R&A launches new campaign to get more women and girls into golf

The R&A is launching a new campaign aimed at attracting more women and girls into golf and having a "positive impact on the global golfing landscape".

Martin Slumbers with the #FOREeveryone toolkit, which has been supported by Australian major winner Hannah Green, left and 2018 Women's Open champion Georgia Hall, right. Picture: R&A - Handout/R&A via Getty Images

The outline aim of #FOREeveryone, which has been born out of the Women in Golf Charter unveiled in May 2018, is being shared today with clubs around the UK and Ireland.

"In this initial period, the campaign will see the delivery of a new toolkit dedicated to providing clubs and venues with more information on how best to attract more women and girls into their fold," said Jackie Davidson, the R&A's assistant director of development, in a letter sent to clubs in partnership with England Golf, Golf Ireland, Scottish Golf, Wales Golf and the PGA.

"It is our belief that clubs will welcome the opportunity to take some simple steps and align with the fundamentals of the campaign, where relevant, prior to any consumer-facing activity being conducted."

Davidson added: "While there are likely to be many different opinions on this critical matter, it is our endeavour to unite the industry as far as we possibly can in support of the #FOREeveryone campaign and its drive to create a landscape which successfully attracts more women and girls into the sport.

"This campaign and the work we have done to date to prepare for the introduction of the toolkit and assets are just the first steps in a long-term project, intended to provide golf clubs with ongoing support as the industry collectively seeks to tackle this issue.

"We would much appreciate your input and support as we embark on this journey which we hope can make a positive impact on the global golfing landscape."

Martin Slumbers, the R&A chief executive, has made no secret of his desire to help grow the women's game, with 2018 Women's Open winner Georgia Hall having been appointed as one of the R&A's ambassadors.

Commenting on this new campaign, he said: “We believe that golf has to do more to speak to a female audience and ensure that we have better levels of participation and employment in the golf industry.

"There are some good examples of best practice but, if we are to adequately address these issues, it will require a shift in culture among many more golf facilities to become more accessible, appealing and inclusive.

“The #FOREeveryone campaign and the toolkit and assets, which have been distributed to golf clubs across Great Britain and Ireland today, seek to address that issue head-on by ensuring clubs have the knowledge and materials to help them to evolve.

“Launched as part of the Women in Golf Charter, we hope that #FOREeveryone can inspire tangible change and provide a supporting mechanism for clubs well into the future.

“The more women and girls we can get playing the game, the more diverse we can make the game, the more family orientated we can make the game, the greater success the game will have.”

The new initiative has been welcomed by Hall, who said: “I try my utmost to be the best role model I can be for young juniors and I think it is extremely important to get more women, girls and boys into golf.

"I think #FOREeveryone is a great initiative and, if we can increase participation within the game, that would be amazing.”

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