How can clubhouses become more welcoming for everyone? How can we make a golf club more diverse? For Nicole Wheatley, more inclusivity can be summed up in childcare and community.
Speaking on The NCG Golf Podcast to highlight the new Fairways Project aiming to document the experiences of women in the golf industry, the founder of the Women in Golf Awards said implementing those words could “totally change the make-up of a golf club”.
The project, launched by The Women in Golf Awards in collaboration with 59club, will run over the next five years and is open to men and women in any sector of the golf industry and at any stage of their careers.
It will harness 59club’s advanced survey software, analytics and training provision to deliver a clear picture of women’s experiences in golf – from opportunities and challenges to aspirations and leadership pathways.
More than 300 women have signed up already and, following an initial Getting to Know You survey, the project will subsequently consist of two ten-minute questionnaires each year.
While it is focusing on the experiences of women, the involvement of men in the project is also vital, with Wheatley explaining: “Men’s involvement is paramount to the success of all of our projects.
“Like everything we do, the Fairways Project is for the wider golf community. We want to improve the industry’s culture, help companies make better provision for women and understand how to hire and retain female talent.
“To do that, men’s and women’s experiences need to lead the conversation.”
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Here’s how to make golf clubs more inclusive
But asked on the podcast what a genuinely inclusive golf club looked like in practice, she said: “If I owned a golf club, the first thing I would have is childcare. I’d have a nursery just within the golf club – not necessarily for golf club members.
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“I’m going to repeat myself, but if a golf club has a nursery you’re automatically attracting families to the venue.
“Forget the golf club. You’re getting them down the drive. They’re bringing their children. When they’re there, they might be like, ‘this isn’t what I expected. I might go and have a coffee’.
“They go and have a coffee, and then dad comes to pick the kids up and he’s like, ‘Oh, they’ve got a driving range. I could go and have a hit on the driving range while Joey’s in childcare’.
“That changes everything. It fundamentally does and it doesn’t detract from what the golf club offers. I’m not asking you to add padel. I’m not asking you to add anything else.
“I want it to be a golf club. I want it to be a community venue. I want the staff to reflect the diverse nature of the people who live around you.
“I really think golf club staff should look like the people who live and work in the area because, ultimately, we need to be more diverse.
“We need to reflect the communities we serve. I think if you can do those two things it would totally change the make-up of a golf club.”
To find out more, and for a chance to take part in the Fairways Project, register your interest at womeningolfawards.co.uk
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What do you think? Are golf clubs inclusive enough, or does more work need to be done? How would make golf clubs more welcoming to everyone? Let us know in the comments, or get in touch on X.
Main image from Adobe Stock
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