Social sustainability in golf could be improved

According to the current study “Golf & Social Media: Diversity“, there is still some catching up to do when it comes to social sustainability in golf – at least when it comes to the USA and the UK. In the study commissioned by Syngenta Golf, this was determined by analyzing 16.1 million social media posts, shares, comments and blogs over a three-year period from 2019 to 2022 in these two countries.

While Syngenta last took a close look at environmental sustainability factors in its “Syngenta Snap Shot Report” in the summer of 2023, the latest study examines diversity issues in the four areas of ethnicity, gender, religion and disability in more detail. The results provide a clear need for action and the study confirms the extent of the persistently negative perception of golf on social media.

Despite highlighting successful projects that are making golf more diverse and inclusive (such as Black Girls Golf in the US and the UK-based Muslim Golf Association), the report confirms that more work is needed to overcome golf’s reputational issues and create a more inclusive golfing environment. wider audience successfully.

Image problem Ethnic origin

Since the pandemic, only five percent of new golfers in the UK have been non-white, as the R&A’s Post Covid Opportunity Report previously found. Even in the United States, African-American golfers make up only five percent of the 25 million players, but contribute four billion US dollars to the total market value. “Golf is aware of its image problem and is working hard to diversify, but the messages are not always reaching a wider audience and people outside the sport,” said Claire Martin, Ipsos Social Intelligence Researcher. “Remarkably, two percent of all mentions in our sample referred to Donald Trump and Republicans playing golf. This association does nothing to dispel the notion that it is a sport for older, white men.”

While the findings highlight the challenge facing golf, the report also offers solutions and case studies. Among them is Black Girls Golf, founded by Tiffany Mack Fitzgerald, who has built a network of more than 4,000 players in the United States. In a recent podcast interview with Syngenta, Jim Beatty, Executive Editor of African American Golf Digest, said that the number of African American golfers could double or triple, which would significantly increase the value of golf and the profits of golf clubs and courses.