In a recent chat on Monthly Meets, Sophie Walker shared her thoughts on women’s golf.
She talked about everything from local clubs to big events like the Olympics and Solheim Cup. With her background, she gave some cool insights into the sport.
Walker thinks women’s golf isn’t getting enough attention or media coverage.
Visibility and Media Coverage:
“Players are doing all they can,” she said. “We need visibility. We need media companies to support us and put it on TV. People say no one watches women’s golf, but it’s hard to watch if you can’t find it.”
NBC reported that the Chevron Championship had its highest viewership ever this year. This shows people will watch if they know where to find it.
Fans might think more exposure could really help grow interest in women’s golf.
Walker also praised Nelly Korda for promoting the sport with her LPGA wins this year. She believes having a star like Korda makes people want to tune in.
“Nelly doesn’t love the spotlight, but she’s better at handling it than Scottie Scheffler,” Walker noted. “Her press conferences are as important as her games because she talks about needing more viewers and investment.”
Regarding the Paris Olympics, Walker said players now see it as a top priority since golf’s return in 2016. Lydia Ko wants gold for New Zealand after winning bronze in Tokyo and silver in Rio. If Celine Boutier wins gold at home, it’d be huge for women’s golf.
“We need those stories,” Walker added. “Like Leah Williamson said about women’s football: ‘We had to win to be recognized.’ We’re at that point too.”
Attracting more women to play is another big topic for Walker. She thinks barriers like dress codes have improved but there’s still work to do.
“Golf ads target golfers,” she explained. “We need them at hairdressers, gyms, schools—places non-golfers go.”
She also suggested making golf less about scores: “I never thought I’d say this, but I try not asking people their handicap or club membership because it can alienate them.”
What do you think? How can we make women’s golf more popular?
