Eric R. Curtis
Prof. Helquist
Position/Proposal
7/7/13
Link with Her
I have always heard being a women isn’t easy. I’ve heard it from all the women in my life, from my wife, sisters, mom and friends. World history has shown that women haven’t always felt equal. I have always wanted my wife to join me on the golf course and enjoy something that I care so much about. If my wife would like to take up the game of golf would she feel equally to men? If you feel the way I do, no she wouldn’t. Watching golf on T.V. or reading about it in a magazine; who are they trying to reach? Most of the advertisements, periodicals and even golf advice are messaged towards men. We can do this by not segregating certain areas of golf, not making fashion in golf a one way street, and letting women know they are welcome on the golf course. Women want to feel as an equal in this great sport, so let’s market it this way.
Segregation isn’t always black and white, but could be towards gender. Every time I go into the golf store I can always see in the back right of the store the women’s section. In this section there is everything a women needs to golf. I usually go to the same golf store but of the other ones I have been too I have been seen the same thing. There is a magazine called Golf Digest and for the women they have their own. When arriving to the golf course there is tee’s that are even labeled “women’s tee box.” Most women just want to be a part of the gang. Should women have to go to a different part of the golf store to get a set of pink golf balls or try out a driver? Or should women have to buy a different magazine then her husbands. My fix for these things, Include the women’s apparel with the men’s, you could always have a women’s section in that one section. I understand women’s bodies are different from men’s and are needed to swing differently why not just include that in the same magazine. At golf courses there are 4 – 5 different tee boxes, why not eliminate the women’s tee boxes that are 50 yards closer. I would love to have any women hit from the same tee box as I do.
Do women care more about fashion then men? In my opinion, no; Fashion is not more important to women than men. Especially in golf where most golf courses have a dress code in place such as no t-shirts and jeans. I am even to blame trying to entice my wife to take up the game of golf by saying she can get a new outfit if she would. This only made me want to go out and look at golf shirt and khaki’s. If you watch the PGA, you would without a doubt notice Rickie Fowler, one of the flashiest golfers on the tour.
Men are caring more and more about having a fashion sense it’s not only about women wanting to look good while enjoying a great round of golf.
According to a golf Digest article entitled “Avid Women Golfers Speak Out” written by Stina Sternberg; 65% of women have had men expressed their displeasure when being paired with them. I’ll have to admit I haven’t always made women feel welcomed when golfing with them. Sternberg polled 1,800 women golfers about the treatment of women from men on the golf course. Every single women of said all they wanted was equality. All these 1800 women said every man and the rangers of the golf course assume they play slow. This is not the case. When I play golf I always play with someone that says the group in front of us is slow. Most of the time I play on Saturday, It is going to be slow on these days no matter what.
Golfing is catering more and more too just men, marketing needs to be directed towards women. According to Cybergolf.com an average women golfer spends around $700 on golf and 32% of women golfers spend $1000 or more dollars on golf. I would want that demographic, wouldn’t you? Women golfers want to feel equal and not be segregated, not be the only one concerned with the fashion of the sport and they want to feel welcomed when they come golfing. These marketing companies need to start marketing to women better.
Works Cited
CyberGolf. Women's Golf Market Study Unveiled. 2012. 8 June 2013. <http://www.cybergolf.com/golf_news/womens_golf_market_study_unveiled>.
Siracusa, Matt. "Pro Golfer Rickie Fowler Repping Puma’s Fitted Monoline Hat." trendygolfblog, n.d. <http://www.stack.com/2011/01/26/pro-golfer-rickie-fowler-repping-puma%e2%80%99s-fitted-monoline-hat/>.
Sternberg, Stina. "Avid Women Golfers Speak Out." Golf Digest March 2012: 112 - 113.