Latest News

Back to Latest News back

 

R&A Women in Golf Charter holds inaugural awards night

R&A Women in Golf Charter holds inaugural awards night
December 16, 2024
Events / Golf /

The R&A, one of world golf's leading bodies, recently held its Women in Golf Charter inaugural awards night in Melbourne - highlighting the work that clubs and facilities around the country do in this space

Brisbane Golf Club’s Deb Kember won the prestigious ‘Most Influential Woman in Golf 2024’ award for her leadership and guidance at the club and across the sport more broadly.

Kember is the first woman to become President of Brisbane and also is the founder of the Golf Leaders Network, a network of office bearers within golf clubs formed in 2022.

Queensland’s Windaroo Lakes Golf Club was awarded the ‘program of the year’ trophy for its ‘Golf Fore Women’ initiative which provided a supportive and fun pathway for women of all skill levels to learn and enjoy the sport.

Busselton in Western Australia was awarded ‘Best Initiative for Overall Women’ and Girls Engagement’ for a ‘chip and sip’ program that drew 300 women to the club in a year.

The National in Victoria earned a prize as ‘most progressive club/facility’ and Zonely, an inclusive golf community based in NSW, won an award for ‘Excellence in Community Engagement’.

About 80 people attended the function at Huntingdale Golf Club, with Golf Australia Chief Executive James Sutherland speaking.

The R&A Women in Golf Charter was introduced in 2018 and adopted by Golf Australia in 2021. Since then, 128 clubs and facilities have become signatories.

Tamara Mason, Golf Australia’s Head of Women and Girls Engagement noted “The R&A Women in Golf Charter is a strong statement of intent to take measures designed to achieve positive change for women and girls.

“The inaugural awards night provided an opportunity to for us all to be grateful that decision makers in golf tried a different approach to include women and girls – and they were successful.

“Clubs who are signatories to the R&A Women in Golf Charter have proactively decided that, in order to attract women and girls to the sport and their club, they have to do things differently.

“This includes reviewing club operations, the leadership model at the club, club competition schedules, membership structures and golf activity options.

“Decision-makers at the clubs have the support of Golf Australia staff to navigate these conversations with their boards and committees and take action to make the desired changes come to life.

“The awards night was recognition of those who have been working towards making positive change over a lengthy period of time and they should be congratulated for their efforts.”

Winners:

1. Women and Girls Programs of the Year
    Windaroo Lakes Golf Club

2. Most Progressive Club/Facility of the Year
  The National Golf Club

3. Excellence in Community Engagement
   Zonely

4. Best Initiative for Overall Women and Girls Engagement
  Busselton Golf Club

5. Most Influential Woman in Golf (2024)
  Deb Kember

Golf Australia has committed to the R&A’s Women in Golf Charter that aims to enable more women and girls to maximise their potential at all levels of the sport. Golf Australia is now encouraging Australian golf clubs and facilities to become signatories of the R&A’s Women in Golf Charter, publicly stating their commitment to improving the sport for women & girls.

Some of the benefits of becoming a signatory of the R&A’s Women in Golf Charter include:

  • Receiving a Signatory decal that can be placed at your club to showcase your support and commitment of the R&A’s Women in Golf Charter.
  • Receive a digital suite of marketing tools that can be used for your own website and advertising.
  • Ability to be nominated for Golf Australia programs such as Visionary of the Year and the Australian Golf Foundation Junior Girl’s Scholarship program funding.
  • Recognition of your commitments on both the R&A website and Golf Australia website – with potential to have your club/facility highlighted through video case studies.

Read more about the charter here 

Image from left. Winners - Zonely's Alicia Nagle, Deb Kember, The National's Meredith Ramadan, Busselton's Grant Williams and Tania Bennett (Windaroo Lakes)

Related Articles

8th November 2024 - Australian Golf Industry Council emphasises community benefits of golf

5th September 2024 - Stadium Golf returns to Marvel Stadium

30th August 2024 - Western Australian Golf Courses recognise reality of climate change

28th August 2024 - GolfWA and Golf Australia agree to collaborate

26th July 2024 - Golf federations back Sports for Nature initiative

3rd July 2024 - MyGolf junior introductory program attracts record numbers

9th May 2024 - PGA Institute’s educational scholarships support next generation of golf industry leaders

5th May 2024 - Golf Australia’s TeeMates initiative marks its first anniversary

27th April 2024 - Golf Australia agrees partnership with LIV tour

19th June 2024 - Australia secures 100 signatures for The R&A Women in Golf Charter

30th September 2022 - The R&A advises of ‘surging’ growth in golf across the Asia-Pacific region

20th March 2019 - R&A launches Health Week to highlight wellness benefits of golf

2nd June 2018 - Golf’s R&A launches Women’s charter

15th March 2018 - Golf Australia to receive R&A funding to attract women and girls into golf