‘Women were just there to ruin his day’: the lived experiences of women golfers and leadership roles in regional Australia

Studies addressing the social and gendered context of golf in Australia are limited. Further, less is known about women golf club members in regional Australia and their occupancy in leadership roles at clubs. This project seeks to understand the lived experiences of women at regional golf clubs in Australia, and in particular, their experiences with leadership and decision making at golf clubs. While part of larger research project, three specific themes were identified and discussed throughout this manuscript, including a lack of females in decision making roles; women golfers facing sexism, discrimination and exclusion, and strategies to change leadership cultures. Using an intersectional lens that focuses on the intersection of gender and age, each of these themes are analysed in relation to social and historical aspects of gendered golf club cultures.