Virtual Women’s Leadership Forum Inspires for the Future. The R&A hosted its largest ever virtual gathering with leading industry figures this week as part of its continuing drive to inspire action and change behaviours in golf so that the sport is more diverse and inclusive of women and girls.

The first-ever Virtual Women’s Leadership Forum, hosted in collaboration between Mastercard and The R&A, featured a panel of industry experts and leaders who discussed the importance of women and girls to the growth and future prosperity of golf and how collaboration throughout the golf industry can help to make it more welcoming and accessible to people of all ages, gender, race and background.

Monday’s forum was facilitated online by presenter Sarah Stirk, who was joined by two pioneers of the women’s game, Annika Sorenstam and Renee Powell, as well as leading figures at The R&A – Chief Executive Martin Slumbers and Chief Development Officer Phil Anderton.

Ann Cairns, Vice President of Mastercard, was also among over 200 “I believe passionately delegates represented from around the world – from Argentina to Australia, Canada to Chile and Namibia to New Zealand. Delegates from outside the that there is a golf industry were also present, representing sports organisations such as significant growth Arsenal FC, Olympique Lyonnais FC and World Rugby. opportunity for golf if we can do more to Encouraged by the industry’s initial response to the Women in Golf Charter, inspire more women which was launched by The R&A in 2018 and now has over 400 organisations worldwide committed to developing a more inclusive culture within golf, and girls to play and, Slumbers spoke of the importance of continuing momentum. equally as important, to work in the sport.” “The interest in the session is an absolute indication of how important the subject of diversity and inclusion is for the future of golf,” said Slumbers. “I MARTIN SLUMBERS believe passionately that there is a significant growth opportunity for golf Chief Executive, The R&A if we can do more to inspire more women and girls to play and, equally as important, to work in the sport.”

With only 16% of women playing golf in the UK and a latent demand of $35 billion that could be spent on golf by women, the need to keep driving change was made clear.

PAGE 1 Virtual Women’s Leadership Forum.

Mastercard, a long-standing patron of The Open and now a partner in the AIG Women’s Open, is committed to working with The R&A to promote greater diversity and opportunities for women and girls. Cairns, encouraged by early indications that last week’s Masters Tournament yielded the highest ever female audience viewing figures for a major championship at Sky Sports, said: “COVID-19 may be accelerating this whole shift, as it’s one of those sports that is good and healthy to play outside. What better time to “We’ve got to get girls actually allow the whole family to start playing golf? comfortable with the game of golf and chase “Remember, 85% of buying decisions are made by women every day. Being their dreams.” able to engage with golf and encourage women to enjoy it, spend time with their partners and families in the sport, I think is a wonderful way to combine ANNIKA SORENSTAM the things we (Mastercard and The R&A) do together.” 10-time Major Champion and Mastercard Ambassador Sorenstam and Powell spoke passionately about their career achievements, how they have broken down barriers and what they believe to be the future drivers for success.

“We want the sport to fun and be more welcoming for women and girls,” said Sorenstam, the 10-time Major Champion and most celebrated woman golfer of all time. “Let’s start making it cool, preserve the history and tradition, but have modern thinking. We’ve got to get girls comfortable with the game of golf and chase their dreams.”

The Swede, who will host the Scandinavian Mixed event with 2016 Champion Golfer Henrik Stenson next year, highlighted the importance of celebrating “Wouldn’t it be amazing women’s successes and using the power of social media to inspire. “It’s all if in the future if there about a team effort from everyone,” the Mastercard ambassador continued. was no such thing as “The more I played the more confident I got and to challenge myself to be women golfers, only better. That is the message I’m trying to share with the girls I work with in the ANNIKA Foundation; we have 600 girls that play every year and over 60 ‘golfers’, and there different countries represented. It’s important to give them that confidence was no such thing as and let them know it is possible.” women leaders, just ‘leaders’?” Powell is encouraged by a rise in participation by women in golf in the United States of America this year, with equipment sales also up. “I have found PHIL ANDERTON many women wanting to take up the game of golf this year, with their friends Chief Development Officer, or partners,” noted only the second African-American woman ever to play on The R&A the LPGA Tour.

Powell is committed to change and among her activities, she runs a women’s rehabilitation golf programme (Clearview HOPE) for war veterans. “The more programmes, clinics, events like 3-hole and 9-hole golf and going into schools to talk to young girls is going to help grow the game,” she said. “It’s one of those sports that has so many virtues to it and I think very often women don’t realise it. When they start, they want to keep going and get better.”

A break-out session led by Gabe Cervantes, a research manager at the Institute for the Future in Silicon Valley in California, discussed signals of change and how golf can benefit from an outside perspective.

PAGE 2 Virtual Women’s Leadership Forum.

“Any action in the present will still have an on that future,” said Cervantes, whose organisation combat short-termism and expand people’s long-term horizons.

Cervantes was joined by Cairns, Richard Barker, Executive Director – Business Development at The PGA, and Vanessa Morbi, Senior Director of Marketing & Digital at Golf Canada, to identify signals of change, such as technology. For example, Golf Canada have developed a new app to create micro-communities. It is connecting Canada’s golf community through an engaging digital platform to track their scores, manage their on-course experience and identify areas to improve their game.

Anderton, who went on to discuss the importance of attracting more women and girls into the sport, said: “Wouldn’t it be amazing if in the future if there was no such thing as women golfers, only ‘golfers’, and there was no such thing as women leaders, just ‘leaders’? “It’s one of those sports “We’ve got to present the sport persuasively, promote it appealingly and that has so many back it up with products that are fit for purpose, like the short-form, 3-hole virtues to it and I think golf that Renee discussed.” very often women Anderton stressed the importance of three key goals for all: don’t realise it. When they start, they want • have the courage to change to keep going and get

• leaders creating the vision for everyone in an organisation to be inclusive better.”

• identify signals of changes RENEE POWELL Professional Golfer The R&A’s new #FOREeveryone campaign is designed to help meet such PGA of America Hall of Fame goals, with the organisation working with home nation federations and other affiliates to enable clubs and golf bodies to access a ‘toolkit’, namely best practice materials to achieve action. “It’s really about moving from commitment to action, uniting behind a single umbrella campaign for golf,” added Anderton.

Sorenstam also believes small changes at clubs could help. “I think there are a few things to make people feel welcoming and wanting to be there,” she added. “First of all, the ‘Pro Shop’. If you are new to golf, you think maybe it is only for the pro to go shopping. It’s the language. The ladies’ locker room is often a last-minute thought – small, very dated. Today we all know there are so many things people can do with their time and money – let’s make golf attractive.”

The opportunities are certainly there. “Lots of inspiring contributions from across the golfing globe,” concluded Michael Harris, Editor at Golf Monthly, with regard to the forum. “Growing female participation is such a huge opportunity for the game.”

The R&A, St Andrews, Fife, Scotland KYl6 9JD Tel: +44 (0)1334 460 000 Email: [email protected] www.RandA.org www.TheOpen.com

PAGE 3