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. An increase in the number of female golfers is of course good for women, but it is also key for the industry that supplies the courses, golf resorts, products, services and instructors that sustain the game. 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.
The total number of women golfers remains flat at around 23% of all adult golfers in the U.S. but that does not mean that revenues from female golfers must also remain flat. In fact, the latest statistics released by the National Golf Foundation indicate that women are spending more on the game than previously. And that is not including the "influence" factor. It is reported frequently that women make and influence over 80% of purchases including many travel and vacation decisions.
For more information about the services of Berkley Golf Consulting and my background, see About Nancy tab.
(Please note spelling is "Berkley" -- no extra "e" as in "Berkeley.")
From the Wall Street Journal June 6-7, 2009 Weekend Journal
Getting Women Into the Game (page W4/ 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.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(June 22, 2009) UPDATED STATISTICS
Below are updated statistics for the number of ADULT (18 and over) golfers in the US . "Golfers" are people who report that they played at least one round on a regulation course. during the last twelve months. The numbers do not include respondents who play on short exec courses or who only go to practice ranges.). NGF survey methodologies have changed over the years, but the numbers below attempt to reconcile the different survey methods so that comparisons can be made and trends spotted. The NGF cautions that changes year-to-year are not as significant as those compared in longer intervals. For example: compare 2000, 2005 and 2008. You can see the spike in 2005 and a return in 2008 that shows a more modest gain over 2000.
1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008
Total (mm) 22.6 23.1 24.1 25.2 26.1 26.5 26.2 26.4 26.0 26.3 25.7
Men 18.2 18.7 19.4 20.0 20.5 20.4 20.2 20.1 19.7 20.1 20.5
Women 4.4 4.4 4.7 5.2 5.6 6.1 6.0 6.3 6.3 6.2 5.2
[Junior Golf Numbers to Follow]
Source: National Golf Foundation Golf Industry Report -- www.ngf.org
___________________________________________________________________________________________________
(Update June 4, 2009)
An excerpt from my article on http://www.cybergolf.com/golf_news/womens_golf_month_help_needed
JUNE is Women's Golf Month - Women Golfers, We Need Your Help!!
By: Nancy Berkley
New statistics from the National Golf Foundation are just in time for the June American Express Women's Golf Month. And the news isn't good. The new stats report that in 2008, only 15% of all the rounds played in the United States (489 million rounds) were played by women 18 years and over. This continues the downward trend in participation by adult women golfers. The number of women golfers (as opposed to the number of 'rounds' they play) has dropped to 5.2 million which is what is was back in 2001. The decrease in the number of rounds confirms played by women confirms that more women golfers are playing fewer rounds.
Promotions for American Express Women's Golf Month will also be a struggle. Without Golf for Women magazine, about 1 million women will not read about the event in a print publication. You may recall that Conde Nast shut down Golf for Women magazine about a year ago.
The bottom line is that the burden of promoting Women's Golf Month and women's golf in general rests first with individual course owners and with women golfers themselves. My advice to golf course owners is to think about public relations, that is creating a news event worthy of publication in your local paper. Form a special committee at your club and take a photo and get them working on some special events.
Now let's get to what women themselves should do. First, go to the Play Golf America site at www.playgolfamerica.com and click on the Women's Golf Month link. Type in your zip code and see what courses in your area are participating. You might get lucky and find a free clinic or special greens fee at your local course.
But if not, print out the pages about Women's Golf Month from the website. Bring it your local course and ask why they are not participating. June has 30 days - at least they can find a couple of days to do something special for their female customers. If you get resistance, please let me know.
One of the responses you might hear is that June is a busy month. Well, so was May and July, with Family Golf Month even busier. And the industry is also pushing a new program called "Get Golf Ready." See my article about it on Cybergolf at http://www.cybergolf.com/golf_news/a_cbstv_special_for_new_golfers_and_pga_professionals.
There is one bit of interesting news that I received from the NGF about golf rounds. The average number of rounds for girls ages 6-17 is 13 rounds per year. Boys of the same age average 10 rounds a year.
Those of us working in the industry know that junior girls' golf is a sweet spot in the game, which brings me to the upcoming July Family Golf Month. This is another industry effort by the major golf organizations. Read about it on the Play Golf America website. Help your local golf course get with these programs.
###
(May 22, 2009) Updates
Good News (fewer golfers) -- Bad News (fewer golfers)
There are many reports coming out that show that fewer golfers are playing fewer rounds of golf. That is bad news for the industry. But it may be good news for women golfers. Finally, your golf professional may realize that he has to figure out what women golfers really want at his facility. (I say "his" because most golf facilities and most golf professionals are men -- that's the reality.) Now is the time to gather a group of level-headed women golfers (of all skills and ages) and review the list of best practices on this website (click the "Best Practices" tab on the left). Not every suggestion will be right for your facility -- but many will.
When was the last time your golf professional called you and said "Great round last Tuesday!" Most women golfers I ask say they would fall over if that ever happened. Well, this is the time to get the professional's attention.
Remind your professional that June is Women's Golf Month and that July is Family Golf Month. Check out the publicity on www.playgolfamerica.com and ask your facility to get with the program. Also read about the new industry push called "Get Golf Ready" -- a new attempt to incent and encourage golf professionals to do what they are supposed to be doing -- growing the game and helping all golfers enjoy it more. See the article I have written about Get Golf Ready at http://www.cybergolf.com/golf_news/a_cbstv_special_for_new_golfers_and_pga_professionals
My summer Italian golf destination: Southwest Tuscany -- the Maremma region
Although it is still off the beaten track, in early June, I will be visiting 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. For a sneak peek at the area, go to www.maremmaguide.com.
--------------------------
What's the newest book about the struggles of a junior golfer?
See "Shooting for Tiger: How Golf's Obsessed New Generation is Transforming a Country Club Sport" by William Echickson. I know the author, Bill Echickson, and have been following the research for this book over the last couple of years. A major focus of the book is Vicky Hurst, age 18, who is now trying to make a name for herself on the Tour. Bill knows about junior golf up close and personal: his son is an avid junior golfer. So he knows the role of parents and the genetic and personal quest that comes with raising a Tiger. The book will be available this coming Monday, May 4. I promise you a review.
------------------------
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.
-------------------------
So, how many women golfers are there and are there more of them?
There are still about 6 million women golfers which still represents less than 25% of the total number of golfers. I get lots of requests for updated statistics on women golfers and junior girls. Many requests come from entrepreneurs who have designed products for women and are putting together their marketing and strategic plans. I also get requests from college students in sports marketing programs and from apprentices in the PGA of America's professional training programs. I am always glad to take a call from a future PGA Professional that has chosen to write their final paper on women's golf. Basically, the number of adult women golfers has not grown much over the last few years. In fact, women only play 15% of the total rounds played in the U.S. The real bright spot is in the junior girls where golf feels like it is gaining ground. See the full story below.
-----------------------
Will Golf for Women magazine ever come back?
If you are a subscriber to Golf Digest, take a close look at your June issue for the 15-page insert targeted to women golfers. The April issue of Golf Digest also included a special insert for women golfers. The section is edited by Stina Sternberg, the former editor of Golf for Women magazine, who now works for the Conde Nast's broad-market Golf Digest magazine. The special women's golf insert was a "pilot" project and was only included in magazines of certain subscribers. The insert was a good one. If you are not a subscriber and would like to see the content, go to http://www.golfdigest.com/magazine/folfforwomen/ . Stina told me that more women-golfers inserts are planned, but details at this point have not been made public. The section on equipment was particularly well done.
As you may recall, last August 2008, Conde Nast announced that it was closing down Golf for Women. Print publications of all types are struggling; so, the demise of Golf for Women says more about the poor health of magazines than the health of women's golf. I had thought for a while as I read the more recent issues of Golf Digest that more stuff about women's golf would be included. But, the coverage is spotty. The best publications on the market today that cover women's tour golf are GolfWorld (another Conde Nast publication) and the re-emerging GolfWeek (which is doing a great job at covering women's golf). See my article at www.cybergolf.com/womensgolf/ for the complete story about the end of Golf for Women.
----------------------
What's happening with Golfer Girl Magazine?
I hope you saw the last issue of Golfer Girl Magazine circulated this winter. If not, go to www.golfergirlmagazine.com and page through the entire issue. All of the back issues are on line and girls and their parents will enjoy reading all the fun articles. Let me know what you think of the issue.
CAREERS IN THE GOLF INDUSTRY FOR JUNIOR GIRLS. I am Chair of the Advisory Board of the magazine along with Suzy Whaley, PGA and LPGA Professional and Karen Moraghan, a leading PR specialist in the golf industry. See www.golfergirlmagazine.com. Every issue contains 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. So far, we have featured a landscape architect, 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. If you want to know more about careers in golf other than tour player or instructor, see my book Careers in Golf: An Insiders Guide published by the National Golf Association at http://www.ngf.org.
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.
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
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Statistics about Women Golfers -- from 2007 NGF study
The total number of golfers has not moved very much. Internal stastistics indicate that the core golfers (those who play between 8 and 24 rounds a year) are playing less golf. It looks like women continue to represent about 23% of the total adult golfers.
The methodology gathering statistics changed in 2006 which means that the numbers are not comparable to previous years. The new study reports that there are 5,466,000 adult women golfers (age 18 or older who report playing at least one round in the last 12 months). That represents 22.8% of the total 23,925,000 adult golfers. The percentage of women golfers has in fact slipped a little. Of course, this is only a measure of "golfers" -- not those who only visit practice ranges or play short courses. Those numbers are hard to come by.
There may be some good news in the NGF report. There are fewer occasional women golfers and more committed ("Core") women golfers who play 8 or more rounds/year. The percentage of female golfers who play just occasionally -- defined as less than 8 rounds a year is declining. In 2006, not quite half (48.%) of adult women golfers report playing less than 8 rounds per year. The prior year, "occasional" female golfers constituted 62% of total female adult golfers. That is significant because the current wisdom in the golf industry is that the more you play the more you spend. If the decline in "occasional" women golfers means that fewer women are coming into the game, then that's not such good news. We know that women come in and out of the game due to family and work time demands, but the industry has not been able to track this well. If the industry knew that the 35-year old young mother who drops out of the game will definitely come back in 10 years when all the kids are in school, the industry might come up with better programs to sustain "occasional" golfers during these time-crunch-periods in their lives. Sustaining occasional golfers is a challenge that the industry should be able to figure out.
Overall, women are not playing more rounds (as a percent of all rounds). Another important measure is the number of rounds that women play. In the 2006 survey, female adult golfers played 18.3% of the total adult rounds. That percentage has been relatively flat over the last few years. It would have been good news if that percentage had increased.
The "average" woman golfer (who plays 8 or more rounds/year) is getting younger. Another finding in the survey relates to age. In the 2006 survey, the average age of female golfers who play 8 to 24 rounds a year is 43. That is significantly younger than in previous years.
WHY DO THESE NUMBERS MATTER? BECAUSE AS LONG AS WOMEN ARE NOT CONSIDERED GOOD CUSTOMERS BECAUSE THERE ARE NOT ENOUGH OF THEM OR THEY DON'T PLAY ENOUGH, THEY WILL NOT EXPERIENCE THE BEST THAT THE INDUSTRY CAN OFFER. FOR AN INTERESTING INSIGHT INTO HOW WOMEN ARE TREATED, SEE AN ARTICLE IN GOLF FOR WOMEN ABOUT THEIR UNDERCOVER WOMEN SHOPPERS. CLICK HERE http://www.golfforwomen.com/gear/tryandbuy/2007/09/tryandbuy2_article_0907www.golfforwomen.com and the mystery
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Are We Losing the Battle for Female Golfers? (This article created quite a stir -- see http://www.cybergolf.com/womensgolf/ for the entire article)
This 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 last month. 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.
------------------------------------------
Trends in women's fashion and golf merchandise
Four trends to watch:
1. Better advertising for women golfers
2. More female entrepreneurs designing golf products
3. More women's golf clothes that don't look like golf clothes.
4. More varied fabrics and patterns than ever.
5. More clothes for junior-girl golfers. See www.golfergirlmagazine.com
Click "2007 PGA Show" on side bar.
--------------------------------------------------------
7 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 and an easy to use check list.
