Women's Golf Day scales new heights

The decision to extend Women’s Golf Day into a week-long celebration paid off, according to WGD organisers, who say this year’s events reached more women and girls in more countries than ever before.

Women's Golf Day (WGD), the global movement set up to engage, empower and support females through golf, trialled a new extended format with new countries and venues coming on board for 2023.

It finished on Tuesday June 6, seven days after WGD founder Elisa Gaudet rang the bell at the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), alongside senior female executives and LPGA player Danielle Kang at the official launch.

WGD hosts events and opportunities for women and girls to engage with golf and celebrate the lifelong skills and relationships that can develop through playing the game. 

Participants in 84 countries dressed in red and white for WGD and shared their experiences on social media, generating 194 million impressions with 397,143 engagements and 92 million+ reach.

The highest growth in participation was in Japan, which hosted 139 events, just 12 months after joining WGD and staging three fledgling events.

“Every year we work to increase the number of facilities that host Women’s Golf Day and it was very exciting to welcome the 139 courses from Japan and watch on social media, in real time, the impact WGD has on golf around the globe,” said Gaudet.  

“I experienced first-hand how important it is to have new and existing female golfers participate in WGD events to build confidence, new friendships and skills that do last a lifetime. Our goal is to create more opportunities and unity and we are achieving that on a global level.”

Gambia, Greece, Peru and Zambia hosted WGD events for the first time. Some of the world’s leading championship golf venues took part, including Marco Simone, host venue of the 2023 Ryder Cup, 2024 U.S. Open venue Pinehurst, TPCs Sawgrass and Scottsdale and France’s Evian Resort, host venue of women’s major The Evian Championship.

The extended format enabled organisers to set-up retail engagement and in-store activations at PGA TOUR Superstore and Golf Town venues throughout the week, including driving contests on simulators, beginners coaching, putting competitions and giveaways.

WGD promotional messages were also broadcast on the ABC supersign billboard in Times Square, New York, and on outdoor advertising in Silicon Valley, California.

WGD founder Gaudet is already looking ahead to 2024 and says registration is now open for any golf facility interested in becoming a 2024 WGD host venue. 

For location registration, visit www.womensgolfday.com/register