Nancy Berkley "My mission is simple: To grow the number of women and girls that learn and play golf and to reduce the barriers to that growth. Whatever will help women golfers and their familes enjoy the game is on my radar screen whether it be best practices for golf professionals, how to plan a golf event or how to plan a golf vacation.
-
As founder and President of Berkley Golf Consulting, I provide guidance and marketing assistance to businesses and professionals that want to attract women golfers. I also assist women who want to improve the women's programs at their clubs and those entrepeneurial women who are trying to start businesses in the golf industry Analyzing industry and broad-market data, I have accurately predicted trends in the female golf market.
(Please note spelling is "Berkley" -- no extra "e" -- not like "Berkeley, CA")
"It's Not Just About Tiger. It's about the PGA Tour"
Read my take on the Tiger episode. Click "Tiger Woods" on the sidebar tab or read the article on www.cybergolf.com/womensgolf. Ironically, this may be a tipping point may force the PGA Tour to make some long needed changes in televising golf tournaments. The articles includes seven suggestions for the PGA Tour.
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(January 2010) See my new website www.golfergirlcareers.com which includes the five interviews I did for Golfer Girl Magazine with women who played golf as a junior and how golf shaped their profession, jobs, career and life. Any parent who wonders why their daughter should learn to play golf, will enjoy reading these interviews. The interview with Jane Broderick listed below is also on golfergirlcareers.com.
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(January 2010) "How She Does It" An Interview with Jane Broderick, the Director of Golf for the PGA National Resort and Spa. Jane is probably the female professional (both PGA and LPGA certified) with the most responsibility at any U.S. golf resort -- over 140,000 rounds per year. See my article on www.cybergolf.com/womensgolf.
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THIS IS IMPORTANT
In my opinion: Jane Broderick (see above) is part of a small group of female PGA professionals (many have LPGA certification also) that could be tapped to join the top ranks of the PGA of America. Shamefully, for many years, no women served on the PGA of America's Board of Directors - the governing body of the PGA.
But, there are some signs of change. Recently, Suzy Whaley became the second women to join the Board. Suzy was elected from her Connecticut PGA division - quite an honor in itself since she was elected from the 141-member (mostly male) Connecticut division. Suzy joins Sue Fiscoe on the Board. Sue is from Modesto, Calif., and was elected from her PGA Division. See www.suzywhaleygolf.com CONGRATULATIONS, SUZY!
To put this in more context: The PGA Board of Directors is composed of the association's President, Vice President, Secretary, Honorary President and 17 Directors. The directors include representatives from each of the PGA's 14 Districts, two Independent Directors and a Player Director of the PGA Tour. With Suzy and Sue on the Board, there are now two women out of the 17 positions. More context: There are about 900 female PGA Professionals out the 27,000 PGA Professionals.
As I have commented in other articles, the PGA of America professionals are the gatekeepers of the game. They let people in to the golf courses; they are the welcoming committee - if there is one. Maybe the PGA is coming to realize that they can't grow the game with player programs like "Get Golf Ready" without growing the game with more women professionals at all ranks in their organization. And maybe the PGA will also realize that their training and apprentice programs need to include specific training about specific segments like women golfers.
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(November, 2009) Read my article "Michael Whan is a Winner-Pick for the LPGA Commission" oon www.cybergolf.com/womens golf
(October 28, 2009) The first sign that Michael Whan, the newly appointed Commissioner for the LPGA, is a winner is that there was a timely and accurate press release on the lpga.com website this morning, October 28th. "A good start is half the race" is what my father taught me; so, I am on board with what looks like a fabulous choice for the LPGA.
Here's what impresses me most about Mike Whan:
1. He has a strong brand-marketing background. He worked at Proctor Gamble as a brand manager which by any business-school standard is still the job-of-choice for any would-be marketing professional. And he advanced at P&G through he ranks which is no easy job either.
2. He worked in the golf industry and according to reports I've read is a very good golfer. He worked with Wilson – a nostalgic industry for me because without the support of Wilson golf over fifty years ago, there would not be an LPGA today. He also worked for TaylorMade at a critical time in its growth.
3. He likes challenges. (He will have plenty of those.) He left TaylorMade to become CEO of a tooth-whitening company, Brite-Smile. Actually, that's not so surprising a detour because during his stint at Proctor and Gamble, he worked in the oral-care segment. And, of course, we know that golf balls and teeth share a very important similarity: White!
4. Mike has thrived once already in taking a floundering sports product and re-branding and reshaping it. He was lured away from Brite-Smile in 2002 to become CEO of ITECH Hockey, a hockey-equipment company that needed a turn-around expert. After seven years and after merging, rebuilding and refocusing the company, it was sold to Bauer, a major Canadian hockey company. Good job, Mike!
5. And finally and maybe most important: He will be "one of the guys" in the maze of golf association and organizations that operate in a very fragmented golf industry. (There isn't a woman in sight at the top of the organization chart in any meaningful role – except for Cindy Davis at Nike.) Of course, as a woman golfer, it would have been nice to have a woman at the head of the LPGA; but, I am a pragmatist, and in this case gender takes second place to what I am assuming and hoping will be a very effective leader for all women golfers in this country and the world. And just as a postscript, I like his age – not part of the "old boys" but part of the Title IX generation that saw women play sports in grade school through college.
His challenge will be to define the LPGA brand which now is a mushy women's golf "something." He will have to sort through the competing demand for resources between the Tour division and the Teaching division and whether they can really sharea brand. (READ THIS ENTIRE ARTICLE ON www.cybergolf.com/womensgolf)
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(August 31, 2009) Read my take on the FedEx Cup and the first playoff tournament the Barcays as "monuments of excess" that shadowed the economic developments of the papst four years. It's a "think-um" piece but it has an upbeat ending. Click Here. Ladies, if you are interested in how Liberty National tees would work for you, see my earlier article on cycbergolf.com - click here
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From the Wall Street Journal June 6-7, 2009 Weekend Journal
Getting Women Into the Game (page B4 Wall Street Journal by John Paul Newport
"Nancy Berkley, a leading consultant and writer on women’s golf issues, believes the game has been pitching itself to women in the wrong way. “It’s a 99% male-dominated industry, to start with,” she said. “And the emphasis has always been on selling products, mostly to men, more than on marketing the game itself. You can’t scold the companies. It’s worked for their bottom lines, because most golfers are men. But if you want to attract more women players, golf has to deliver a message that resonates better with women.”
TWO VERY GOOD THINGS ARE ON THE HORIZON FOR WOMEN GOLFERS: IN 2014, THE US MEN'S OPEN AND THE US WOMEN'S OPEN WILL BE PLAYED ONE AFTER THE OTHER ON THE SAME COURSE -- PINEHURST 2. AND, SOON WE WILL LEARN IF GOLF WILL BE INCLUDED IN THE 2016 OLYMPICS. MORE TO COME ON THAT BUT THE BOTTOM LINE IS THAT THE INCREASED PUBLICITY SURROUNDING THOSE TWO EVENTS WILL MAKE IT VERY CLEAR THAT GOLF IS A GAME FOR GIRLS -- NOT JUST BOYS. I HAVE BEEN URGING FOR GREATER INCLUSIVENESS OF BOTH SEXES IN ALL GOLF MARKETING AND IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN.
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If you need statistics -- July 20, 2009)-- Source: National Golf Foundation)
UPDATED STATISTICS FOR GOLFERS IN THE U.S. FOR THE LAST DECADE
Below are updated statistics for the number of female and male ADULT golfers (ages 18 and over) and
JUNIOR golfers (ages 6 to 17) in the US over the last ten years. "Golfers" are people who report that they played at least one round during the last twelve months. The numbers do not include respondents who only go to practice ranges. Different survey methodologies have been used in the annual NGF studies over the past years, but this table has converted prior studies into comparable data. What can we learn from this data? Looking at adult golfers and comparing 2008 with 1998, the number of females, males and total golfers have all increased about the same -- 11%. Looking at Juniors, thowever, the total number of juniors and boys have decreased. Female junior golfers have increased about 20%, comparing 2008 with 1998. How can the industry sustain the interest in golf by our young girls and insure the growh of the game in the future? That's something to think about!
| |
1998 |
1999 |
2000 |
2001 |
2002 |
2003 |
2004 |
2005 |
2006 |
2007 |
2008 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Adult Female 18+ |
4.7 |
4.4 |
4.9 |
6.3 |
5.6 |
6.4 |
6.1 |
6.3 |
6.5 |
6.0 |
5.2 |
| Adult Male 18+ |
18.4 |
18.9 |
20.9 |
20.2 |
20.4 |
20.6 |
19.7 |
19.8 |
19.7 |
20.1 |
20.5 |
| Total Adults |
23.1 |
23.3 |
25.8 |
26.5 |
26 |
27 |
25.8 |
26.1 |
26.2 |
26.1 |
25.7 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Girls 6-17 |
0.5 |
0.4 |
0.4 |
0.6 |
0.7 |
0.7 |
0.8 |
0.7 |
0.6 |
0.7 |
0.6 |
| Boys 6-17 |
2.6 |
2.4 |
2.5 |
2.8 |
3.2 |
2.9 |
3.4 |
3.2 |
3.0 |
2.8 |
2.3 |
| Total Juniors |
3.1 |
2.8 |
2.9 |
3.4 |
3.9 |
3.6 |
4.2 |
3.9 |
3.6 |
3.5 |
2.9 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Total Golfers |
26.1 |
26.1 |
29 |
29.8 |
29.9 |
30.6 |
29.8 |
30.0 |
29.8 |
29.5 |
28.6 |
______________________________________________________________________________________
My summer Italian golf destination: Southwest Tuscany -- the Maremma region
Although it is still off the beaten track, last June I visited a trendy new region of Tuscany -- called the Maremma. The Maremma is really a large corner of Tuscany that includes hills, plains and beautiful coastlines. The region was settled by the Etruscans and along with ancient Etruscan ruins are walled and hill towns that date back to the middle ages. And there are several golf courses that look very beautiful. Watch for an article on Golf in the Maremma/Tuscay. For a sneak peek at the area, go to www.maremmaguide.com.
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Where does tour player Anthony Kim get those bedazzling sparkly belts he wears?
The quick answer is Elevee Custom Clothing. Here's how I know about them. I went to the PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando at the end of January. I walked the aisles of apparel and was not excited about anything I saw. I decided to take a break and sat down at one of those round tables of strangers in the refreshment area. I struck up a conversation with the guy to my right -- from Los Angeles -- of all places. Then his friend sat down and I heard the story of Elevee from the designer and VP. Basically, they custom design clothing for people that need it and can afford it. (I always thought those floppy jackets that Jason Timberlake wore were not just off a rack.) Most of their clients are stars of one sort or another and from different industries with a heavy sprinkling of athletes. Check out their website at www.elevee.com. But they also do an amazing thing for a men's member guest. They will custom make trousers for all the men. They will take the measurements the day of the event, have the men choose among their beautiful fabrics and designs and then make them up and send them to them. How does that sound for a unique event gift? Something different! I looked at the belt buckles at the show and think I could wear them also. Maybe they will bring me the same kind of golf luck they have brought Kim! Worth a try.
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(January 2010) What's happening with Golfer Girl Magazine?
Sad but true, Golfer Girl Magazine will no longer be published. See the website www.golfergirlmagazine .com which will remain on online and will archive former issues. All of the back issues are on line and girls and their parents will enjoy reading all the fun articles. I was proud to be chairman of the Advisory Board and to worked withe the Hooton family for the past several years. (More will follow about how Libby, Courtney and Chloe Belle are doing).
NEW SITE: www.golfergirlcareers.com CAREERS IN THE GOLF INDUSTRY FOR JUNIOR GIRLS. Every issue contained a "Careers in Golf" interview where I interview a woman who played golf seriusly as a junior and now uses golf in some other career -- other than golf professional or tour player. The first interview I did featured a landscape architect. Then came a golf clothes designer, a golf magazine editor and this latest issue contains an interview with Eunice Cho, the founder of Bonjoc Ball Markers. The most recent issue featured a golf course superintendnent who began her career as a tournament golfer -- but then had to take a detour because of a back injury.
My interest in careers in the golf industry goes back a long way. I wrote the book "An Insider's Guide to Carreers in the Golf Industry" almost a decade ago for the National Golf Foundation. It still is a classic and portions will be adopted and adapted for a revised www.junior links website to be published this spring.
So how big is the junior girls market? It depends on how you figure and how grand your reach. Here are some statistics that are based on indusry surveys from the National Golf Foundation: There are about: 180,000 girls ages 12-17 play golf seriously -- who play at least 8 rounds and compete. But there are about 1.4 million girls between the ages of 5 and 17 who play golf or "try" golf at some level --even if just a practice range. That's the upside potential market. PLUS another half-million or so girls who have "never-ever" played and report that they would like to learn.
READ: Why Teach Golf to Kids? by Nancy Berkley
I remember the day very clearly. It was Mother’s Day 1995. My daughter, Alison, was twenty-five and attending
Harvard
Business
School. I was at Harvard also at an executive business program. I suggested celebrating Mothers Day together with a round of golf on a new public course, the Shaker Hills Golf Club that had just opened about 45 minutes west of
Boston. The day was glorious: bright sun and a clear, blue sky. Those four hours over ten years ago remain one of our most memorable Mother's Days. We still talk about it. Alison learned how to play golf when she was about seven. See http://www.cybergolf.com/womensgolf/ for the remainder of the article
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Are We Losing the
Battle for Female Golfers?
(This article created quite a stir and I still get calls about it -- see http://www.cybergolf.com/womensgolf/ for the entire articlThis is the question Jim Koppenhaver, President and founder of Pellucid Corp asked at his annual conference at the January 2007 PGA Merchandise Show in
Orlando a few years ago. Indeed, over the last few years, the total number of women golfers has been flat – stubbornly stuck at about 23% of the total number of adult golfers. Jim's presentations are always constructive and his question is a good one. But, I do have problems with his battle metaphor. For starters, I do not believe that the golf industry views growing women's golf as a "battle". A battle suggests an overall plan with goals, strategy and a real commitment of energy and financial resources. Among golf industry associations, only The First Tee really lives up to the battle metaphor. Joe Louis Barrow stated at Golf 20/20 this past November that he was not satisfied with a 34% female representation in First Tee programs. He wants 45%. I have not heard that battle-cry from any other golf industry association.
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It's not a mystery: Seven Simple Rules: How to Advertise to Women?
Rule 1: Include a photo or drawing of a female golfer.
Rule 2: Use the word “women” as many times as possible.
Rule 3: Include beginning and ending time of the program.
Rule 4: Make it clear what skill level is required.
Rule 5: Convey a “social” and “fun” experience.
Rule 6: Provide free rental equipment.
Rule 7: Offer value.
Remember: You can use the Free Help Line to ask Nancy a question about your advertising
Want to know what makes a golf course "Women-Friendly? See
BEST PRACTICES tab on side bar and an easy to use check list.
| |
1998 |
1999 |
2000 |
2001 |
2002 |
2003 |
2004 |
2005 |
2006 |
2007 |
2008 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Adult Female 18+ |
4.7 |
4.4 |
4.9 |
6.3 |
5.6 |
6.4 |
6.1 |
6.3 |
6.5 |
6.0 |
5.2 |
| Adult Male 18+ |
18.4 |
18.9 |
20.9 |
20.2 |
20.4 |
20.6 |
19.7 |
19.8 |
19.7 |
20.1 |
20.5 |
| Total Adults |
23.1 |
23.3 |
25.8 |
26.5 |
26 |
27 |
25.8 |
26.1 |
26.2 |
26.1 |
25.7 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Girls 6-17 |
0.5 |
0.4 |
0.4 |
0.6 |
0.7 |
0.7 |
0.8 |
0.7 |
0.6 |
0.7 |
0.6 |
| Boys 6-17 |
2.6 |
2.4 |
2.5 |
2.8 |
3.2 |
2.9 |
3.4 |
3.2 |
3.0 |
2.8 |
2.3 |
| Total Juniors |
3.1 |
2.8 |
2.9 |
3.4 |
3.9 |
3.6 |
4.2 |
3.9 |
3.6 |
3.5 |
2.9 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Total Golfers |
26.1 |
26.1 |
29 |
29.8 |
29.9 |
30.6 |
29.8 |
30.0 |
29.8 |
29.5 |
28.6 |
