Adventurous 50 something female golfer seeking…

No this isn’t a lonely hearts ad, I don’t need TLC, or WLTM….

Its a shake up title to get you reading this!

Back in the day when I started in the industry I was one of a few pushing for the female golfer - just to have equal standing in the golf industry as our male counterparts - nothing more.  

Don’t worry this isn’t yet another demanding female first damn the rest kind of article, so bear with me!

Even back then PR agencies, most venues and magazines just didn’t get what myself and a select few others were doing.

Now I’m happy to see that has changed, but what changed it?

Whilst I know I helped and made an impact on many, I can’t take much credit as a lone voice. What has really made a difference a decade or so later is the younger generation of female golfers. They have stepped up and taken hold of this mantra. And I will be honest, they have worked it very well. Some have got PR agencies behind them, another step in the right direction, as PR agencies weren’t interested when I was doing it. I applaud this wonderful younger generation for shouting, screaming and demanding their stake in the golf industry.  The time is now right to address this subject of inequality - that’s all I ever wanted to have was equal standing and access to a golf course after paying the same fee to join.

Just over a decade ago the word Influencer wasn’t even attached to anything we did. Industry ears were closed, a small ripple or even multiple ripples from myself and others just didn’t make waves.

One female golf tour operator who said female golf wasn’t a business has now done a 180 flip and has a growing female only FB page and is now actively promoting her own female golf travel. Kudos to her for seeing the light and jumping on the bandwagon.

Knowledge, experience and enthusiasm for female golf is still very much alive from me, and I will continue to help female golfers choose their next holiday and share my expertise to help them - at no cost and with no financial benefit - just to help them.  I’ll embrace these early years know-how as no one else can, but I’m also prepared to move aside and let others carry the torch now - that torch has never been so bright.

Moving on and I find myself in the same boat again, but not for females this time - that vessel has sailed away into the sunset and others are doing a fantastic job with a stronger voice and backed up by an industry that turned its back on me.

Here we go again!

As I predicted the rise in female golf participation for travel, my next prediction is for the over 50’s golfers. Not a new thing, but one very much ignored and overlooked.

I am a female golfer over 50. I’m not the scantily clad female of social media who do little to promote golf. I am a normal regular golfer who loves to share, help and have fun on the course.

I now work alongside my ever tolerant husband; my one constant supporter in the early years of head bashing. Now as a couple, we’ve nurtured and grown a really strong appreciative female - and male - following for just showing some great golf and lifestyle adventures and products. We’re positive, fun and always honest. We don’t rush any of our product reviews before really getting to know the product we’re reviewing. Our audiences appreciate this.  But sadly… 

Baby boomers and Gen X simply aren’t that sexy!

We don’t appear to be a sexy audience to promote to. Often PR companies are so stuck in their statistic driven, me-too, un-compromising ways. Using the same old model, working with the same old journalists/magazines and only just , somewhat reluctantly embracing the younger influencer market.

Last year I saw 5 ‘influencers’ all of a similar age and cross over followers, all talking about exactly the same golf product. It was obvious they’d all been sent a ‘kit’ and were possibly paid to promote that kit. All images were pretty much the same and they all hit the social screens at the same time. 

Whilst punchy in its immediate effect, there was no longevity and it appears little loyalty to that product either as many of them probably haven’t worn the clothing (or maybe just not shown it on social media) or maybe they’ve moved onto something else they are given or paid to promote? 

There were no Over 50’s in that campaign.

Is that really a good way to create sales, or to broaden the market impact beyond one week?

In some ways yes, as they all wore the same brand/colours/pattern at the same time for about a week. Then nothing - do most people even remember what the brand was? I do, because I took note with personal interest, most won’t!

And why is the Over 50 market pretty much ignored when promotions are run.  

Statistics have now proven that this demographic of golfers in particular are adventurous, willing to purchase and have the largest disposable income of all the ages brackets. They want to see and experience more, as a lot are contemplating early retirement and have good health too. But who is showing them?

Reading other reports, this lucrative audience is absolutely fed up with being ignored when it comes to being promoted to, with very few kindred spirits or influencers of their age to show them the real and honest life they too could lead.

I’m asking why PR companies, Tourist Boards, Magazines and hospitality organisations themselves don’t think outside the box and start looking at who their audience really is today and work on the long term effect of what they are doing today to promote for tomorrow. 

So what am I really desperately seeking?

A voice - that’s all. 

I was pretty much ignored and even ridiculed first time around, maybe this time might be different with a different prediction in golf growth and retention.

I guarantee in the next decade the current 30 and 40 somethings will be getting way more air time, money and opportunities when they reach their tender 50’s, so why not get ahead of the curve and start promoting to this eager audience now?

Build a long term sustainable plan and start working with the Over 50’s now - We do - and its working out very well - just ask our willing to learn, replicate and spend audiences.

Golf Guru Group trade as Travel Lifestyle Golf on social media- we are a couple in our 50’s/60’s.

Go check out what we are doing to change this...

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