R&A has ‘deep responsibility’ to close gender gap in prize-money

First a Women in Golf Charter and now a young major winner, Georgia Hall, being signed up as an R&A ambassador. Also on Martin Slumbers’ to-do list on the women and girls’ golf front is “significantly closing” the gap in prize-money between the Open Championship and the Women’s British Open.

Georgia Hall has been signed up as an R&A ambassador. Picture: Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images

While last year’s Open Championship at Carnoustie boasted a prize pot of £7.7 million and saw Francesco Molinari walk away with a cheque for just under £1.4m, the Women’s British Open at Royal Lytham offered around £2.8m in total, with Hall winning less than £370,000.

Both events are now under the R&A umbrella and, with a new sponsor in AIG on board for the women’s event, Slumbers is determined to see the gender gap closed when it comes to prize-money but not by simply throwing cash around.

“We feel deep responsibility about that and we have to close it significantly, but it’s not simply increasing the prize-money,” he stressed after revealing Hall’s new R&A role. “The issue is how do we get more women and girls playing golf. Professional golf is a business. Part of the reason why on the men’s and women’s tour they can play for a living is because there is a large amateur game that spends money on the sport, invests in the sport and allows TV and radio coverage, which is how we get prize money.

“We need to improve the pyramid underneath the women’s game. It’s not just a case of adding prize money at the top. We have to get the bottom working as well and that’s why we pushed the Women in Golf Charter and that’s why I am spending more time in terms of the development of the game on the women’s game than the men’s game. That’s why we signed Georgia as an ambassador and, over time, that will help create a business model that will support ever increasing amounts of prize money.

Junior women’s golf in Ireland increased by one per cent last year – the first time it has moved since 2008 – while women members across GB&I have gone up from 15 to 17 per cent. “You are not to going to change decades’ worth of attitudes in one year,” added Slumbers. “I’m cautiously optimistic of where we are. I think the Women in Golf Charter in helping us amplify this message is gaining traction.

“It is going to take time, but we will persist. I won’t give up because I think it is important for our game. I’m hoping the BBC will help us do something more around that come the spring when the golf season starts.”