man’s dream.
Lynx has an extensive women’s range. What are the specific demands of designing for women?
We take our commitment to women’s golf extremely seriously and leapt at the chance to be the official golf club sponsor of the Ricoh Women’s British Open. As a woman, I never want the products we produce to be a sop, or patronising to our female customers. Lynx was always strong on women’s clubs – Tigress G had 34% market share in its heyday. All our ladies’ products must perform with excellence and look fabulous. Performance and styling are not mutually exclusive in our book.
Have you had to contend with any element of sexism in the industry?
Yes, to a degree. There are a few people in every industry with unpalatable views. I was one of the first women executives in the city when I started my career as an investment banker, but luckily I was armed with a psychology degree, which came in handy at times! I am a keen protagonist of women, but I never want to sacrifice my femininity to be successful in a man’s world.
What do you enjoy most about your job?
Everything! The challenges, the fact that no two days are the same. I thrive on creating order from chaos. I was given three weeks to live in 1998 and I refused to give up then. I am not going to stop now, either.
How can we encourage more women to get involved in the game?
Lynx has made one of its core aims to get more people – not just women – involved in golf. It is a terrific game. What other sport can you play into your dotage, and play fairly against others of varying capabilities? I think removing some of the stuffy attitudes will help. We need to make people think of the word ‘fun’ when they hear golf. At the moment a lot of people still think of the word ‘stuffy’ and this is damaging to our wonderful sport.
What advice would you give to other women considering a career in golf?
Go for it. Life is not a practice round! The worst thing anyone can say to you in life is ‘no’ – not that scary a word.
Tom Irwin
Tom is a lifetime golfer, now over 30 years playing the game. 2023 marks 10 years in golf publishing and he is still holding down a + handicap at Alwoodley in Leeds. He has played over 600 golf courses, and has been a member of at least four including his first love Louth, in Lincolnshire. Tom likes unbranded clothing, natural fibres, and pencil bags. Seacroft in Lincolnshire is where it starts and ends.
