by J. Robinson
Condition of or lack of on the course restroom facilities could be one reason some women don't play as much. Men don't worry so much about this.

by DB McTaggart
Thank you for bringing this subject to the forefront. My husband and I often travel to play golf and I am continually surprised at negative attitudes toward women at many courses. Although I carry a lower handicap than many men, the starter and/or proshop will almost never team women or couples with "regular guys". There is nothing wrong with one woman and three men in a group, as long as all players can keep up. One thing that I have noticed over 23 years of playing recreational golf all over the world is that women will strive to maintain the pace of play, no matter what level of golf is being played. Can't say the same for a lot of men.
As for tees - I would like to recommend Wolf Creek in Mesquite, NV for a fun and challenging round. The starter asks for your handicap, then suggests the correct tee for your game based on the slope rating - no matter what your gender is. Great views and challenging carrys even from the forward tees.

by FRED SELTMAN
ABOUT TIME WE ARE HEARING SOME NOISE ABOUT HOW WOMEN ARE TREATED. FOR MANY YEARS I HAVE REFER TO "LADIES" TEES AS FORWARD OR RED TEES. PEOPLE DO NOT UNDERSTAND THAT COURSES OFFER SEVERAL TEE BOXES SO YOU CAN PICK THE COURSE LENGTH THAT SUITS YOUR GAME. BE THAT MEN, LADIES, OR SENIORS.
ALSO, COURSES PLACE RED TEES IN VERY POOR POSITIONS. THEY ARE USUALLY ON A SLOPE OR VERY POORLY MAINTAINED AS IF THEY DO NOT REALLY MATTER.
COURES SHOULD OFFER PEOPLE THE OPPORTUNITY TO TEE OFF FROM THE BEGINING OF THE FAIRWAY IF THEY FEEL THE FORWARD TEES ARE STILL TO LONG.
PEOPLE WILL NOT DO THIS UNLESS INVITED TO DO SO. WITH A POSTED INVITION FOLKS WILL BE LESS CITICAL OF THOSE WHO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS OPTION.
KEEP IN MIND THE FOLKS THAT HAVE A PHYSICAL HANDICAP THAT STILL WANT TO PLAY.
COME ON COURSE MANAGERS--LISTEN UP.
FRED SELTMAN

by Dennis Collet
Jacqueline Hagar's comments on women and golf courses are right on the money. I would go even farther than she does.. I have been a greenskeeper and a greens supervisor on a large world class golf course in Canada for over ten years and have always been frustrated by the course's ownnership (Japanese), and their unwillingness to provide an extra set of tees better suited to not just the ladies, but "senior", "junior" and even regular players who either don't have the strength and ability to play the longer yardage or want a quicker game. Golf courses, even new ones I've noticed often set the forward tees at some rediculus length around 5300 to 5500 or even at times close to 6000 yards. I can't help but think they have either done this on purpose to keep a certain group of people off the course by discouraging their play, or they just didn't think it through during the design stage. As someone who travels and plays a lot of golf courses in the United States during the Canadian Winter,(with my wife). By the way, I am 62 years old and battling cancer but still frisky enough to be challenged by a game of golf on a regular basis. I often play from the forward tees to speed up play and enjoy the game if the course seems too long. I have even encouraged my wife to tee her ball up on the front of the fairway if it takes that to bring the hole into reach for her. You see you can always stretch a course out by moving back,but you can also shorten it up if you so choose. There may be rules for the game, but sometime rules need to change or be broken.. We have even been laughed at on the tee when they see me hitting from the forward tees with my wife. I always have a reply for these losers. I simply say, "see me at the end of the round and we will compare scorecards and see who enjoyed the game most. It takes people to speak up strongly if any change in management's attitude is going to be changed. I think it is extremely rude and low class to put on a phony smile as they take your money to play their course and then snicker as you adapt to what you have in front of you.. "Golf for All" should be the 1st. rule of Golf with those who own, run, or manage golf courses. I hope this will encourage others to get out there and make the game and the courses their own, even if it does raise a few hackles on the elitist prudes who are more than happy to take your dollar, but don't offer value for it.. Dennis

by Steve Stines
I just read the article concerning how women are treated on the course or in the clubhouse and it makes me angry. I realize that the ratio is about 50:1 men over women but that is no excuse to treat the ladies so bad. Are we in a society that condones this? Now I also understand that there are still courses that still don't allow females to play and that is fine, but other courses should go out of there way to accomidate our much more pleasing to look at players. I know they tend to play slower but golf should never be "gulped" down, it should be enjoyed like fine wine or a great meal. Plus there is nothing better, for me, to spend the day or plan a vacation or a little get away with my wife. Its an absolute joy. The best part is, is later you get some reward that no other man can give you... so let 'em play! And take care of them.

by Jacqueline K. Hagar
I not only want a "welcome" and honored feeling from a course.....I want the Forward Tees to have an appropriate landing area etc.....very often it becomes the narrowing part of the men's landing area or even too short for the ladies driver (need at least 200+ yards) depending on the distance of the tee before "the forward tee"...... the longer lady drivers can step back one tee to keep the driver in the game.....hope I have expressed this clearly enough)
The opportunity to hit a mid to short iron for an approach requires the full driver on a 350 yard par four hole....I haven't studied this enough but it should have some formula similar to the averages used for regular men distances?......Instead of using only the men formulas and "sticking" the forward tees onto the course.....the entire hole, hole by hole, should take both the men's and the women's shots, shot by shot.... hole into consideration...?

by Tim Nugent
check out Willowhill GC in Northbrook Il for an enlightened women friendly course. It's a high-quality but economical bent grass 9-hole course locatd in the heart of the exclusive Northshore. No water, not long, no forced carries, but still challenging with country club caliber greens. They even have a women as the general manager.