Nancy Berkley, the expert in women's golf, has been showing us why women's handicaps are so much higher on average than mens' (see previous posts 1 and 2). It's been a fascinating journey of discovery, so let's briefly visit our final stop chez Nancy.
Her third theory to explain the lower average handicap of women against men is that "one-quarter of women golfers play less than two times a year. That segment is probably a drag on the female averages and handicaps."
Unless she can demonstrate that there's not a similar segment of male golfers, then this latest statement of Nancy's still doesn't explain the difference. I know quite a lot of men who golf infrequently. Is the infrequent male golfer not a similar drag on the male averages and handicaps? Again, we have an unsatisfactory result here, as we go round in circles trying to distinguish results from causes.
It is indisputable that there is a big difference in handicaps between the 'average' woman golfer and the average male golfer, and there must be reasons for it. I plan to come back to this subject with other explanations later, and for what it's worth I have my own theory which I will elucidate on some other time.
I'm sorry to disagree with all three of Nancy's theories, because I genuinely think that she's a positive force in the world of golf, so let's finish on a positive note. Nancy says "But who cares about the handicap differential? Most women use their handicaps in compeition [sic] against other women, and then it's a level playing field."
I'd go even further, and say that even in mixed competition it doesn't really matter. The handicap reflects how many shots I can get round in, and to that extent it's the same for men and women. I can play a man with the same handicap as me and have as much chance of winning as he does; but I can also play a scratch golfer man and have an entirely fair game, and that's the brilliant thing about handicapping - that's the brilliant thing about golf: anyone of any level can play against any other person of any other level and have a fair chance of winning.
Handicapping? Love it.
Photo from CaymanGirl's photostream on Flickr
Why are women crap at golf? Nancy's 3rd theory.
Slow play - the gender divide
Because of the torrential rain during the night there were only a few of us playing in this week's Ladies Day, and we decided to play only as long as the rain held off, which turned out to be 12 holes.
The fairways were soaking and the bunkers were GUR, but that pleased me no end, as I'm going through bunker trouble at the moment. It certainly helped me put the ball on the green from a drop from a fairway bunker - I wouldn't have been able to reach from inside the bunker - which in turn helped me to a respectable 18 points over 9 holes, which is by far the best I've played in ages (what's the opposite of a purple patch? That's what I've been having. For like a year).
When we came in there was a conversation about slow play which really made me chuckle. Everyone was complaining about being held up by the men in front. And predicting being held up by the men in front of us in Saturday's mixed medal. And moaning about always being held up by any men in front, ever. One of the reasons that they came up with is that men are always losing their balls. *snigger*
They have something of a point - there is often slow play by the men in front of the women on Saturdays at my club. Although I don't think it's that much of an issue - on Saturday almost every tee time is full from dawn until lunchtime, so a slower round is inevitable, and usually the men who are holding up the women are being held up by other men. And I happen to know (from a source who will remain anonymous) that the men who are usually in front of the women on a Saturday hate having the women playing up behind them because they know they'll get the evil eye.
It amuses me that women are the ones who are so vocal about slow play, at my club anyway. How is it that it's women who have a reputation for slow play?
The obvious truth of course, is that there is no gender divide when it comes to slow play. There are men in the groups who play on Saturday morning who are guilty of it, and there are women among yesterday's complainers who are also guilty of it, and of an even worse crime, not letting people through when they've lost a hole.
There is a gender divide when it comes to golfing ability - women tend to have higher handicaps (in other words, aren't so good at golf) and so an average round involves more shots, which almost inevitably means a slightly slower round. Kind of tough really, unless you want to keep newbies and high-handicappers out (don't start me - there are plenty of clubs who take this attitude).
So the advice for newbies and high handicappers? As my boyfriend said to me when I was starting out: be as shit as you like, but be shit quickly.
(Photo by FABIOLA MEDEIROS on Flickr)
Hideous golf shoe of the week
Golf shoes are tricky. The shoe that on the one hand qualifies as a good-looking shoe to wear on the course, on the other hand wouldn't qualify off the course as a shoe to take the rubbish out in after it gets dark in case you get spotted by a complete stranger and they were to think you would actually wear something like that in public.
Love it? Want it for your golfing granny? Contact Aerogreen here, although sadly it doesn't look like they retail in Europe. Shame.
Why are women crap at golf? Nancy's 2nd theory.
So let's return to Nancy Berkley's theories about why women aren't really very good at golf.
Her second theory is about turf conditions (full text here). Curious? Well get this:
"Two turf conditions are making the courses harder for women. The first is better irrigation which decreases roll. Since most women hit the ball shorter than men, they are penalized on more strokes for lack of roll."
I could be missing something, but I'm a bit sceptical. What I don't understand is this: don't men have less roll as well? It is fair to say though, that we are penalised on more strokes for lack of roll, since we hit more strokes, as we've already established. This is starting to get a bit circular though, since the original question was about why we hit more strokes.
"The second factor is shorter grass on the fairways. Men like shorter grass because it promotes "spin" [but] The shorter grass makes it more likely that women could take a divot, and women don't like taking divots -- it's making a mess."
That's right, we don't like making a mess. We also like to cook. Don't forget laundry, that perennial favourite.
I do agree that women are less likely to take a divot though. In a serendipitous coincidence, I noticed this just a day or two before I read Nancy Berkley's article, when I played in a mixed fourball. One of the three men was particularly agricultural in his swing which is why I noticed it in the first place, but once I paid attention I realised all of them took divots, while my experience is that the women I play with rarely do, especially in dry conditions.
Want to know my theory about why? (I'm going to tell you anyway). Unlike Nancy's 'untidiness' theory, I think it's more to do with having less power in our girly swings. I think that taking a divot slows our already slow clubhead speed, resulting in a punishing loss of distance. On the other hand, a man with his more powerful swing can power right through the divot with a negligible loss of distance, and more chance for a better contact.
I'm open to other theories of course, but the housekeeping theory cuts through no dirty dishes with me.
Stand by for Nancy's 3rd theory.
Image taken from Reza Vaziri's Flickr stream, and I'm loving the tee holding trim on those pockets
Why are women crap at golf? Ask Nancy!
Why are women crap at golf?
It's not a very politically correct question. A bit rude, even. A question to be frowned on, or buried. But come on, everyone thinks it, don't they?
There are theories and experts out there on the interwebs, and I bring you this excerpt from Nancy Berkley, "an expert in women's golf, specifically in attracting and retaining women in the game". Nancy seems like a very interesting woman. Wouldn't it be great if there were more evangelists for womens golf like her? I certainly don't want to diss her, as she has plenty of ideas about making golf a more welcoming place for women.
... but on the subject of why women are crap at golf, I'm finding her theories a bit... sketchy.
She phrases the question about crapness more politely, in terms of average handicaps, which is a much more precise way of describing the issue. The question is "Why are women's handicaps so much higher (average is 12 strokes higher) than men's handicaps?" and I'd really like to know the answer. Let's see what Nancy has to say (you can read the full text here).
One of Nancy's findings is that "The handicap ratings are based on "bogey" golfers. The female bogey (or better) golfer is a much smaller percentage of the universe of women golfers, than male bogey (or better) golfers are of the male golfer universe. The ratings by female bogey golfers don't refect the average skill of women golfers."
Hmm. Notwithstanding the fact that I haven't much clue about what 'handicap ratings' means, surely that's just a restatement of the question? Am I missing something here? Isn't the key question why are female bogey golfers a smaller percentage??
Actually Nancy has other theories to suggest, so this subject is to be continued.
Photo is from dandelionfourteen on Flickr, and yes I did notice that it's a left-handed club that she's holding sort-of right-handedly (well to be precise she's holding it sort-of like someone who's never swung a club before).
Anti-golf tan strategy: The Tan Glove
Tan gloves = great idea.
We-ell, maybe a good-ish idea. Ummm, more like tolerable. Like most people I wear a glove to play golf, and I'm prepared to tolerate what would otherwise be a preposterous idea because I don't like the golf hand tan and that's exactly what this bizarre product is designed to prevent. In my quest to avoid Golfer's Tan it behoves me to explore tan gloves.
I had intended to do a quick google for a few options, maybe pick one or two, briefly mention them here, possibly even buy one and try it out. But as usual, there's practically no hot-weather golf gear available in the UK, so I expect I will end up looking where the Great God Google takes me (i.e. the US). I will probably come back to this subject when I can be arsed (at this moment I can't be bothered to spend hours finding a product I don't dislike only to find that the site won't ship internationally).
But for the time being, the only one I could find in the UK (click on the picture for a linky link):
Ew.
To be continued.
Maybe.
Things I hate about summer golf
I hate golf tans.
Golf tans really ruin your look everywhere other than the golf course. I don't mind one white hand so much as the white feet, which mean you can't wear nice shoes. And I've got my eye on a pair of red patent mid-heeled mary-janes as well as these: - wear trousers, not shorts
- try and find a tanning glove that's not totally disgusting
- use my magic sun umbrella which not only protects me from UV but also brings the temperature underneath down! Brilliant.
I have to admit that I have failed already, today in fact, by not wearing sunscreen. And now I've got the beginnings of a proper white hand. I shall let that be a warning to me and try harder in future. Starting by remembering the safe place I put the sunscreen.
Things I love about summer golf
I love the weather, of course. It's great being out in the sunshine. The sound of the woodpeckers in Home Wood around the first tee, the skylarks giving it large at the fourth, the parakeets shout-shout-shouting down the 15th.
We've also got swans: two pairs and a spare, apparently, although I'm suspicious it might just be the same two wandering around the course trying to confuse people. I did recently have to wait for them to walk majestically slowly across the 9th green into the greenside bunker before we could putt. The baby rabbits, moorhens, coots and egyption geese are like fluffy toys. The trees are thick with leaves and what was scrubby rough a few weeks ago is now "that verdant and enamelled mead" - you might almost deliberately hit your ball in there to have the chance to walk through it.
On the golf side, on the other hand, it's brilliant how much further the ball goes! And how much easier it is walking 18 holes across grass instead of wading through mud. Not having to wipe the mud off your ball to find the logo to line up your putt, not having to wipe your clubs every time you put them back in your bag, being able to feel your fingers!
And of course, summer season clothes are so much more fashionable - we can at last dress for looks, instead of just to stay warm and dry.
So, I'm looking forward to better conditions, better dressing and with a bit of luck better scores!
(Photo courtesy of AmUnivers on Flickr)
Hooray for summer golf!
One week we were playing a seniors vs ladies fixture in rain so wet you could swim across the fairways. The next week it's 25C and it's factor 30 sunscreen and my magic sun umbrella. The trip-over between winter rules and the summer club season happened in a day.
Myjoys puke-a-licious
The blogosphere is full of the joys of spring, and the joys of Myjoys - Footjoy's customisable golf shoe, now available online here for your colour-choosing pleasure (delivery in 3-5 weeks).
Mobiles in the clubhouse
I played a cracking fourball betterball competition at the weekend which my opponent and her husband won by a country mile. Kudos to her two back-to-back birdies. 'Birdie' is a word with which I have a passing acquaintance: I've witnessed several.
Grounding your club in a bunker...
Too young to golf?
I am sometimes embarrassed to admit I'm a golfer. Sorry. I'm too young, too fashionable, too much of a non-conformist.
That's not to say that I'm very young, fashionable or rebellious. But the fact is, golf has an image problem. Golfpunk or no golfpunk, it's really for people who are not in the slightest bit young, fashionable or rebellious.
I have a friend who I think would love golf. His grandad was a golfer, and always wanted my friend to play. My friend does want to play. He enjoys pitch and putt. He likes swinging a club at the range. He's looking forward to reaching his forties, because that's an appropriate age to play golf. He's not prepared to start until then - he's very firm on the matter.
I'm fairly sure whenever he does get started he will regret not starting sooner. Doesn't everyone? (My husband, a single-figure handicapper, started playing at age 7 but sort of wishes he had started when he was 5). But on the other hand everyone knows golf is mainly for old people. Don't get me wrong, it's great if younger people play, and I think everyone involved in golf should be encouraging a younger generation to get stuck in. In fact if it comes to that it's risible that I count as 'young' in this game. But I can't help thinking my friend is kind of right. He's not old enough to play golf.
(Photo thanks to brefe's photostream)
Clubhouse Rules
There are some strange rules in some clubhouses. Some I can kind of understand. Some I really don't get at all. And some just make me cross.
Red Tees not necessarily red. Or for women.
I don't know a lot about golf.
I just play golf. A lot. Not especially well. Just frequently.
I know enough to know when I don't know and need to ask. The learning curve isn't as steep now as in my first year, but there's still a lot I don't know about golf.
That's ok, I can live with that. That's one of the things I like about golf actually - you're always learning.
However, one of life's certainties is that women play off the red tees. The red tees, which are further forward than the men's yellows, which are further forward than the men's competition whites. Ok, so the colours might vary (I've never seen it, but I don't play a lot of courses) and there might be extra tees (like the 'Tiger' tees, or junior tees), but basically, women play off the reds.
So the discovery that out there in the universe there are places where this isn't the case has come as a bit of a shock. It's a whole different thing out there. I've discovered that in America, women can choose which tees they want to play from. Initially I thought that meant they could choose to play from the men's tees. But further investigation uncovers the fact that men can also choose which tees they want to play from. And that there might be five colours to choose from! Here, take a look at this example. How mental is that??
My information is that there are sometimes indications about which tees are suitable for which handicaps, but not always. So I suppose you just pick from the yardage.
This throws up a whole host of problems to my mind, but if that's the way they run it over there I can only assume it works. Still, I'm happy knowing where I stand, and that's in between the two red pegs.
(Photo courtesy of foxypar4's photostream)
More crocodile-related news
OK it's an alligator. Same difference. In Golf We Trust mentions a chap in Florida who unwisely went looking for lake balls. (Did he ignore warnings to be 'cautious'?) The 8-foot 'gator grabbed him by the arm for a bit of Come Dancing, though he was miraculously able to shake the chomping killing machine off.