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Design consultants Little and Leeming are finally convincing facilities to develop experiences better suited for the female golfer


BY STEPHANIE WEI


t’s no secret that golf has largely been viewed as a male-dom- inant sport, and that the vast majority of traditional course designs and setups cater primar- ily to men. Women’s needs are


often incorporated into golf courses merely as an afterthought. The industry has long neglected


to offer a suitable and enjoyable experience for more than half of the world’s population. It’s no wonder that women have been far outnum- bered on the golf course, as they make up just 21% of amateur golfers in the United States, according to the National Golf Foundation. Time, access, diffi culty and an overall unwelcoming environment certainly provide plenty of barriers to prevent more women from participating in the game. However, times are (fi nally)


changing, and modern facilities have 40 / NCGA.ORG / FALL 2015


begun to take into account how to accommodate women. And it just so happens that a women-friendly setup also provides a better experience for beginners, seniors and juniors. Golf course owners and archi-


tects were previously preoccupied with length, diffi culty and a seeming infatuation with features that could make their courses harder. That would be fi ne—if the average customer were a tour professional, or at least a golfer with a swing speed more than 100 mph. But the reality is these components repel the majority of their clientele, and detract from creating a fun and enjoy- able experience. Course setup consultant Arthur Little and his wife Jann Leeming discovered these common design fl aws were grounded in a failure to understand the average woman’s swing speed. They uncovered the


average women’s swing sits at 65 mph, and produces an expected driving distance of 140 yards. In a recent booklet commissioned by the PGA of America, Little ex- plained that the majority of forward tees are positioned at 4,900-5,200 yards. But an average woman play- ing a 5,200-yard course would be the equivalent of your average male teeing it up from 7,500 yards. “Not everyone is going to want


to move up and play from (a shorter) yardage, but it’s an eye opener that getting to the green in regulation is exciting,” said PGA of America Secretary Suzy Whaley. “To try and accomplish that from a comparable yardage of 7,500 yards for men, it makes you think, ‘How many times am I doing that, and am I playing from the right yardage?’” It prompted me to wonder that, too. I was initially shocked, and











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