When the Women in Golf Awards launched in 2022, the team had just six weeks to bring the inaugural event to life.

What followed was extraordinary: 80 women from across every corner of the golf industry – many of whom had never met, and in some cases didn’t even know of one another – came together in a powerful moment of visibility and community.

That first year proved not only that the appetite for recognition and connection existed, but that the industry had long been missing a platform dedicated to celebrating and amplifying women’s contributions.

Women who attended that night are now mentoring younger women in their sector and governing bodies are working with winners and nominees to gain a clearer understanding of their needs. The impact has been fast and wide spreading.

Since that first night, the Awards have become far more than a single annual event. They have grown into a catalyst for conversation, representation, and structural change across the sector. The Awards day itself now includes free education and golf sessions, and in conjunction with The Kate & Justin Rose Foundation the awards has launched a bursary for women aged under 21 to support their career progression.

Now, the Awards is entering a new chapter: The Fairways Project, a five-year global research initiative in partnership with 59club designed to better understand and improve the experiences of women working in golf.

This has been one of the long-term ambitions of founder Nicole Wheatley who created the awards to give women working in golf the opportunities she herself never experienced.

“We’ve become an industry built on instinct, not insight, particularly when it comes to women,” commented Wheatley, who has over 20 years experiencing working in the golf business.

“We want to find out whether there are any commonalities between the experiences of a Golf Club Manager in England and a Greenkeeper in The Netherlands and to establish what opportunities there are to improve their working lives.

“The ultimate aim – as with everything we embark on – is to retain the female talent we have and attract more of it.”

This project was instigated following an Education & Insights Day held for previous winners and finalists of the awards. Women participants were invited to take part in a round table that uncovered a number of recurring themes, one of which was how perception often becomes a barrier itself.

Women sometimes hesitate to pursue roles or speak up due to an internalised belief that they will not be welcome or taken seriously – even in environments that may be more open than assumed.

Unsurprisingly, working in male dominated environments can make women feel they must adapt or assimilate to be included, sometimes at the cost of authenticity.

Participants described a workplace culture where male-centric conversation around topics women don’t take an interest in and decision-making still taking place on the golf course or in the pub.

Some also noted that being a good golfer actually made a difference to how male colleagues and clients perceived them.

A positive take away was the significance of supportive male colleagues, mentors, and leaders. Women repeatedly cited positive, affirming experiences with men who championed their ideas, opened doors, or simply made room for them in environments where they were the ‘first’ or the ‘only.’

In many cases, these men have had to pivot quickly to accommodate a woman stepping into previously all-male situations. Their willingness to adapt has often made the difference between a woman advancing or deciding the industry is not for her.

“These examples illustrate that progress in golf is not a gendered effort; it is collaborative. Progress relies on the entire ecosystem working together,” continues Wheatley.

“Some of the impact of the awards has come as a direct result of men being in the room. They now know the young women coming through and acknowledge the contributions they are making.

“This is why we are keen to make sure we have men involved in The Fairways Project. We want to know their experiences and what they observe. It’s going to be fascinating.”

The conversations at the Education & Insights Day underscored both the progress made and the work still needed to create an inclusive, supportive environment for women in golf. It is not just about breaking down external barriers, but also about addressing the internalised limitations created by years of under-representation.

Through community, mentorship, and intentional leadership, the industry has a powerful opportunity to evolve which is where the 59club partnership will help.

Over the next five years, the Fairways Project will map women’s journeys across the industry.

The project will harness 59club’s advanced survey software, analytics, and training provision to deliver a clear picture of women’s experiences in golf, identifying opportunities and challenges and tracking aspirations and leadership pathways.

“We hope that the insights we capture will provide golf with the tools to benchmark progress, inform decisions, and ultimately shape a stronger and more inclusive future for the game,” explains Sarah Jane Shepherd, Global Franchise Manager at 59club.

“This is such an important project. We know that the golf industry wants to embrace the talent of women at every level and we have the means to enable that.”

The Fairways Project has industry-wide support with all of the awards’ partners and sponsors backing the campaign. They know that learning more about their female workforce will enable them to make more informed decisions and make better provision for the women employed in their respective sectors.

What is quite special about this collaborative approach is that everyone wins. The data will be openly available to the industry and participants are being invited to ask the questions they want to know the answers to. With hundreds of women from around the globe already signed up, the momentum is palpable.

The impact and reach of the awards itself have already exceeded its founder’s expectations. As well as creating a firm foundation for women working in golf in the UK, the awards now has a global audience.

The 2025 International Woman category attracted nominations from 17 different countries demonstrating the interest it is generating elsewhere.

The UK event will remain at the heart of the programme – a celebration defined by community and collaboration – but as the demand for similar platforms is emerging worldwide there are now plans in discussion for Awards in the USA, Europe, and Australia.

“The international incarnations of the awards will be slightly different to those of the UK, but the need is just the same,” added Wheatley.

“For every woman working in golf there are hundreds of men doing the same job, so it is exceedingly rare that their contributions are seen and acknowledged. Ultimately, there is one overriding singular ambition… to give women the support that I never had.”

This new data project has the potential to create a turning point for the industry. The Fairways Project marks a bold step forward – one that moves the conversation from anecdote to insight, from good intentions to measurable change.