The sold-out event brought the industry together to share experiences and explore how golf can encourage greater female participation.
England Golf’s inaugural Women & Girls Summit brought together people from across the sport to explore how more women and girls can be encouraged to take up golf and enjoy a lasting connection with the game.
Held at the East Midlands Conference Centre in Nottingham on October 9, the event was titled ‘Building a Game for Her’. It provided an opportunity to share successful approaches and consider the changes that can help clubs create welcoming environments for female golfers.
The programme brought participation into a wider discussion about belonging and wellbeing. Drawing on experiences from golf and other sports, it explored how clubs can respond to the needs of women and girls, with delegates encouraged to take ideas back to their own organisations.
Olympic gold medallist and England Golf Game Changer Ambassador Dame Denise Lewis was the announced keynote speaker, with broadcaster Sarah Stirk named as host. The agenda included panels examining women’s health, the commercial opportunity of investing in women and girls, and the role of community in creating a sense of belonging.
Club experiences were also part of the discussion. Stratford Oaks General Manager James Howard joined a panel alongside Nicola Cook, Emily Hyde and Alison Wilkinson, sharing perspectives on increasing female participation.
Reflecting on the event on LinkedIn, Howard praised the contributions of his fellow panellists and called for clubs to give the subject greater attention.
“Fantastic to be involved in the inaugural England Golf Women & Girls Summit,” he wrote. “An honour to join a brilliant panel of inspiring women Nicola Cook, Emily Hyde and Alison Wilkinson who all shared their stories and the work they have done to increase female participation across their clubs.
“For me, this topic needs a clear place in club plans, with people taking responsibility and the time to understand what would help more women and girls get involved, feel welcome and stay in the game.
“There is some excellent work happening already, but it’s time for more clubs to give this topic the time and attention it deserves.”
Howard also thanked England Golf’s Head of Women’s Development Emma Highwood and the organising team for the invitation and what he described as “such an insightful day”.
His comments connected the summit’s wider ambition with the decisions made within individual clubs. Giving female participation a place in club plans creates an opportunity to establish who will lead the work and how progress will be reviewed.
Understanding what would help women and girls get involved also means making time to listen. Existing members and newcomers can offer different perspectives on the club experience, helping managers identify where their approach is working and where changes could make participation easier.
The emphasis on staying in the game extends that consideration beyond a first lesson or introductory programme. Opportunities to develop confidence and build relationships within the club can form part of the experience that follows.
Ahead of the summit, Highwood described it as an opportunity to “share ideas, celebrate success and identify new ways to inspire more women and girls to start and stay in the game”.
The inaugural gathering gave clubs a forum for those conversations and an opportunity to hear about work happening elsewhere. Howard’s reflections offered a practical direction for carrying that discussion forward: giving participation sustained attention and making it part of how clubs plan for their future.
