coverage of women's golf in Golf Monthly

[MikeH]

evening all

have caught sight of a couple of threads on coverage of women's golf/inclusion of female golfers in Golf Monthly and was keen to post a quick response.

It is a question I get asked from time to time and we have printed letters (and a response from me) in the past and here are my topline thoughts (I'd go into more detail but it's deadline week so bit under the cosh)

It is my view that equipment reviews aside every other bit of Golf Monthly is aimed at both male and female golfers.

However the reason we don’t have more women’s specific coverage than that is that it would not be appropriate as the percentage of female readers of the magazine has traditionally been around the 2-3 percent mark (the last reader survey we did showed only 42 out of 2465 respondents were female) and there are already two magazines devoted entirely to the women’s game, Lady Golfer and Women & Golf.

With regards coverage of the women's game - from time to time we publish major interviews with the top female players. In the past few years we have interviewed Lorena Ochoa, Paula Creamer, Annika Sorenstam and Catriona Matthew (before she won the British Open) and we have just done a joint interview with Catriona and Carly Booth. We also feature previews of and results from the top women’s events in the magazine and online.

Golf Monthly often features female writers - Lewine Mair has been writing for Golf Monthly for over 20 years, Patricia Davies has been a regular contributor for over ten years and the magazine’s last editor was female, Jane Carter. And, bringing things up to date our current brilliant art editor, Steph is a woman (and very handy golfer).

Hope the above shows that Golf Monthy does take women's golf seriously but that our focused coverage is in line with the breakdown of our readership

Thanks

 

[stevek1969]

Cut to the chase Mike do you have some nice pictures of Carly Booth,haha

 

[dixie46]

Very diplomatic, Mike. I can see why you hold your lofty position but take your point entirely, horses for courses and all that....

 

[CrapHacker]

You say female readership runs at about 2-3 %

But is that the same % of ladies that actually play the game. I'd guess with nothing to back it up that the figure is low in relation to actual playing numbers.

Which implies to me that it would surely be the easiest way to increase readership would be to attract more female readers rather than trying to increase the male contingent.

I'm not saying let the ladies take over, but giving 2 or 3 pages a month to them might pay dividends in the long run.

Also, I've always thought that the majority of male golfers (excluding S&Ters, obviously ) can learn more from a good lady pros swing than they'll ever learn from Rory's double back breaking hip turn.

 

[JustOne]

I won't be buying the mag if I see ads for Bodyform or Femfresh :mmm:

 

[CrapHacker]

Oh, and how many blokes would complain at seeing pictures of a fresh faced young lady every month.

So you win with the ladies, you win with the equality seeking blokes, and you win with the misogynists.

Double

 

[CrapHacker]

I won't be buying the mag if I see ads for Bodyform or Femfresh :mmm:

Only coz you get those ads in your copies of 'Hello' and 'Oops what a lovely sailor'.

 

[FairwayDodger]

Hi Mike - thanks for addressing this. I understand what you're saying but do think as craphacker says you could boost your female readership with just a little more content; the odd female reader in one of your features perhaps. I did read the interview with Carly and Catriona and was pleased to see it.

I think there's a bit of a gap (for me anyway) in golf publications in that there's very little female content in the "main" mags like GM. However when I've read "Lady Golfer" it's not for me - too much pink stuff not enough golf.

 

[MikeH]

Y
I'm not saying let the ladies take over, but giving 2 or 3 pages a month to them might pay dividends in the long run.

couple of quick points...
1 whether it's intended to seem that way or not 2-3 pages smacks of tokenism. "Here you go love, heres your two pages, happy now?"
2 Sales figures for W&G and LG are 'modest' at best and that me being diplomatic. If lady golfers arent buying mags 100% dedicated to women's golf in any sort of volume then I very much doubt 2-3 pages in GM is going to have the female golfing population buying every issue

I guess it goes back to what I said. I believe that all content bar equipment reviews (and even then lower handicap lady players often play mens clubs but with softer flex shafts) is totally relevant to both male and female golfers who are serious about golf

 

[JustOne]

@Mike,

It might be an idea to have a competition for women readers to win something 'fluffy' perhaps (joking)... and see what response you get to that....eg how many entries from women you get?

 

[USER1999]

@Mike,

It might be an idea to have a competition for women readers to win something 'fluffy' perhaps (joking)... and see what response you get to that....eg how many entries from women you get?

Smiffy would enter. Does that count?

 

[Mary]

I think there's a bit of a gap (for me anyway) in golf publications in that there's very little female content in the "main" mags like GM. However when I've read "Lady Golfer" it's not for me - too much pink stuff not enough golf.

Well said! :fore:

 

[richart]

There is a sudden increase in ladies on the here Mike, and no doubt they will now be buying the magazine, if only for the Forum pages !!

I am sure there are lot of the men on here who can't achieve the swing speed of the men Pro's in GM, but they could swing more like some of the ladies Pro's. Remember going to watch the ladies at Woburn, and their rhythm was fantastic. Perhaps you could get one of the lady Pros to give a regular lesson in the magazine ?

 

[MikeH]

I am sure there are lot of the men on here who can't achieve the swing speed of the men Pro's in GM, but they could swing more like some of the ladies Pro's.

My view...you can't really teach swing speed, you've either got it or you havent. Sure you can hone what you've got but what pieces like the Rory Power Move one in the current issue aim to do is give readers an insight into how he delivers the power and ball speed he does.

GM isnt all about.. "stand like this, hold the club like so, try to hit it with this action" which is more the Today's Golfer stock in trade. Sure we cover fundamentals eachmonth but a fair bit of what we (and GW and GI) want to do is give readers that window into a world that we all want to know more about.... professional golf

 

[Heidi]

I think there's a bit of a gap (for me anyway) in golf publications in that there's very little female content in the "main" mags like GM. However when I've read "Lady Golfer" it's not for me - too much pink stuff not enough golf.

AHA! There is Mike, saves me stalking you! First of all, thank you so much for coming back so quickly on my post.
I am with fairway on the lack of good quality glossy golf mags aimed or even acknowledging us ladies, I had a year's subscription to Lady golfer (unwanted Xmas present that kept arriving!), and was glad when it finished. I did not even think of extending it. Not only is it pink and fluffy, its just not indepth enough. There was only one article I enjoyed reading each month and that was the 'blog' by Madeleine Winnett, an incredibly amusing and accomplished writer.
The rest is just pink fluff. Reviews of equipment is not done by real people, Claire Queen (the pro at the Carrick) had a short how to hit a pink ball section, but again, not as informative as anything I've seen in any of the 'male' orientated mags.
All I'd like is a little nod to the fairer sex, and a few more than 4 mini articles or pics about ladies!
please...!
many thanks :whoo:

 

[richart]

My view...you can't really teach swing speed, you've either got it or you havent. Sure you can hone what you've got but what pieces like the Rory Power Move one in the current issue aim to do is give readers an insight into how he delivers the power and ball speed he does.

GM isnt all about.. "stand like this, hold the club like so, try to hit it with this action" which is more the Today's Golfer stock in trade. Sure we cover fundamentals eachmonth but a fair bit of what we (and GW and GI) want to do is give readers that window into a world that we all want to know more about.... professional golf

I was thinking more of the fundamentals Mike, the lessons that you include, rather than the Rory type articles. Just a thought.

 

[thecraw]

I have no objection to a topless shoot with Mel Reid and Paula Creamer.

And to show I'm not being sexist I'll go topless too! That should get the ladies interested.

 

[CrapHacker]

couple of quick points...
1 whether it's intended to seem that way or not 2-3 pages smacks of tokenism. "Here you go love, heres your two pages, happy now?"
2 Sales figures for W&G and LG are 'modest' at best and that me being diplomatic. If lady golfers arent buying mags 100% dedicated to women's golf in any sort of volume then I very much doubt 2-3 pages in GM is going to have the female golfing population buying every issue

I guess it goes back to what I said. I believe that all content bar equipment reviews (and even then lower handicap lady players often play mens clubs but with softer flex shafts) is totally relevant to both male and female golfers who are serious about golf

IMO the number of ladies in the game has increased rather a lot since I first picked up a golf club all those years ago.

The ladies sections of many clubs nowadays are as healthy as the mens.

By talking about magazines that are purely for the gals is like saying they should not be integrated into 'our' mag. Yes it would only be a 'token' gesture, the way that the forum section of the mag is a token gesture to us. But it's one that most of us love looking at in the vain hope of seeing our name in lights.

And, in the same way that ladies' club memberships has increased, the input and purchasing of the lasses will gradually increase over the years. How much has spending on, say, female golf attire/clubs/other stuff increased over the last 10-15 years?

It shouldn't just be down to "Buy our mag and we'll look after you better".

You have to plant the tiny acorn before you get the benefit of the giant rosebush.

Or something.



Edit

BTW surely a few pages a month of tokenism is better than a bit of "From time to time" tokenism?

 

[CrapHacker]

Sure we cover fundamentals each month ....

And many blokes out there can learn a heck of a lot by looking at the tempo and length of swing of the lady pros rather than the unachievable body contortion of the modern 'flatbellies' , as Trevino used to call them.

 

[Foxholer]

And many blokes out there can learn a heck of a lot by looking at the tempo and length of swing of the lady pros rather than the unachievable body contortion of the modern 'flatbellies' , as Trevino used to call them.

Absolutely agree.

And if it' Paula Creamer, Natalie Gulbis, Maria Verchenova et al doing the swinging sales might soar too!