Women are finding a new, low-tech tool for competing in the workplace. A strong golf game, many are discovering, is an invaluable asset, giving them the opportunity to mix putting with business presentations.

Over the last five years more than one-third of all new golfers have been women. The numbers continue to rise with many business women spending time and money learning how to improve their game. Clinics designed specifically for the female executive are springing up all over the country. And many businesses are beginning to take notice. In fact, companies like Gillette, General Motors, and Fidelity Investments are even footing the bill for their female employees to polish their game. For female executives and businesses alike, this venture is turning out to be very lucrative.

One impressive example is Diane DeRose of the Hertz Corporation. She was able to land a four-billion-dollar travel account while playing golf with a potential client. Many others are finding success along the fairway, as well. But women are learning that they must overcome an obstacle that is bigger than a competitive handicap. They must convince private clubs to let them play.

While the majority of the nation’s golf courses are public and, therefore, do not have gender-based restrictions, there are 4,000 private golf courses in the United States which do restrict women’s access. For example, according to the Associated Press, more than one out of three private golf courses in the Los Angeles and San Francisco metropolitan areas bans women during optimum weekend hours. Enter the feminist organizations demanding legislative and judicial intervention, leading women golfers into a potential sand trap.

Bowing to the pressure of angry women tired of being discriminated against at their country clubs, more than a dozen states have enacted laws making it illegal for private golf courses to discriminate based on gender. But not everyone is convinced that this is the way to go. Opponents of such legislation question the legality of the state getting involved in the business of a private organization.

No matter how outdated, private golf clubs exist without the help of government funds or public money of any kind and, therefore, the government does not have a right to get involved.

"We view private clubs as extensions of one’s home," said Sue Wegrzyn, executive director of the National Club Association, an organization that protects the interests of private clubs. "Just as you would have the right to be selective about who you invited into your house, clubs have a right to decide who can be a member."

For the women who believe that the only way to effect change is to rely on governmental intervention, consider what women can accomplish with their personal clout. Instead of relying on the government to open private clubs’ doors, women may voice concerns to the club’s board of members. If that doesn’t work, they can vote with their feet, taking their money to one of the thousands of clubs that do not have restrictions based on gender.

Many clubs now cater to corporate women, the fastest growing segment of the golf population. By recognizing that women are more than par for the course, these clubs enjoy an advantage. Those who cling to outdated ways will soon discover that it makes financial sense to let women play through. The change will not be long in coming, and it will be a victory women gained by themselves, without the handicap of government paternalism.

—Laura Steadman

Research Assistant