by Karen Crouse
No amount of sideways rain at Royal St. George’s could obscure the view that the sun is shining on the British empire. The British Open began with three men from the British Isles among the top four golfers in the world and ended with a fourth, Darren Clarke of Northern Ireland, clasping the champion’s Claret Jug.
Lost in all the buzz about how Britain’s talent is rising like clotted cream to the top of the world golf rankings was the fact that, like many celebrated British courses, it is exclusionary. To celebrate the resurgence of British golf is to ignore that the women are lagging far behind their male counterparts.
Heading into the Women’s British Open this week at Carnoustie Golf Club, the highest-ranked women from the British Isles are Catriona Matthew of Scotland (36), Melissa Reid of England (39) and her compatriot Laura Davies (68).
The absence of Britons at or near the top is all the more glaring given Britain’s rich golfing history, one in which players of both sexes have figured prominently. In the 1920s, when the sport was ruled by amateurs, the women’s game was the domain of Joyce Wethered, who won five English Ladies Championships, four British Ladies Amateurs and the esteem of Bobby Jones, the legendary American star, who described her as the finest golfer, male or female, that he had ever seen.
Among professionals in Britain, the women’s standard-bearer is Davies, a four-time major winner from Coventry, England, who was the L.P.G.A.’s leading money winner in 1994 and the Player of the Year in 1996.
Those who play and follow the sport suggest golf’s patrician roots in Britain have constricted the women’s professional progress. Neil Squires, who covers golf for the Manchester Evening News, estimated that 90 percent of the country’s golfers are men. There remain clubs, he said, where women are invisible by design.
“Historically, there’s always been an issue with golf and all-male clubs,” Squires said, adding that until recently there was a sign displayed at Royal St. George’s that reflected the prevailing attitude.
“It read ‘No Women, No Dogs in the clubhouse,”’ he added. “If you’re a woman wanting to take up golf or even a guy with daughters wanting to take up golf, would you take your daughter along to a place like that?”
Reid, 23, is a two-time winner in Europe who aspires to be the female version of Rory McIlroy, the 22-year-old wunderkind from Northern Ireland who rose to No.4 in the rankings after his victory in the U.S. Open in June.
“The blokes are doing pretty good,” Reid said this month during the U.S. Women’s Open. “Can we reach that level of success? I think so. For it to happen, we need someone like myself to take the golf world by storm. That would make golf more attractive to young girls.”
Reid accepts there are obstacles she must overcome that McIlroy never had to hurdle. To get ready for Carnoustie, for example, Reid could practice at Holywell Golf Club in Wales, near where she lives, but not on any given Saturday.
“There are no women allowed on the course on Saturdays,” Reid said, adding, “Unfortunately, it’s just the way the world is.”
Reid, a willowy blonde who has gotten more press in England for her good looks than her game, added: “I completely understand golf tradition in Britain. I love the tradition but…” Her voice trailed off.
Read more:
No amount of sideways rain at Royal St. George’s could obscure the view that the sun is shining on the British empire. The British Open began with three men from the British Isles among the top four golfers in the world and ended with a fourth, Darren Clarke of Northern Ireland, clasping the champion’s Claret Jug.
Lost in all the buzz about how Britain’s talent is rising like clotted cream to the top of the world golf rankings was the fact that, like many celebrated British courses, it is exclusionary. To celebrate the resurgence of British golf is to ignore that the women are lagging far behind their male counterparts. Heading into the Women’s British Open this week at Carnoustie Golf Club, the highest-ranked women from the British Isles are Catriona Matthew of Scotland (36), Melissa Reid of England (39) and her compatriot Laura Davies (68).
The absence of Britons at or near the top is all the more glaring given Britain’s rich golfing history, one in which players of both sexes have figured prominently. In the 1920s, when the sport was ruled by amateurs, the women’s game was the domain of Joyce Wethered, who won five English Ladies Championships, four British Ladies Amateurs and the esteem of Bobby Jones, the legendary American star, who described her as the finest golfer, male or female, that he had ever seen.
Among professionals in Britain, the women’s standard-bearer is Davies, a four-time major winner from Coventry, England, who was the L.P.G.A.’s leading money winner in 1994 and the Player of the Year in 1996.
Those who play and follow the sport suggest golf’s patrician roots in Britain have constricted the women’s professional progress. Neil Squires, who covers golf for the Manchester Evening News, estimated that 90 percent of the country’s golfers are men. There remain clubs, he said, where women are invisible by design.
“Historically, there’s always been an issue with golf and all-male clubs,” Squires said, adding that until recently there was a sign displayed at Royal St. George’s that reflected the prevailing attitude.
“It read ‘No Women, No Dogs in the clubhouse,”’ he added. “If you’re a woman wanting to take up golf or even a guy with daughters wanting to take up golf, would you take your daughter along to a place like that?”
Reid, 23, is a two-time winner in Europe who aspires to be the female version of Rory McIlroy, the 22-year-old wunderkind from Northern Ireland who rose to No.4 in the rankings after his victory in the U.S. Open in June.
“The blokes are doing pretty good,” Reid said this month during the U.S. Women’s Open. “Can we reach that level of success? I think so. For it to happen, we need someone like myself to take the golf world by storm. That would make golf more attractive to young girls.”
Reid accepts there are obstacles she must overcome that McIlroy never had to hurdle. To get ready for Carnoustie, for example, Reid could practice at Holywell Golf Club in Wales, near where she lives, but not on any given Saturday.
“There are no women allowed on the course on Saturdays,” Reid said, adding, “Unfortunately, it’s just the way the world is.”
Reid, a willowy blonde who has gotten more press in England for her good looks than her game, added: “I completely understand golf tradition in Britain. I love the tradition but…” Her voice trailed off.
Read more:
