Abstract

Some sports have traditionally been dominated by men. As a result, the techniques used for instructing these sports were often developed by male instructors using their experiences with an overwhelmingly male student base. Golf is one such sport. While more women are taking up golf, they are still a minority among both the ranks of instructors and students, and as a result the instructional needs of female golfers are often overlooked. This study surveyed 100 female golf professionals with regard to their views on golf instruction for women. The results show the majority of survey participants believe there are certain “best practices” for instructing female golfers: practices requiring modifications to the traditional instructional techniques developed by men for men. This paper will examine some of these suggested modifications, and address ways in which the results can be used in the instruction of other traditionally male-dominated sports. It is hoped that by examining instructional techniques from a female perspective, more female-friendly instructional techniques will emerge. It is in turn hoped that more women will find the sporting environment more welcoming, helping to narrow the gender gap in sport and making for a more inclusive sporting environment.