Attitude Towards Womens Golf

The laddish comments (Paula Creamer etc) don't bother me unduly as boys will be boys and all that. The generalisations as to the standard of women's golf in general, their pace of play, playing off the reds, not hitting it far enough (for who??) etc does grate but I try to rise above it! Of course there are women golfers who meet such generalisations and stereotypes but I spend a lot of time on the golf course and see way more dreadful male golfers hacking their way slowly round the course than I do women.

When I started playing David always noticed the sudden rush for the tee when he turned up with me in tow (!!) but I was oblivious. He took great pleasure in seeing me outdrive many of the guys who didn't want to be stuck behind a woman. Last year we were playing in The Lakes and a guy on the practice ground near the tee watched me and said loudly "blimey, a proper golf swing, who'd have thought it" as if he was paying me a compliment...not worth even acknowledging!
 
Didn't see any of the comments over the weekend so cannot comment directly. However I share the view that women's sports in general tend to be less compelling for the spectator as they are usually competing at a lower level than the chaps, evidenced by the simple fact they have their own competitions rather than take their chance in open mixed competitions.

Having said that it does not mean women's sport is not watchable and at times very enjoyable e.g. the Solheim Cup victory last year.
 
Stub
I think we are moving towards a time when men and women will compete in the same competitions at club level.
I know a few enlightened clubs do this already for some events.
I think Germany tend to have club competitions open to both sexes.

......and before any of the old [or not so old] thinkers start. Yes...... they play equally off seperate tees.
 
I just commented on the Womens Open post and to precis what I said there, Womens sport is not as good to watch as mens. I don't see how anyone can argue any differently.

I must be very stupid, old and out of touch I suppose. To educate me, can someone explain what I am missing? If mens golf is second best to ladies then why does The Open dwarf the ladies event? If the ladies is so good, why are there no broadcasters clamouring to show it?

The answer is market forces. It is not a valuable product. It is just not as good.
 
On Saturday I was lucky enough to play with an ex Curtis Cup player at Machrihanish, her golf was simply superb and a real joy to watch, a nicer player and person I've not as yet had the pleasure to play with. Her 9 handicap partner was also an absolute gem and a dam fine player as well. Both as I say were excellent company and it made for great round of golf.

They bloody well pumped us something rotten as well. For anyone who knows Machrihanish the back 9 is tough as old boots into the wind. I hit a full bloodied driver onto the 16th and hit 6 iron from 130 into the 17th. Our playing partners were an amazing -3 for the last 4 holes. Sensational golf and the form that got her into the Curtis Cup and a +3 handicap certainly shone through!
 
What comes first - lack of interest or lack of coverage resulting in lack of interest? I'd have thought most keen golfers would be interested in the top level of the sport played by either gender but I guess not.

Overall the coverage of ladies golf is poor whether that be the BBC or Sky. The latter show highlights of a 4 day european tour event in an hour (make that 47 minutes with ad breaks) and it's almost unwatchable.
 
Doon frae Troon said:
They will have equal handicaps..........what are some of you so guys afraid off.
Click to expand...

Actually you don't know if the handicaps are equivalent. The handicap systems may be the same, but whether they compare fairly is a more difficult judgement, and it is not down to whether SSS is the same or not. It is more to do with the extent to which SSS is a fair judgement of the difficulty of the course. In a mixed comp with men and women, the difference in SSS goes out the window, because the results are just based on points, and it doesn't matter if your 36 points on a SSS 74 course is really a better result than my 37 on a SSS 72 course, because I beat you. On the other hand, your higher SSS may have driven your handicap up higher than mine (for a given level of ability), so does that compensate for the loss of handicap versus SSS?
 
Doon frae Troon said:
......and before any of the old [or not so old] thinkers start. Yes...... they play equally off seperate tees.
Click to expand...

Equal or the same .. but different ...........mmmm DFT ..

I play alot of society golf & we compete equaly with women , but our handicapping system in the society is totaly different & that allows for anyone winning a few times ty be reeled in as such .. man or woman .. i have no problem competing with anyone but if any woman wants to play in a male comp , everyone plays the same course or it is not equal .. thats just my opinion

bluewolf said:
Their handicap is measured from the reds, so that's where they should play from.
Click to expand...

How does this make a competition equal tho ? do ya split the difference between the mens medal tee & womens medal tee & play from there ... if handicaps are the great leveler or equaler in golf , how can you have handicaps & different tees & be equal ?

And im not nieve enough to think all women golfers are slow & short & all men are fast & long , there are good & bad, fast & slow & gender is not the reason ...
 
Sexism should be treated like racism and jumped all over.... I could rant here but I think the point is made!
 
There was a quote on Saturday morning (I think - could have been any other time during the competition) that MALE club golfers would learn more from watching the pro ladies play than they would from watching Tiger, Rory et al (I don't just mean Paula's knee socks!)

Personally I could've watched the entire weekend - had it not been for the regulars in the pub wanting the diving (premier league) on the tv! Shame it wasn't a closer finish to really keep the interest high!
 
Snelly said:
I just commented on the Womens Open post and to precis what I said there, Womens sport is not as good to watch as mens. I don't see how anyone can argue any differently.

I must be very stupid, old and out of touch I suppose. To educate me, can someone explain what I am missing? If mens golf is second best to ladies then why does The Open dwarf the ladies event? If the ladies is so good, why are there no broadcasters clamouring to show it?

The answer is market forces. It is not a valuable product. It is just not as good.
Click to expand...

Nobody will argue with that Snelly.
But..
Like most sports a very talented women will beat less talented men. Prime example being Joyce Weatherhead once beat Bobby Jones in an exhibition match at St Andrews, from the same tees. There was a huge crowd watching the match. As Snelly says most of the crowd would have come to watch Jones as he was the star attraction.
 
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