I’m the president of the UVM club golf team and have been golfing and competing for a long time.
However, I’m consistently appalled by the lack of female involvement in the tournaments (both in leadership and competing). In every tournament, I’m the only female competing in the entire Northern England Division of the National Collegiate Club Golf Association.
I’m well aware that competing is not for everyone, but there needs to be a minimum requirement of at least one female from each team. Golf has a long way to go to be more equal for men and women, but that cannot happen if women are not even given the chance.
When talking with members of competing teams in my division in regard to this topic, their response was that there aren’t any women in the whole school who play golf. I beg to differ!
In addition to the schools being more inclusive, the NCCGA needs to be accommodating of female competitors. While I understand that having females compete has not been the norm, that needs to change.
I’ve not only been the only female at the tournaments, but I’ve been expected to compete from the same tees as the men. That is not equality! That is a disadvantage! It’s scientifically proven that men have different physical advantages in comparison to women. This is why the women’s tees have never been the tips and never will be the tips.
In addition to competing, I have to prove myself as a female golfer by battling sexist comments at every single tournament from competitors, NCCGA employees and the golf course staff.
I’m not the only one who has noticed these blatant acts of sexism in the world of club golf. My male teammates are frustrated by the injustice and have apologized to me for it. But I’m tired of receiving apologies. I’m tired of people needing to apologize for sexist acts they didn’t commit.
In fact, I don’t want an apology. I want an acknowledgment of this appalling treatment and actively work to change it.
Reitz Wishtischin
Burlington