Golf Course Reviews for Women by Women – Finding Golfer Friendly Golf Courses
By: Jennifer Ledbetter
In my profession of reviewing Georgia Golf Courses, mainly in the Atlanta area golf market, I have the unique ability to add a special twist to my golf course reviews. My readers get the added benefit of golf course reviews for women, by a woman.
One of my pet peeves is a golf course that isn’t truly set up for the woman golfer.
For example, have you ever played a golf course where the forward tees (aka, the “ladies tees”) seem to have been added as after-thought? A cut down patch of fairway, or the tee box markers just “tossed” somewhere in front of the men’s forward tees, are just two examples of a golf course that doesn’t take into consideration the power of the woman golfing market.
Women golfers now represent over 25% of the golfing market as a whole. Also, an important statistic to take into account is that the fastest growing segment of women golfers is the 18-29 year old bracket. Let alone the fact that one-third of all “new golfers” are women.
Add to these statistics the simple fact that golf is a “game for a lifetime” and golfers over 50 play more rounds than their younger counter-parts, it is very difficult for me to see, from a pure business angle, how this market isn’t given very serious consideration at EVERY golf course. Will this take some extra effort? Of course, but the long-term benefits far outweigh the original investment.
The average woman golfer carries a USGA index of about 28. The forward/ladies tees should be set up with that market in mind. Currently, I carry a USGA index that puts me in the top 7% of US amateur women golfers. I know that if a course has a negative effect on me, it will certainly cause a negative effect on the target market of women golfers.
I have seen definite improvement in golf course set-up in relation to the woman golfer in the past few years, but there are still courses that need a “touch up”. Being that the golf industry is a male-dominated field, I believe it would benefit each course to enlist some women golfers of varying playing abilities to review their course. More importantly, listen to their feedback.
I feel certain that golf courses that are reviewed by women for women will see a definite impact on their business interaction with that target market. It’s not so much about a course being “woman friendly”, it’s about a course making a wise business decision to be “golfer friendly” and cater to all playing ability levels.
About the Author:
Ms Ledbetter and her husband are the founders of http://www.GeorgiaGolfCourseReviews.com. Ms Ledbetter has 15+ years in the golf and customer service industry. GeorgiaGolfCourseReviews.com brings a unique twist to reviews of Atlanta area golf courses. Mr and Mrs Ledbetter play each course together then review each course separately for the male golfer and the female golfer, and throw in an over-all couples golf experience. We love golf. If it’s about golf, it’s at GeorgiaGolfCourseReviews.com